General Secretariat, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees

Liselotte Orff, the composer's widow, was appointed by her husband in his will to the foundation's board of directors for life. She has carried out this task with great commitment for almost 24 years and has left her mark on the work of the Foundation. She has made a special effort to spread the musical-dramatic works of Carl Orff and the Orff-Schulwerk throughout the world. Liselotte Orff was appointed Honorary Chairwoman in 2008 and died on 19 September 2012. Her grave is located in the Höhenfriedhof in the St. Georgen district of Dießen am Ammersee.

Secretary General

Judith Janowski

Board of Directors

On 1 January 2008, Lieselotte Orff handed over the chairmanship of the Foundation to the composer and Orff pupil Prof. Wilfried Hiller. Professor Wilfried Hiller is a member of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts and is active in many honorary positions, such as President of the Bavarian Music Council between 2006 and 2008. For many musicians he is a valued teacher and discussion partner.

Axel Linstädt, former Head of the Music Department of Bayerischer Rundfunk, Head of the BR-Klassik Programme Division and longstanding Artistic Director of the ARD International Music Competition, was appointed to the Executive Board in January 2017; he is a member of the BR Broadcasting Council. Mr Linstädt has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Carl Orff Foundation since 2007, most recently as Deputy Chairman.

Prof. Rainer Kotzian is Professor for Elementary Music Pedagogy and designated President at the «Hochschule für Musik Nürnberg». Prof. Kotzian is author and editor of Orff-Schulwerk related books, musician and producer. Within the board he is responsible for all topics concerning the Orff-Schulwerk.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees at the Carl Orff Foundation is currently composed of: 

  • Dr. Peter Hanser-Strecker, publisher of the works of Carl Orff, Schott Music in Mainz
  • Herbert Kirsch, mayor of Dießen am Ammersee between 1996-2020, head of the board of trustees
  • Dr. Franzpeter Messmer, Autor, Festivalleiter, Musikwissenschaftler
  • Dr. Thomas Rösch, Director of the Orff Centre Munich – State Institute for Research and Documentation 
  • Dr. Amy Stebbins, Director, librettist, and theatre scholar
  • Dr. Carsten Wulff, Legal advisor at the Bayerischer Rundfunk

The Board of Trustees is assigned the task of advising and supervising the activities of the Board of Directors and participating in the fulfilment of the statutes relating to the purpose of the foundation.

Honorary curators

  • Prof. Dr. Reinhold Kreile
  • Dr. Gerhard Theissing (died on 02.01.2015)

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