Composer Ulrich Kreppein and violinist Tim Vogler elected as new Vice Presidents
Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (HfMDK) is making a change in its leadership: Yesterday, the extended Senate elected two new Vice Presidents, who will join the university management for a term of three years from December 1, 2025. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kreppein and Prof. Tim Vogler will join the presidium under the leadership of President Prof. Elmar Fulda.
The President's nominations were confirmed by the extended Senate - President Elmar Fulda expressed his gratitude and confidence: "Our democratically constituted universities thrive on the commitment of university members. I am delighted that Mr. Kreppein and Mr. Vogler are prepared to take on responsibility for the future of the HfMDK. I am very much looking forward to working with them. At the same time, I would like to thank the previous Vice Presidents Prof. Ingo Diehl - especially for his two terms in office - and Prof. Carsten Wiebusch for their great commitment over the past years."
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kreppein
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kreppein will be Vice President for Quality Development in Teaching and Research. He has been teaching as Professor of Composition and Music Theory at the HfMDK since 2022 and is, among other things, course director for the cooperative study program with Ensemble Modern. In addition, he has initiated an exchange with the Manhattan School of Music in New York and realized it in collaboration with composers and musicians from both institutions. He has also initiated a conference on training for new music theater.
Ulrich Kreppein holds a doctorate from Harvard University and works as a composer. Manfred Trojahn, Tristan Murail, Helmut Lachenmann and Chaya Czernowin were influential figures in his artistic development. He is currently completing the composition of a new opera, the premiere of which is being made possible by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.
As Vice President, he continues the conceptual development of the degree programs and is responsible for evaluation and accreditation as well as strengthening research initiatives at the university. He looks forward to his new position in higher education policy with confidence:
»In a rapidly changing world, continuity and change should not be seen as opposites. Rather, they complement each other: where there are risks, there are also opportunities. As a composer with a focus on music theater, I am used to working in an exciting, international and interdisciplinary environment. For me, making differences productive and achieving new results through communicative processes and teamwork is the epitome of artistic practice. I hope that I can make a contribution with my perspective: to the further development of degree programmes, to internationalization and to the stronger anchoring of research, including artistic research, at our university.«Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kreppein
Vice President Prof. Tim Vogler
Prof. Tim Vogler takes on the role of part-time Vice President for Studies, Teaching and Artistic Projects. Together with the Student Services department, he is responsible for student management and the framework conditions for teaching and examinations. He also works on the Board of Directors of the Institute of Contemporary Music and is responsible for the development of artistic projects.
Tim Vogler studied violin at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin and in Cincinnati. His formative mentors include important artistic personalities such as Eberhard Feltz, Sándor Végh, Walter Levin, György Kurtág and Hedi Gigler.
This year, he looks back on the 40th anniversary of the Vogler Quartet, which he founded and which has been performing with the same line-up since 1985 and is one of the most renowned string quartets on the international chamber music scene under his artistic direction.
Tim Vogler has been Professor of String Chamber Music at the HfMDK since 2017. The ensembles he supervises - including the Eliot, Malion, Fabrik, Oxalis and Liv Quartets - have long since gained national recognition. Vogler has also taken on responsibility in various functions within the academic self-administration and gained valuable experience. He is now taking on a new role as Vice President of the HfMDK - a task he is looking forward to with great enthusiasm.
»In 40 years of playing in quartets, I have learned to listen carefully to others and not to make hasty judgments. The ability to empathize with others is a key quality for me - and this is exactly what I would like to bring to my new position. It is important to me to make the university fit for the future and to further strengthen its position in the cultural environment. I would like to contribute to this with my artistic and human experience.«Prof. Tim Vogler
Other members of the Presidium are Chancellor Kerstin Hort-Schelm, who heads the administration, full-time Vice President Brigitte Binder, who drives university development and digitalization, and President Prof. Elmar Fulda.
Looking at the challenges of the coming years, Prof. Fulda emphasizes the importance of a strong management team:
»Like our society, the HfMDK is also under strong pressure to change, exacerbated by the budget cuts in the new higher education pact. Topics such as AI or new distribution channels such as streaming services demand answers from us. Music, dance and theater are cultural techniques with which we can describe the world and achieve social understanding. The associated opportunities are not static, but require constant adaptation. That is why it is essential to have personalities on the Presidium who act with competence, passion and vision. Our new Vice Presidents are strong communicators, motivating persons and patient developers - with a sure instinct for what is feasible. They know the HfMDK well in their specialist areas, but at the same time keep an eye on the big picture - a skill that is more important today than ever.«President Prof. Elmar Fulda
Presseinformation: Wechsel im Präsidium der HfMDK Frankfurt - Komponist Ulrich Kreppein und Violinist Tim Vogler als neue Vizepräsidenten gewählt
Pressefoto: Prof. Tim Vogler und Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kreppein, die beiden neuen Vizepräsidenten
Pressefoto: Prof. Tim Vogler
