German clarinet virtuoso and teacher Hans Deinzer passed away on February 26, 2020 at the age of 86. He taught for 30 years at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien, Hannover before retiring in 1996. He was a strong advocate of historical clarinets and their performance, and he premiered Pierre Boulez’s Domaines, which was written for him.
Deinzer was born in Rothenbruck and studied at the Städtisches Konservatoriun in Nuremberg and later studied in Munich with Rudolf Gall. He played with the Nurembert Symphony and the Sinfonieorchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks in Hamburg, and he was also a two-time winner of the Grand Prix du Disque.
In addition to his performing career, Deinzer also taught several internationally acclaimed clarinetists, including Sabine Meyer, Martin Fröst, Andrew Marriner, Reiner Wehle, Wolfgang Meyer, Nicholas Cox, Michele Zukovsky, Antonio Salguero, and several others.
He is included in Pamela Weston’s Clarinet Virtuosi of Today, and he has contributed several notable recordings towards the clarinet community (on both historical and modern instruments).
Let us celebrate the life, legacy, and music of this legendary clarinetist and pedagogue.
RIP Hans. An inspirational but demanding teacher, and a kind and remarkable person. Will be much missed.