Herma Kramm

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Herma Kramm (born April 9, 1920 in Emden ; † April 22, 1998 in Münster ) was the university choir director and honorary professor at the University of Münster .

Life

Herma Kramm grew up in Emden and Münster and studied philology at the University of Münster after finishing school . At the same time, she was trained in solo singing. During the Second World War , she stayed for musical studies in Hamburg and Vienna. A solo career could not be realized for health reasons, so she first worked as an interpreter for the British military government and then as a teacher. During this time, her interest shifted towards choral singing .

In 1947 a small choir was formed at the newly established Catholic student community, which later broke away from the organizational ties to the student community and grew into the student madrigal choir. Herma Kramm directed this choir from its formation until her death in 1998. In 1981 she founded the university choir , which, unlike the madrigal choir, did not specialize in a cappella pieces , but concentrated on large choral works with orchestra. She combined the best voices of both choirs and their singing students to form the chamber ensemble , which together with the two choirs formed the Collegium musicum vocale of the University of Münster.

effect

It was important to Herma Kramm that the Student Madrigal Choir acted as an ambassador for the University of Münster in the world. In addition to regular appearances at home, trips abroad were an integral part of choir life. The choir traveled to the Netherlands as early as 1948, a unique event in the immediate post-war period. Further trips and major tours followed, initially to other European countries, from the late 1950s to the USA, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Africa and South America.

Honors

The Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster awarded Kramm the title of university choir director and honorary professor, she received the university medal and was made an honorary senator of the university. In addition, she received the Federal Cross of Merit First Class in 1983 , the Paulus Plaque from the city of Münster and in 1987 the Order of Merit of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia . In addition, a street in Münster, the Herma-Kramm-Weg, is named after her.

estate

The university archive of the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster keeps the estate of Herma Kramm.

Fonts

  • Herma Kramm: Arrived. As a musical ambassador through the world with the madrigal choir . Edited by Felizitas Rasch and Klemens Kramm, Münster 2000.

literature

  • Sabine Happ: Herma Kramm - A life for choral music , in: Sabine Happ, Veronika Jüttemann (ed.): "Let them think". 100 years of studies for women in Münster . (= Publications of the University Archives Münster; 2). Münster 2008, p. 303 f.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Merit holders since 1986. State Chancellery of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, accessed on March 11, 2017 .
  2. ↑ Entry in the central database of bequests
personal data
SURNAME Kramm, Herma
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German choir director and music teacher
DATE OF BIRTH April 9, 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH Emden
DATE OF DEATH April 22, 1998
Place of death Muenster