He studied conducting at the same time with Sergiu Celibidache, who was serving his first season with the Berlin Philharmonic.
He composed a piece as a conducting exercise that impressed Celibidache, who showed it to Paul Höffer, a composition professor.
At age 22, he was recommended by Höffer as director of stage music at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin, a position that he held for six years, composing for the performances.
In 1953, he moved on to the Staatliche Schauspielbühnen in West Berlin, and then to Munich in 1970, where he worked for the Residenz Theatre.
[5] The same year, he founded the Herbert-Baumann-Stiftung, a foundation for the support of plucked instruments by concerts, festivals and competitions.