After graduating from the Secondary School in 1961, Kontressowitz studied horn, drums, theory and composition at the conservatory in Halle from 1961 to 1963 and at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig from 1963 to 1967.
He completed his studies of musicology at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg from 1971 to 1975 with the diploma thesis: Zur Konzertform bei Tomaso Albinoni.
From 1969 to 1981 he worked as editor, then responsible editor for contemporary music and head of the concert and stage department of the publishing house Edition Peters in Leipzig and from 1981 to 1991 as editor for contemporary music at Breitkopf & Härtel also in Leipzig; there he was responsible for programme conception and organisation of the publishing house's own and external events: such as the publishing house event series "Studio DVfM, Workshop DVfM, Seminar DVfM" and the "Young Composers' Working Group" as well as publishing house concerts in 1982 and 1985 as an encounter in the Gewandhaus.
Articles in magazines and daily newspapers: Book publications: Lyrics: Music editions (editor): TOMMASO ALBINONI, CONCERTI – Verlag Klaus-Jürgen Kamprad, Altenburg Concerti a cinque con due Violini, Alto Viola, Tenore Viola, Violoncello e Basso continuo (ca.
1736) • Volume 1: Concerti 1 – 6, Sheet music ISBN 978-3-95755-639-4, STIMMEN ISMN 979-0-50258-186-2 • Volume 2: Concerti 7 – 12, Sheet music ISBN 978-3-95755-640-0, STIMMEN ISMN 979-0-50258-193-0 Each Concerto is published as a single score edition, single part editions are also available.