1931
... |
Born 20 May in Marburg (Germany)
|
1952
– 1957 |
Medical
studies in Marburg, Mainz and Munich, here also psychology. |
1958 |
Ph.D. in medicine. Resident at the psychiatric
clinic of the University Medical Center
Mainz. |
1958
– 1963 |
Music
studies in Detmold (Germany) - main subject conducting
with Martin Stephani, piano with
Renate Kretschmar-Fischer, composition with Günter Bialas |
1964
... |
Beginning
of systematic research in the field of instrumental music
pedagogy at the
"Max-Planck-Institut für Arbeitsphysiologie", Dortmund.
Point of departure is the development
of instrument-specific methods of research
- to cast light on essential organic
preconditions for playing an instrument (e.g. hand
characteristics)
- to visualize physiological processes while playing (e. g. tension of
muscles), as well as
- to objectify musical-technical mastery on the instrument (e. g.
rhythmic precision in piano performance).
First focus of research becomes the biomechanical
examination of musician's hands
with participation of approx. 1000 instrumentalists
of German universities of music and orchestras. Later worldwide patent
of the Biomechanical Hand Measurement (BHM). Development of the
individual hand profile.
In
addition systematic studies on rhythmic precision
of professional pianists with a measuring piano
(rebuilt Bechstein grand piano).
|
1974
... |
Professor
at the Hanover
University for Music and Drama. Foundation
and direction of the "Institute
for Experimental Music Pedagogy".
Research and
teaching of music
physiology is for the
first time
established at a
European university of music.
"Physiological principles of instrumental playing"
becomes a required subject in the course of study of later instrumental
teachers. Cooperation within the university to develop the
subject in connection with numerous experimental projects in the
field of instrumental pedagogy.
|
1976
... |
Establishing of a (Germany-wide) consultation for musicians for hand problems at the Hanover University
of Music. Cooperation with the "German-speaking
working group for
surgery of the hand" (DAH). |
1976-1983 |
Further
methodological development of the biomechanic
hand diagnostic and of the objectification of
musical-technical ability. Modification of a Steinway
grand piano with measuring technique for pitch, duration,
dynamics. Promotion of the projects by
Volkswagen Foundation and also within the special research field 54 of
the German Research Foundation (DFG). |
1979
... |
Establishing of the term
"Music Physiology" and
renaming of the Hanover institut into "Institute
of Music Physiology". Guest
lectures and seminars at universities in Germany and abroad, at music schools and at symposia of associations
like VdM (Association of German music schools),
ESTA and EPTA (founding member). Since 1986
regular exchange of ideas with the lecturers of piano
methodology of German universities for music ("Talks of Saarbrücken").
|
1983-1993 |
Model studies
under various aspects: Comparative studies on
manual
conditions with successful and healthy instrumentalists on the one hand
and
problematic cases on the other hand. Comparative
studies on the influence of age and ethnic affiliation on the hands of
instrumentalists (students of universities and of music schools).
Studies on strength
of fingers of pianists. First longitudinal study with
violin students on physical changes of the hand during education. First objective
analysis of the force
progression during piano touch. Studies together with
Frank R. Wilson (San Francisco) on biomechanics of the
hands of instrumentalists with Focal
Dystonia. Objectification of rhythmic
and dynamic skills on the piano with
professional pianists. Strong increase of consultation of
musicians with hand problems. |
1988/89 |
Visiting
chair at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. |
1991
... |
Foundation of the working group "Doctors for Musicians",
Hanover, to improve the health care of
musicians with
job-related medical problems. |
1992
... |
First International
and Interdisciplinary
Symposium in Germany with the topic: "Medical
Problems of Instrumentalists - Causes and Prevention"
(published by Laaber 1995). |
1993
... |
Retirement and transfer of the "Institut
of music physiology" to the neurophysiologist Prof. Dr. med.
Eckart Altenmüller. |
1994
... |
Co-founder and president of the "German Association of Music
Physiology and
Musicians' Medicine" (DGfMM),
honorary member since 2001. |
2005
... |
"Hand und Instrument
- Musikphysiologische Grundlagen. Praktische Konsequenzen" (Breitkopf & Härtel, 368 pp.) summarizes
the research results about
the musician's hand and describes ways of application in practice. |
2009
... |
The
Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) assumes the measuring devices as
well as the data base of the Biomechanic Hand Measurement (BHM) from Hanover. At the "Zurich Centre for Musicians' Hands"
(ZZM), embedded in the department of music physiology,
musician's
medicine and health prevention of
the ZHdK, musician's
hand research is continued. It is applied in the consultation
of
musicians and connected with the research to motor learning of
the
Collegium Helveticum of the Swiss Federal Institut of Technology Zurich
(ETH) and the University of Zurich (UZH).
|
... 2013
|
died 30 August in Isernhagen (Germany)
|