Werner Andreas Albert (10 January 1935 – 10 November 2019)[1] was aGerman-bornAustralianconductor.
Albert was born inWeinheim. He began his studies in musicology and history, and later studied conducting withHerbert von Karajan[2] andHans Rosbaud. He became an Australian citizen in the late 1990s.[2]
After Albert's 1961 debut with the Heidelberg Chamber Orchestra, he became chief conductor of theNordwestdeutsche Philharmonie.[3] He later served as chief conductor of theGulbenkian Orchestra inLisbon and the Nuremberg Symphony in Germany.[4] He was chief conductor of the Bavarian State Youth Orchestra for more than 20 years[4] and was also senior lecturer of the Meistersinger Conservatorium inNuremberg.[citation needed] He was also the permanent guest conductor of the Radio Symphony Orchestras inCologne,Frankfurt, andBerlin, and of theBamberg Symphony.[citation needed]
Since 1981, Albert regularly conducted inAustralia. He was named principal conductor of theQueensland Symphony Orchestra, and he conducted all sixSymphony Australia orchestras.[4] Albert toured in theUnited States,South America,China,Japan, and most European countries.[4] He conducted inBeijing, and at Triphony Hall and Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall in Japan with theNew Japan Philharmonic and the Tokyo City Symphony Orchestra.[citation needed]
Albert made over 600 recordings for radio, and approximately 100 CDs.[4] In the process, he earned the distinction of the most recorded artist in Germany.[4] He recorded the complete orchestral repertoire ofPaul Hindemith,Erich Wolfgang Korngold,Hans Pfitzner, andBenjamin Frankel.[citation needed] He had a project on recordings and live performances ofSiegfried Wagner, son ofRichard Wagner.[4]
Albert directed theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation’s Conducting Workshop for many years,[4][when?] as well as teaching selected Masters’ students at theUniversity of Queensland, where he was an adjunct professor.[citation needed] He was Principal Guest Conductor of the Southern Sinfonia since 2007.[citation needed]
Albert was recognized by both theGerman Federal andBavarian State Governments for his dedication to music. He held the title of member of the GermanFederal Cross of Merit, Erste Klasse (the German equivalent of the BritishOrder of Merit), as well as theBavarian Order of Merit.[4]
