Ludger Hofmann-Engl (in purple) during The Big Questions on BBC I on the 3rd Juanuary 2010
Ludger Hofmann-Engl
Ludger Hofmann-Engl (in purple) during The Big Questions on BBC I on the 3rd Juanuary 2010
The composer Dr. Ludger Hofmann-Engl was born in 1964 in Bamberg (Germany). He has been living in London since 1992 and was the Chair Person of Chameleon Group of Composers between 1995 and 2000. In 2004, he worked at Essex University as a Senior Research Officer (investigating aspects of virtual pitch perception). From 2002 till 2006, he was employed as the Head of Music by the Link Schools London (special needs schools for children with autistic spectrum disorder). In 2007/2008, he trained as a Support Worker and has been volunteering as a Family Support Worker for Croydon Home Start between 2008 and 2009. Since 2008, he has been the Development Worker of Croydon Family Groups and between 2008 and 2009 he worked as an Outreach Worker for the Rathbone Society in Lambeth. Within his professional development, he now focuses on safeguarding children (child protection).
He studied composition with Dr. L. Schilling at the Conservatory Nuremberg. In piano, he was instructed at the Sacred Music Institute Erlangen and as a master pupil by E. Sternlicht in Berlin. At the Technical University Berlin he completed his MA with Carl Dahlhaus and Helga de la Motte-Haber in music science, philosophy and theoretical physics. During his studies he modified Ernst Terhardt's model on virtual pitch and pitch salience. Apparently, this model, supported by experimental data, solves problems of previous models as put forward by other researchers. The model also allows for the development of a contemporary harmony theory, which Hofmann-Engl presented during the VI Brazilian symposium of computer music in Rio de Janeiro in 1999. In 2003, he presented a stringent analysis of Schoenberg's op 19.2 based upon his virtual pitch model during the Interactive Musicnetwork Workshop at Leeds University. A software application of the theory in form of a harmony analyzer can be found here. In a paper delivered during the 9th ICMPC (Bologna, 2006), he demonstrated that the pattern approach to virtual pitch is superior to the temporal approach. The paper can be viewed here. In 2008, he made an aural presentation during ICMPC 10 in Sapporo (Japan), showing that his virtual pitch model (coined Hofmann-Engl pitch) and Riemann's functional harmony theory are in support of each other.
He completed his PhD in 2003 in psychology (Keele University) with John Sloboda as his main supervisor and Alan Marsden (University of Lancaster) as his external supervisor. In his research project he investigated issues related to cognitive/melodic similarity and melodic transformations. Talks given regarding these issues include the University of Southampton, the University of Texas at Dallas, City University London and King's College London. He presented a paper on melodic similarity models during the 2nd international conference on Music Information Retrieval at Bloomington (Indiana) in 2001. In 2002 his paper on rhythmic similarity was read by Richard Parncutt during the ICMPC 7 (7th international conference on music perception and cognition, Sydney). Hofmann-Engl also moderated a panel on What makes music similar during the 3rd international symposium on music information retrieval in Paris in 2002. He contributed to Axmedis 2008 in Florence with a paper on similarity software engineering. Other papers were included in conferences in France and Italy. A list of his publications is here.
In 2005, he devoted himself to investigating issues related to narcissistic personality disorder producing popular web-support material. Additionally, he published a paper on the issue of child abuse in 2006, which was welcomed by the NHS. In Autumn 2008, he delivered a speech on The Ethics of a seamless service towards economic independence during the general annual meeting of Croydon Family Groups. Since December 2008, he has been participating during The Big Questions on BBC 1 on a few occasions. His reasearch is focused on the reclassification of abnormal psychology.
As a composer he believes in the necessity to create music of cognitive relevance. Thus, many of his compositional tools are based upon his cognitive research. He endeavours to develop complex musical structures which are in accordance with life experience - exceeding any description by simple models - creating music which he understands to be life affirmative. In this sense his music is related to basic concepts of descriptive statistics and information theory. His aesthetics are influenced by Nietzsche and Wittgenstein. At present he is working on his opera Über die Sprache (About language) with the overture and first scene completed and the second scene in progress. The opera will be completed probably in 2011/12. Three pieces based upon poems by A. E. Housman were completed in 2004 and have been reviewed by Kevin Whittingham (Housman Society Journal, volume 30, 2004).
At the end of 2003, he premiered his three waltzes and his Fantasia in London. In his review, Paul Reader said that Chopin's op 68.2 was played to perfection. In 2006 he participated during the XV symposium of contemporary music in Rosario (Argentina) as a pianist, composer and lecturer. His talk The Role of the Composer in the Contemporary Society can be downloaded here. As a pianist, he appeared last in a concert in January 2009 during the Mussorgsky Family Project sponsored by the National Lottery via CALAT. He presented the results of this project during Meryc 2009 in Bologna. He record BWV 1080.14 in autumn 2009. He is planning to record Schumann's Kinderszenen in spring 2010.
Hofmann-Engl's work includes ca 60 compositions (List of works). His zweite symphonische Arbeit is published on CD (VMM 3003), a recording by the Polish Radio and TV Orchestra Krakow in 1991, so is his erste Klaviersonate (VMM 2016) recorded in 1995 with him as the performer. His music has been featured regularly on German radio (Concerto Bavarese). As a pianist he appeared on German Radio and in concerts in London, Vienna, Berlin, Rosario and elsewhere. His composition Abstract I for viola, bassoon and harpsichord (duration ca. 35 min) was produced by Bavarian Radio in February 2004. His piece For Nicola for two oboes and string orchestra was premièred by the Ensemble Rosario in Rosario (Argentina) in Spring 2003. In 2006, his piece Klangfarbenmusik for Chamber Orchestra was premièred by the same ensemble. Composers Library (18 Aylward Close, Hadleigh, Suffolk, UK) has released two of his works: Cyclone (piano solo) and the facsimile edition of his zweite symphonische Arbeit. He recorded his composition Klangfarbenmusik for piano in 2005 and premiered this composition in Rosario (Argentina) in 2006.
In October 1999, he organized two simultaneous concerts with Internet live broadcasts held at the ICA London and New York in collaboration with the New York group Friends and Enemies of New Music. During the 5th anniversary and last concert of Chameleon Composers in 2000, he was acclaimed for his pianistic skills.
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Contact: hofmann-engl@chameleongroup.org.uk
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Chameleon Group of Composers © 2010
