Violinist Conrad von der Goltz has Died, Aged 95

The German violinist was concertmaster of a number of orchestras, and taught at the University of Catholic Church Music & Music Education (HfKM) in Regensburg

Born in Berlin in 1928, Conrad von der Goltz received his first music lessons as a refugee child in Salzburg and then continued in Sweden — where his family chose to live during the Second World War. At the war's end, he received his first job in the Detmold Municipal Orchestra.

In 1948, studies beckoned, and von der Goltz went to Hamburg and then Detmold to learn from Tibor Varga. During this time, he also participated in masterclasses with Max Rostal and Wolfgang Schneiderhan.

Upon graduating, von der Goltz was engaged as concertmaster in Göttingen. Having won the prestigious ARD Competition in the duo category, he took another concertmaster position in Oslo in 1956, and followed this with the concertmaster job at the SWR Symphony Orchestra Baden-Baden.

A passionate chamber musician, von der Goltz was a member of the Brahms Trio, the German-English Mozart Ensemble, and the von der Goltz Chamber Orchestra.

He also held a professorship at the HfKM Regensburg, where he was highly committed to his students.

"Conrad von der Goltz shaped the promotion of young talents on the violin in Germany and especially in Bavaria in a unique way: as a musician and pedagogue he will always remain an example," said Franz Josef Stoiber, head of HfKM Regensburg.