Decker, Franz-Paul
Decker, Franz-Paul
Decker, Franz-Paul , German conductor; b. Cologne, June 23, 1923. He was a student of Jarnach and Papst at the Cologne Hochschule für Musik (1941–44) and of Biicken and Fellerer at the Univ. of Cologne. After conducting in Gniessen (1944–6), he was music director in Krefeld (1946–50), 1st conductor (1950–53) and city music director (1953–56) in Wiesbaden, and Generalmusikdirektor in Bochum (1956–64). From 1962 to 1968 he was chief conductor of the Rotterdam Phil. From 1967 to 1975 he was music director of the Montreal Sym. Orch. He served as principal guest conductor and music adviser of the Calgary (Alberta) Phil. (1975–77), as artistic adviser of the Winnipeg Sym. Orch. (1981–82), and as principal guest conductor of the New Zealand Sym. Orch. in Wellington (1984–85; 1986–88). From 1986 to 1992 he was principal conductor of the Orquestra Ciutat de Barcelona, which position he held again from 1994 to 1996. He also was principal guest conductor of the National Arts Centre Orch. in Ottawa from 1991 to 1997. He has appeared widely as a guest conductor with both orchs. and opéra houses.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire