Heinz Dressel

Born in Mainz, Dressel studied in Cologne with Hermann Abendroth, became Kapellmeister in Plauen, and later in Lübeck[1] and General Music Director there in 1934.

During the period of National Socialism, he conducted the 1934 premiere of Hugo Distler's setting of the Thingspiel Ewiges Deutschland by Wolfram Brockmeier.

[2] He was general music director in Münster Symphony Orchestra from 1941/42 to 1951, then in Freiburg im Breisgau (1951-1956)[3] and later in Essen.

Dressel was furthermore director of the Folkwang University in Essen from 1956, taking over the conducting class, the orchestra and the opera department there himself (the opera department only until 1958).

Dressel founded the Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen in 1958.