Stefan Fritzen

Stefan Fritzen (born May 29, 1940 in Rötha near Leipzig; † May 31, 2019 in Dresden ) was a German trombonist and orchestra leader.

As early as 1961, a year before completing his studies at the East Berlin University of Music "Hanns-Eisler" , Stefan Fritzen became the solo trombonist of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra . From 1973 to 1980 he worked in the same position at the Staatskapelle Dresden , but also remained a member of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra until 1974.

Between 1964 and 1976 he also appeared as a soloist in symphony and chamber concerts in Berlin, Dresden and other cities in the GDR. For his outstanding achievements, Stefan Fritzen was appointed chamber musician in 1967 and chamber virtuoso in 1971.

From 1980 the music pedagogical work - already started in 1963 - became his main occupation. He was a teacher for high and low brass at various music schools and gave remedial lessons for particularly talented students. He also worked as a lecturer for both the training of music school teachers and the training and further education of orchestra conductors. Fritzen led various orchestras, chamber music groups and youth ensembles. He won first prize in the GDR performance comparison in 1983 with the youth wind orchestra and the Bischofswerda wind chamber ensemble and the gold medal in 1984.

After he succeeded in leaving the GDR , he took the position of head of the wind instruments / percussion group at the city music school in Mannheim. In this role he founded a brass ensemble, which successfully participated in the European Brass Band Championships in 1999 and 2002, as well as a symphonic wind orchestra, from which the Mannheimer Bläserphilharmonie (MBP) emerged.

Fritz's interest as an orchestra conductor and orchestral teacher was primarily directed towards the field of symphonic brass music. His goal was to achieve a sound in a wind orchestra that is “articulatory, dynamic and agogic” comparable to that of a symphony orchestra.

In addition to the symphonic character of the music played, it should be made at a high artistic level. By this he meant not only that pieces with a high degree of difficulty should be played, but above all that the reproduction should be as perfect as possible and filled with lively musicality.

He was also a lecturer at training courses and symposia and as a leader of seminars. In 1989 and 1993 he led conductor seminars of the German Music Council in the brass orchestra department, and since 2000 the seminar "Building and conducting wind orchestras" at the State University for Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim. He is often appointed to the juries of national and international competitions. Fritzen has also made a name for himself as a specialist in the treatment of brass players who are disturbed or sick. His curative educational experience has been reflected in lectures and essays.

On May 31, 2005, Stefan Fritzen retired and returned to Dresden, where he continued to work as a conductor, lecturer and publicist. In 2019 he died of complications from heart surgery.

Awards

• 2005: Schiller badge from the city of Mannheim

supporting documents

1. ↑ https://www.morgenweb.de/mannheimer-morgen_artikel,-kultur-pioniertat-mit-orchester-_arid,1463453.html

References

• Working group wind orchestra in the association of friends and sponsors of the Municipal Music School Mannheim eV (Ed.): Wind sound and orchestral education, Stefan Fritzen in Mannheim, 1986–2005 . Brochure, published on the occasion of the retirement of Stefan Fritzen. 2005.