Hans Eugen Frischknecht

Hans Eugen Frischknecht (born 8 May 1939) is a Swiss composer, organist, choral conductor and harpsichordist.
Life.
Born in St. Gallen, Frischknecht graduated from the Swiss Music Pedagogic Association after his school-leaving exams as a piano teacher (SMPV). From 1959 to 1962, he studied composition with Boris Blacher, counterpoint with Ernst Pepping, organ (final examination) with Michael Schneider and twelve-tone music with Josef Rufer at the Universität der Künste Berlin. in der MusicSack-Datenbank From 1962 to 1964 he continued his training with Olivier Messiaen (courses in analysis), in organ with Gaston Litaize and in harpsichord with Robert Veyron-Lacroix at the Conservatoire de Paris. Until 1969, he studied music theory (teaching diploma) with Theo Hirsbrunner and Jörg Ewald Dähler at the Hochschule der Künste Bern.
As organist and harpsichordist, he gave concerts in Europe and the USA. From 1964 to 2002, he was organist and choirmaster at the Protestant-Reformed Johanneskirche in the Breitenrain quarter of Bern. In 1970, he founded and took over the direction of the International Society for Contemporary Music Vocal Soloists Bern. In 1980, he conducted the world premiere of the "Madrigal" by Manfred Trojahn. From 1983 to 2003, he taught improvisation and theory at the Hochschule der Künste Bern in Biel.
Frischknecht was President of the Bern City Association of the International Society for New Music (IGNM) from 1977 to 1988. He served as President of the local Swiss Music Pedagogical Association (SMPV) in Bern from 1978 to 1990. He was also for many years president of the SMPV. In 2002/03, he was a founding member of the in Bern.
In addition to organ, piano and harpsichord pieces, he composed mainly chamber music and choral works. They have been performed in Europe and the United States by the and the Ensemble Sortisatio, among others.
Frischknecht is married to the organist Eliane Kneuss and lives in Muri near Bern.