Hans-Jürgen Hufeisen

Hans-Jürgen Hufeisen is a recorder player and composer whose concerts are not classical programmes but meditative, spacious sound worlds. His website describes him as neither purely a church musician nor a classical concert flautist, but someone who moves between music, spirituality and poetry.

He describes music as having a wonderful power to enter gently into people's hearts and to have a spiritual effect. In his words, music is a place of peace, and he hopes its sound waves of peace will spread far and wide.

He grew up in a children's home, where a governess taught him Christian evening songs and the recorder. He studied recorder, music education and composition at the Folkwang University of the Arts from 1972 to 1977. From 1977 to 1991 he worked as a regional consultant for musical and cultural education for the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg. Since 1991 he has worked as a freelance composer, producer and musician, and he now lives in Zurich.

His recorder interpretations and compositions are mostly meditative and melodic. They often engage with existing church music and draw on Bach and Baroque models, as well as folk songs and music from other cultures. Alongside various recorders he also uses piano, percussion and string instruments.

Since 1983 he has created large stage works with music, choreography and texts. He has collaborated with theologians including Jörg Zink, Anselm Grün and Margot Käßmann. He has also made many albums, audio books and books with music. His concert meditations with Anselm Grün and Margot Käßmann include Bilder der Seele and Die Botschaft vom Frieden. He believes all religions share a common goal of peace and love, and he performs with musicians of other religions and cultures.