After receiving his bachelor's degree from Cologne, where he studied with Igor Ozim, Sassmannshaus received a master's degree from the Juilliard School as a scholarship student of Dorothy DeLay, and won first prize in the International Chamber Music Competition in Colmar, France.
He taught at the University of Texas, Austin and at Sarah Lawrence College before joining CCM full-time in 1983.
Sassmannshaus has taught around the world, including master classes in Europe, the United States, Japan, China, and Australia, and has worked in close association with Dorothy DeLay both in Cincinnati and at the Aspen Music Festival and School.
[2] Sassmannshaus's students include prizewinners of major international competitions, prominent soloists and chamber musicians, and orchestra leaders in ensembles such as the London Philharmonic, Cape Town, North German State Radio, Frankfurt Radio, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland orchestras.
In addition to a subscription concert series and concerto showcases in Cincinnati, the Starling Chamber Orchestra regularly records, commissions new works, and tours internationally.