Prof. Gielen is the son of the opera director Josef Gielen, who settled in Buenos Aires in 1940, and there he initially studied philosophy at the Universidad de Buenos Aires for three semesters. He studied music theory privately with Erwin Leuchter and piano privately with Rita Kurzmann-Leuchter in Buenos Aires from 1942-47, where he played the complete piano works of Arnold Schoenberg in 1949, and later studied analysis privately with Josef Polnauer in Vienna from 1950-53. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin in 2000.

Among his many honors are the Hessischer Staatspreis (1985), the Adorno-Preis of the city of Frankfurt (1986), the Grosser Musikpreis of the city of Vienna (1995), and the Musikpreis of the city of Frankfurt (1997).

He served as co-répétiteur to the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires from 1947-50 and to the Staatsoper Wien from 1950-58. As a conductor, he served as Kapellmeister of the Staatsoper Wien from 1954-60, chief conductor of the Royal Opera in Stockholm from 1960-65 and chief conductor of l'Orchestre National de Belgique from 1969-73. He then served as chief conductor of The Netherlands Opera from 1973-75, artistic director, music director of the Museumgesellschaft concert series and opera director of the city of Frankfurt from 1977-87 and principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1978-80.

He also served as music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 1980-86. He served as chief conductor of the SWF-Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden from 1986-99 and has remained a regular guest conductor of this orchestra, as well as principal guest conductor of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin and the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin since 1999.

His books are Beethoven im Gespräch: die neun Sinfonien (with Paul Fiebig, 1995, J.B. Metzler Verlag) and Mahler im Gespräch: die zehn Sinfonien (with Paul Fiebig, 2002, J.B. Metzler Verlag). He is also the subject of the book Michael Gielen: Dirigent, Komponist, Zeitgenosse by Paul Fiebig (1997, J.B. Metzler Verlag).

He taught conducting at the Salzburg Mozarteum from 1987-95.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Street address: Prof. Michael Gielen, Au 57, A - 5311 Loibichl, Austria

SELECT LIST OF WORKS

ORCHESTRAL: Variationen für 40 Instrumente, 1959; Pflicht und Neigung, small orchestra (24 players), tape, 1988

CHAMBER MUSIC: Sonate, violin, piano, 1946; Trio, clarinet, bassoon, viola, 1948; Variationen, string quartet, 1949; Streichquartett, 'Un vieux souvenir', string quartet, 1983; Serenade, 'Rückblick', 3 celli, 1990; Sonate für Violoncello Solo, 'Weitblick', 1991

CHORAL: Vier Gedichte von Stefan George, mixed chorus, 6 clarinets (any 3 + bass clarinet), 4 trombones, 4 celli, piano, timpani, tubular bells, 2 glockenspiels, 1955-58

VOCAL: Musica 1954 (text by Paul Claudel), baritone, trombone, piano, timpani, string orchestra, 1954; Ein Tag tritt hervor (cantata, text by Pablo Neruda), soprano, alto, tenor, bass, speaker, piano obbligato, ensemble (electric guitar, harmonium, ondes Martenot, vibraphone, marimba), 4 ensembles (E-flat clarinet, clarinet, A-clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet; harp, electric mandolin, violin, viola, cello; celesta, 4 percussion; 5 percussion), 1960-63; die glocken sind auf falscher spur (melodramas and interludes, text by Hans Arp), soprano, speaker, electric guitar, cello, piano, harmonium, percussion, tape, 1969

PIANO: Klavierstück in sieben Sätzen, piano, tape, 2001

(Last updated on May 23, 2003)