Rolf Schneider signs the Golden Book of the City of Chemnitz
Retired music teacher and choir director Rolf Schneider was immortalised in the City of Chemnitz's Golden Book today in the presence of Lord Mayor Sven Schulze. The 90-year-old was surprised with the entry at the citizens' festival. Rolf Schneider is thus honoured for his lifelong commitment to the choir and the Chemnitz Music Association.
Rolf Schneider founded his first school choir at the Karl-Marx-Stadt sports school back in 1948. As a music teacher there, he taught well-known personalities such as Thomas Schönlebe and Katharina Witt. A year later, he also founded his first men's choir. He took over the direction of the Florian Geyer Ensemble in 1961 and conducted the choir until 1996.
Until 2018, Rolf Schneider was the choirmaster of various choirs in the city and trained new generations of choirmasters.
On 17 January 1992, Rolf Schneider was the one who founded the Musikbund Chemnitz. He was its president for a long time. Today, the association has 24 choirs with around 900 members. Rolf Schneider has taken part in national and international choir competitions as a choirmaster and also as a juror. Three years ago, he received the Gustav-Wohlgemuth-Plakette at the Gewandhaussingen in Leipzig for his exceptional services.