The mission of the Karajan institute is to preserve the legacy, life, works, and musical interpretations of Herbert von Karajan; ignite the passion of the next generation for classical music, and shape the future of music via technology and innovation.
The Karajan Institute achieves this by
operating and expanding the Karajan Archive;
initializing and supporting scientific research into the performances of Karajan as well as the impact of music on the human body and mind;
licensing and managing the catalogue, as well as working closely with labels to support product launches;
producing content such as interviews and documentaries as well as coordinating and communicating with the large global fanbase of Herbert von Karajan by way of social media and other means
organizing flagship events in the field of music technology both in Salzburg and internationally.
The Karajan Archive contains documents pertaining to Herbert von Karajan’s life and works, such as his correspondence, copies of his recordings and films as well as reviews, books, and articles that were written about him. The Karajan archive is open to the public and plays a central role for the work of journalists, film-makers and music researchers as well as the general audience. In addition, the Karajan Archive supports the creation of new products of our licensing partners, such as Deutsche Grammophon, Berliner Philharmoniker and others.
The Karajan Institute initiates, undertakes and supports research into the life and works of Herbert von Karajan as well as the impact of music on the human body and mind. To this end, the Karajan Institute maintains a large network of researchers in Austria, Europe and beyond. The Karajan Institute has initiated and successfully completed a multi-year research project on the performances of Herbert von Karajan which was funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). As an associate of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) the Institute is closely connected to the European research scene. Currently, the Institute is actively pursuing funding and research projects in the field of “Music and Dementia.”
In continuation of Herbert von Karajan’s lifelong fascination with technology, the Karajan Institute founded the Karajan Music Tech Conference as well as a series of Classical Music Hackathons. The Karajan Music Tech Conference is an annual conference taking place during the Easter Festival in Salzburg. Its main goal is to showcase the latest developments in music technology, bringing together startups, investors and other stakeholders and supporting the community of innovators in music. In addition to the main event in Salzburg the Institute collaborates with other players in the ecosystem to bring the Karajan Music Tech Conference abroad. For instance, the Institute created events in Beijing and Detroit together with its partner Volkswagen.
Matthias Röder is an award-winning music and technology expert who joined the Karajan Institute from Harvard University in 2011. As managing director, Dr. Röder is responsible for the overall vision and strategy of the Institute as well as the global brand of Herbert von Karajan. Dr. Röder currently serves as a board member of the Karajan Foundation and is also a member of the board of trustees of the International Mozarteum Foundation Salzburg. Dr. Röder has won numerous prizes and accolades for his work, including most recently, the “Effie Bronze” for his leadership role in reconstructing Beethoven’s 10th Symphony with artificial intelligence. Dr. Röder is a sought-after speaker and lecturer who has taught at Harvard University, the Change & Innovation Management Program at University of St. Gall, and Salzburg University. He holds a PhD in music from Harvard University and is an alumnus of the Mozarteum University Salzburg. Together with his wife, Seda Röder, Dr. Röder co-founded the Sonophilia Foundation, a non-profit that supports and promotes the scientific study of creativity.
Henry Ladewig has been working for the Karajan Institute since 2007. Initially, he supported the Institute and its partners as project controller for the worldwide activities for the Karajan Year 2008. Today, Henry Ladewig is the Karajan Institute’s Commercial Director/CFO and the central contact person for all commercial agendas, as well as an expert in licensing and royalties. In recent years, his passion for technology has been instrumental in digitizing and automating the Institute’s processes and workflows.
Henry Ladewig has a classical piano education, holds an associate degree in copyrights management and music licensing, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. In his spare time, Henry Ladewig produces and releases music through his own music label.
Pia Bernauer joined the Karajan Institute in 2012 as Head of the Karajan Archive. Her particular focus lies on the digitization of all archive materials and the development of the Karajan recording & concert database. Pia’s work has been essential in making Herbert von Karajan’s life and work digitally accessible to millions of people worldwide for the first time. In Spin On Classical Music, Pia presented hand-picked Karajan tracks along with interesting stories from the archive via social media and on streaming services.
Pia Bernauer holds a Master’s degree in musicology as well as a Bachelor of Arts in international marketing.
Dr. Martin Aigner is a computer scientist, software architect, and data analyst, responsible for the digital transformation of the Karajan Institute and Karajan Archive since 2017. He is also dedicated to combining computer aided analysis methods to scientific studies in musicology.
Martin studied computer science in Salzburg and Zurich, graduated from Prof. Kirsch’s Computational Systems Group in 2017, and published various articles on performance analysis.
Martin is also a musician, writing and performing with the contemporary rock outfits Bumbatschak and Inside the Sun.
licensing@karajan.dconstructdigital.com
All requests regarding the registered trademark or licensing of the Karajan catalog.
Below you find a selection of press materials like photos, brand assets, and press releases. Please note the following license conditions for the use of these photographs: