Detlev Müller-Siemens


Detlev Müller-Siemens is a German composer and conductor.
FB DetlevMullerSiemens

Life and career

Born in Hamburg, Müller-Siemens began with piano lessons at age six and began composing. He was invited to a composition class at the Musikhochschule Köln at age 13. He studied piano, composition and theory at the Musikhochschule Hamburg from 1970 with Günter Friedrichs. From 1973 to 1980, he studied with György Ligeti. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1977/78 with Olivier Messiaen. Back in Hamburg, he studied piano with Volker Banfield, and conducting with Christoph von Dohnányi. In 1985, he studied conducting further with Klauspeter Seibel.
In 1981, he was an assistant at the Paris Opéra for Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre. He was Kapellmeister of the Städtische Bühnen Freiburg from 1986 to 1988.
From 1991 to 2005, he was professor of composition and music theory at the Basel Music Academy, then professor at the University of Vienna.
An engagement with the work of Samuel Beckett since 1999 has been reflected in his opera Bing, the composition the space of a step for orchestra as well as in the chamber music works Light blue, almost white and ... called dusk.

Prizes and awards

Work

Compositions by Müller-Siemens were published by Schott Music, including:Under Neonlight I for ensemble, 1980/81Under Neonlight II for piano, 1980–83
  • Piano Concerto, 1980–1981
  • Viola Concerto, 1983–1984Under Neonlight III for piano, 1987Quatre Passages for orchestra, 1988
  • Horn Concerto, 1988–1989Die Menschen, opera, 1989–1990Carillon for orchestra, 1991
  • Double Concerto for violin, viola and orchestra, 1992Phoenix 1,2,3 for ensemble, 1993–1995Maiastra for orchestra, 1995–1996Cuts for alto saxophone and ensemble, 1996/97Light blue, almost white for ensemble, 1998Bing, musical theatre, 1998–2000
  • String Trio, 2002Die Aussicht for choir and ensemble, 2003/04the space of a step for orchestra, 2003/04distant traces for violin, viola and piano, 2007lost traces for piano quartet, 2007...called dusk for violoncello and piano, 2008Kommos for large ensemble, 2008/09Privacy for clarinet, violin and piano, 2010...called dusk II for string quartet, 2011
  • Three piano pieces, 2012... called dusk IV for orchestra, 2012/13... called dusk III for ensemble, 2014... called dusk V for violin solo, 2014Subsong 1 for ensemble, 2015