Zöller, Karlheinz

Karlheinz Zöller was a notable German flutist and teacher. Born in Höhr-Grenzhausen near Frankfurt, he studied flute with Kurt Redel in Detmold. In 1945, at the age of 17 he started to work in the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra. Furthermore gaining experience there as wellas orchestras in Herford and Cologne, he became a solo flutist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1960 under Herbert von Karajan.
Karlheinz Zöller held that position until 1968 when he was severely injured in a car accident while on tour in Buenos Aires. Only after successful lung reattach operation in mid 1970s he was able to rejoin the orchestra, replacing his substitute of these years James Galway who decided to start solo career in 1975. Karlheinz Zöller continued to hold principal flute position at the orchestra from 1976 to 1993, finishing his orchestra career under Claudio Abbado.
From 1968 he was professor at the Hamburg Music Academy, and later at the Hochschule der Kunste in Berlin. Karlheinz Zöller was also well-known for his “Zöller Method”: extensive technical training which made an impact on many of his students – Michael Faust, Wolfgang Ritter, Roswitha Staege, Maren Distel etc.