Siegfried Fink

Siegfried Fink (born 8 February 1928 in Zerbst/Germany, died 3 May 2006 in Würzburg/Germany) was a German percussionist, composer and professor. He is recognized as an important figure in the development of the professional percussion scene in Germany after World War II.
Life.
From 1948 to 1951, Fink studied timpanis and percussion in the class of Alfred Wagner at the University of Music in Weimar (Germany). He also studied composition in the class of Helmut Riethmüller at the same institution. After several orchestral and teaching positions in Weimar, Magdeburg, Lübeck and Hannover, he attained a permanent teaching position for timpanis and percussion at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg. In the year 1974, he was promoted to a full professor and became head of the renowned "Studio für Perkussion" in Würzburg. He held this position until his retirement in 1993.
Work.
Under the guidance of Fink, the "Studio für Perkussion" in Würzburg became one of the world's most renowned schools for percussion. He educated more than 100 students and developed new teaching methods and new ways of playing percussion instruments, especially concerning contemporary art music. In the professional German percussion scene, Fink was known as "Der Percussion-Papst" ("The pope of percussion").
For his achievements in art music and teaching, he has been awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz (Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany), received several art prizes and was honoured with doctorates of the Universities for Music of Sofia and Barcelona. For his life work in teaching he received the "Lifetime Achievement in Education Award" from the Percussive Arts Society of the US.
His artistic and creative work is documented in more than 20 disc recordings (mostly LP). Fink also conducted several percussion groups. He founded numerous percussion editions in cooperation with several European publishers. Under his guidance the first curriculum for teaching percussion instruments in German music schools has been developed.
Fink composed more than 160 pieces of music intended both for study and performance purposes. His music comprises solo works as well as chamber music, ballet music and movie scores.
Many of his students received prizes at international competitions and became internationally known percussionists.