Arndt, Günther

views updated

Arndt, Günther

Arndt, Günther, German choral conductor; b. Berlin-Charlottenburg, April 1, 1907; d. Berlin, Dec. 25, 1976. He was educated at the Akademie für Schul- und Kirchenmusik in Berlin, and also studied musicology at the Univ. of Berlin. He then was engaged as lecturer at the Volkshochschule in Berlin (1932–40). After the end of World War II in 1945, he headed the chamber music dept. of the Berlin Radio RIAS; also conducted the Berlin Motet Choir (1950–60) and the RIAS Chamber Choir (1955–72). He served as deputy head of music for the RIAS (1964–72). He gained distinction as a conductor of an extensive choral repertoire.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire