Klaus Hashagen

[b]Klaus Hashagen[/b] (31 August 1924, Central Java, Indonesia — 30 May 1998, Nuremberg, Germany) was a notable German electroacoustic and experimental music composer. He incorporated numerous styles and techniques in his music: choral, chamber pieces for solo instruments and orchestra, Chanson, "musique concrète," serialist and aleatoric elements, "radiophonic" compositions, spatial sound, and live electronics. Klaus co-founded [a658972] ensemble in 1968 with [a658984], served as the Founding Chairman of "Förderverein" (Friends' Association) at the [l1740537] and was Honorary Professor in electronic music and radiophony at [l514105]. Hashagen was born in a German merchant family and grew up in Semarang, Java, attending a Dutch elementary school. Klaus began playing piano when he was six, initially taught by his mother. The experience of Gamelan music also profoundly influenced him. In 1935, 11-year-old Klaus returned to Germany, attending a boarding school in Lengenfeld/Stein, Thuringia. Hashagen continued learning piano and other instruments, played in an amateur jazz band, and started tinkering with radio equipment. In 1943, Klaus Hashagen was drafted into the German Army. His battle wounds prevented Karl from pursuing a concert pianist career. Instead, Hashagen began studying music theory and choral conducting. In 1946, he transferred to a newly-opened [l513363], where Klaus learned composition from [a1353114] and [a4338507], further studied choral conducting with [a1047944], and also trained as a sound engineer under [a984563]. Later in his career, Hashagen studied serialist composition with [a355662]. After graduation, Klaus Hashagen had a brief internship at [l65815] in Cologne. From 1951 to 1966, he worked as a sound engineer, editor and radio composer at [l96971] in Hanover. In collaboration with [a2455982], Klaus established a studio for new music at [l318864]. They regularly hosted open concerts, and on the foundation of this series, [url=https://discogs.com/artist/4988200]Tage für Neue Musik Hannover[/url] was born. From 1966 until 1989, Klaus Hashagen served as the Music Department Head at [a2283051] in Nuremberg. He continued the work of his predecessor [a3633348], particularly with antique, folk and contemporary music. Hashagen actively promoted electronic music and audio-visual art throughout his career, organizing concerts and sound installations at [l657440] and other Nuremberg venues. Together with [a=Klaus Bernbacher], [a1353108], [a8000668] and [a211158], Klaus Hashagen established the German division of [a998654] and directed International Summer Courses for the institution at [l1842492] castle. Klaus Hashagen's first compilation appearances happened in the late 1960s/early '70s, most notably on [i][r=1359483][/i] LP, which opened [l7703]'s "Serie II" on German modern classical music. Around 1974, Klaus released [i][r=1815586][/i] LP, a collection of his solo compositions. Notably, it was the only and the first-ever electronic music title on [l207573] except for five rare and sought-after [a=Roland Kayn] boxsets between 1977 and 1984. The album featured one of Hashagen's regular collaborators, a percussionist [a610801].