International Federation for Choral Music

The International Federation for Choral Music deeply regrets the death of Maestro Helmuth Rilling, Honorary Patron of our organization.

Helmuth Rilling was undoubtedly one of the great symphonic-choral conductors of the 20th and 21st centuries. His profound knowledge of the work of Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries, as well as of the composers inspired by him, made him an interpretative reference in his concerts and recordings, and a teacher of audiences and conductors through his memorable Commented Concerts and his tireless pedagogical work at the Bachakademie Stuttgart and the Oregon Bach Festival.

As a conductor, Rilling was a true titan. He recorded the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach. His prodigious memory, precision and clarity of ideas, and bold interpretations captivated the most diverse audiences, both with his ensembles, the Gaechinger Kantorei and the Bach Collegium, as well as at the Oregon Bach Festival and on the many stages where he presented his work with different groups. For all this, he received numerous awards and honors.

Rilling was also a bold visionary who gave voice to the composers of his time through innovative projects such as “Bach and the Americas” and the “Passion 2000” project, in which he commissioned four renowned composers—Sofia Gubaidulina, Tan Dun, Osvaldo Golijov, and Wolfgang Rihm—to create new Passions to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Bach's death and the beginning of the new millennium.

Helmuth Rilling was a man of deep humanitarianism who worked tirelessly to bring the message of music, through the Bachakademie, to numerous countries and cultures. He always sought new ways to communicate and convey a message of peace, solidarity, and inclusion. Young people were always his main focus; hundreds of them sang under his baton and learned from his art. In this respect, Rilling is deeply connected to the ideals and projects of the IFCM. He participated as a teacher and conductor in the World Symposiums in Minneapolis and Barcelona.

He was an affable, generous man with a sharp sense of humor. We will always remember him with his smile and his intelligent gaze. 

His tireless companion Martina, his daughters Sara and Rachel, together with their families, were a fundamental part of his life, as he attached great importance to family life.

His legacy is vast and will remain alive for many generations.

Rest in peace, dear Maestro.

Maria Guinand, IFCM Vice-President

IFCM President, Emily Kuo Vong, and the Board of the International Federation for Choral Music wish to express their deepest condolences to the family of Helmut Rilling. May his legacy continue to inspire generations of conductors, singers, and music lovers across cultures and borders.

Like countless young musicians around the world, Helmuth Rilling showed me how to interpret and share the music of Bach and other composers with intelligence, understanding, and love. I had the immense privilege of singing my first Mass in b minor with Helmuth in Stuttgart, Germany, and Italy. Later, it was the St. Matthew Passion in Chile. He was already over 70 during these projects, but he was so present and alert that we even created a hashtag: #rillingisthrilling. These memories, the sparkle in his eyes when he worked and talked with us, and of course, the connections we owe to him: I cherish all of this in my heart, in my daily musical life, and forever. Thank you, "Uncle Helmie." You already have a large family, but you also leave behind hundreds of enchanted, grateful, and, today, deeply saddened "children of music."

Isabelle Métrope, Soprano,
Junges Stuttgarter Bachensemble 2012 et 2013, Gaechinger Cantorey (currently)