Mission of the Hans Werner Henze-Foundation

Michael Kerstan, September 2013

"I would like", Henze wrote in Spring 2007, "my music to make the same effect in the future (i.e. after my demise) as it does today, and that it, furthermore, may speak to an audience familiar with the actual cultural and social concerns. Thus it should be taken care of a kind of continuity which keeps alive our European idea of civilization and more, may be developped in the awareness of humans who appreciate the arts and love the music."

This legacy leeds to two fields of activity to which the Hans Werner Henze-Foundation dedicates its work. One is the "promotion of arts, culture and music" and particularly the conservation, protection and distribution of the muscial and literary work of Hans Werner Henze. Scientific research about the composer's work and its impacts is an important part of these duties. The other task Maestro Henze assigned to his foundation is to sponsor young musicians, especially composers. Thus, the foundation may participate in concerts and festivals with contemporary music, create own musical performing formats and participate in scientific events dealing with Henze's oeuvre. Furthermore the foundation has the possibility to grant scholarships to young, promising composers.

Institutions of the Foundation

Prof. Dr. Johannes Kreile †

ehem. Vorstand

wurde nach dem Studium der Rechtswissenschaft und der Theaterwissenschaft Geschäftsführer der Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film- und Fernseh-produzenten und war Anwalt mit Spezialgebiet Medien- und Urheberrecht. Kreile war Mitglied im Verwaltungsrat der Bayerischen Landeszentrale für neue Medien, Vorsitzender der Richtlinienkommission der FFA Filmförderanstalt Berlin und Vorsitzender des Beirats der MBA MediaBusinessAcademy. Er war Honorarprofessor an der Münchner Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film, hat Lehraufträge an der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz und der Bayerischen Akademie für Fernsehen. Zahlreiche Publikationen, darunter Mitwirkung am Handbuch „Recht im Internet“.

Prof. Dr. Johannes Kreile

Board of directors

After studying law and theatre sciences Kreile became general manager of the collecting society of the film- and tv-producers, and he is lawyer with an expertise on media and author's rights. He is on the board of administrators of the Bavarian center for new media, head of the commitee of the guidelines of the FFA (institute for promotion and sponsorship for film in Berlin) and head of the advisory board of the MBA Media Business Academy. Furthermore he is visiting professor art the Munich Unversity for Television and Movie, at the University of Mayence and the Baywrische Akademie für Fernsehen. Numerous publications, among them participation in the Handbuch "Recht internet" (compendium "law on internet").

 

Prof. Dr. Peter Ruzicka

Vorsitzender des Künstlerischen Beirates

Komponist (u.a. Opern: „Celan“ UA 2001 Dresden, „Hölderin“ UA 2008  Berlin), Dirigent, Intendant und promovierter Jurist, Professor an der Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, Mitglied der Bayerischen Akademie der Schönen Künste und der Freien Akademie der Künste Hamburg. Nacheinander Intendant des Radio-Symphonie-Orchesters Berlin, der Staatsoper Hamburg und der Hamburger Philharmoniker, seit 1996 als Nachfolger Hans Werner Henzes künstlerischer Leiter der Münchener Biennale und von 2001 bis 2006 Intendant der Salzburger Festspiele.

Prof. Dr. Peter Ruzicka

Head of the board of artistic advisors

Composer Peter Ruzicka (see, among others, his operas "Celan", Dresden 2001 and "Hölderlin", Berlin 2008) is also a highly appreciated conductor, artistic director with a PHD in law, professor at the University of Music and Theater in Hamburg, member of the Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste and of the Freie Akademie der Künste, Hamburg. He was artistic director of the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, the Staatsoper Hamburg and the Hamburg Philharmonic, the Münchener Biennale für Neues Musiktheater (as successor of Hans Werner Henze) and the Salzburg Festival.

Johannes Debus

Board of artistic advisors

The conductor made his debut at the Frankfurt Opera in 1999 with Henzes „Boulevard Solitude“. From 2001 – 2008 he stayed there as pianist, coach, and assistant conductor. As a guest he conducted the orchestras at Deutsche Oper Berlin, English National Opera London, Bayerische Staatsoper München, Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, Lincoln Center New York, the Ensemble Modern; he appeared at Festivals in Schwetzingen (World premiere of Sciarrino's „MacBeth“) and Spoleto (staged premiere of Henze's „Gogo No Eiko“). In 2009 he was appointed Music Director of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto.