Helmut Lachenmann (born on November 27, 1935 in Stuttgart) studied piano, theory and counterpoint at the Music Conservatory in Stuttgart from 1955 to 1958 and from 1958 to 1960 composition with Luigi Nono in Venice. The first public performances of his works took place at the Biennale in Venice in 1962 and at the International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt. After his teaching activity at the University in Ludwigsburg Lachenmann taught as professor for composition at the Music Conservatory in Hannover (1976–81) and in Stuttgart (1981–99). Furthermore he managed many seminars, workshops and master classes in Germany and abroad, for example several times at the Summer Courses in Darmstadt between 1978 and 2006. In 2008 Lachenmann taught as Fromm Visiting Professor at the Harvard University, Cambridge/MA. 2010 he became fellow of the Royal College of Music, London. He received numerous awards for his compositional work, for example the Siemens Musikpreis in 1997, the Royal Philharmonic Society Award London in 2004 and in 2008 the Berliner Kunstpreis as well as the Leone d’oro of the Biennale di Venezia. Lachenmann is honorary doctor at the Music Conservatory Hannover and member of the Academies of the Arts in Berlin, Brussels, Hamburg, Leipzig, Mannheim and Munich. His works are performed at many festivals and concert series in Germany and abroad.