Final University Orchestra Concert for Prof. Ulrich Windfuhr
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On Sunday, July 5, 2026, Prof. Ulrich Windfuhr conducted his final concert with the University Orchestra of the Hamburg University of Music and Drama, performing Benjamin Britten’s opera *The Turn of the Screw*. At the end of the summer semester, he will retire and, at the same time, step down as head of the conducting class, which he has shaped with extraordinary dedication, professionalism, and great pedagogical skill since his appointment to the HfMT in 2013.
Over the past thirteen years, Ulrich Windfuhr has built a conducting class that enjoys high international recognition. His former students now include numerous successful conductors, among them Bar Avni, Anna Rakitina, Giedrė Šlekytė, David Niemann, Samuel Lee, David Bui, and Nicolas Kierdorf. Many of his graduates have won awards at international conducting competitions or have taken on leadership roles with renowned orchestras.
Supporting young musicians and preparing them for professional concert and opera careers has always been at the heart of his work. Prof. Windfuhr realized this goal not only with the university orchestra but also, in particular, through the “workshop concerts” developed in collaboration with the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra. There, both he himself and students from his class conducted a wide variety of orchestral programs. At the same time, the format offered instrumental soloists and composition students the opportunity to perform under professional conditions and premiere new works.
In addition to the numerous concerts with the university orchestra, Ulrich Windfuhr also led Ensemble 13/14—which is dedicated to contemporary chamber music—for many years. Furthermore, several recordings were made under his direction, most recently a complete recording of all of Beethoven’s symphonies with the HfMT university orchestra.
President Prof. Dr. Jan Philipp Sprick pays tribute to Prof. Windfuhr’s work:
“Ulrich Windfuhr has shaped generations of conductors. His combination of artistic authority, a strong sense of pedagogical responsibility, and great trust in young talent has had a lasting impact on conducting education at the HfMT and has raised the university orchestra to a very high level. We thank him from the bottom of our hearts for his extraordinary dedication to our students and our university. His legacy will resonate far beyond his active tenure at the HfMT.”