Peter Herrmann

Peter Herrmann (19 December 1941 – 28 October 2015) was a German composer and academic teacher. He composed three operas and a ballet, but mainly instrumental music both for orchestra and chamber music. His works have been performed internationally; his second string quartet was awarded a prize at the Prague Spring International Music Festival. He was professor of composition at the Musikhochschule Leipzig from 1969, serving as its rector from 1984 to 1987.

Life Herrmann was born in 1941 in Chemnitz. From 1956 to 1960, he studied violin at the . The string quartet was awarded second prize at the Prague Spring International Music Festival in 1965. He was appointed professor of composition in 1984 at the Musikhochschule, by now named Hochschule für Musik Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, and was its University rector from 1984 to 1987.

Work Herrmann composed music of many genres.

Herrmann focused on music for instruments. He wrote orchestral music including four symphonies, Concerto for Orchestra, a chamber symphony, Sonatine for string orchestra, a violin concerto, a trumpet concerto, two piano concertos, and two cello concertos. He composed chamber music including four string quartets, four piano trios, a piano quintet and an oboe quartet. He composed piano music and works for organ. For voices, he composed Lieder and Mater Terra, a cantata for soprano and chamber ensemble.

Awards 1965: 2nd prize at the Prague Spring International Music Festival for the String Quartet No. 2, Mendelssohn Scholarship 1969: Kunstpreis der Stadt Leipzig 1979: Hanns Eisler Prize, Kunstpreis der DDR