Born: February 16, 1945 - Zinnwald, Germany

The German pianist and teacher, Rolf-Dieter Arens, received its first piano instruction already at the age of 5. From 1963 to 1968 he studied at the Leipzig's Hochschule für Musik, piano with Professor H. Volger and chamber music with Professor L. Schuster. After two extensive years he completed master courses with Paul Badura-Skoda in Vienna.

After finishing his studies, Rolf-Dieter Arens taught from 1970 to 1986 piano at the conservatories in Leipzig and Weimar. In 1986 he was appointed as professor for piano at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar.

Apart from the training activity, Rolf-Dieter Arens has an extensive concert activity as a concert pianist, with engagements as a soloist and a chamber musician, which have led him all over Germany, to many European countries, as well as to Japan and South Korea. He has played with renowned conductors as Kurt Masur, Herbert Blomstedt, Neville Marriner and Janowski, among others. He has taken part in numerous broadcast and TV productions and CD recordings.

In 1982 Rolf-Dieter Arens received the Kunstpreis of the GDR, and in 1986 was appointed to the Berliner Sinfonieorchester, where he worked as a soloist until 1991. Since that time he has given numerous master-classes in Germany, Sweden as well as South Korea and worked as a Juror at international competitions in Bolzano, Budapest, Dublin, Santander, Utrecht, Weimar and Vienna. From 1993 to 1999 he was artistic director of the Internationalen Sommermusikakademie Schloss Hundisburg. In 1995 he created the Kammermusikvereinigung Weimarer Solisten. In 1999-2000 he served as president of the Franz-Liszt-Gesellschaft Weimar, and since 2000 he is chairmen of the Internationalen Franz Liszt Klavierwettbewerbs Weimar, as well as artistic director of the Liszt-Festivals in Weimar. Since July 2001 he is rector of the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar.

Source: Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar Website, English translation by Aryeh Oron (March 2007)
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (March 2007)

Rolf-Dieter Arens: Short Biography | Recordings of Instrumental Works

Links to other Sites

Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar - Prof. Rolf-Dieter Arens [German]