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Ulrich Leyendecker was a German composer born on August 21, 1946, in the town of Trier. He was the son of a music teacher and grew up in a musical family. His father, Heinrich Leyendecker, was a well-known conductor and composer in the region, and his mother, Maria Leyendecker, was a pianist and music teacher. Leyendecker began his musical education at a young age, studying piano and violin with his mother. He later attended the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne, where he studied composition with Bernd Alois Zimmermann and Karlheinz Stockhausen. He also studied conducting with Wolfgang Sawallisch and Sergiu Celibidache. Leyendecker's early works were influenced by the avant-garde music of the 1960s, particularly the works of Stockhausen and Pierre Boulez. His first major composition, "Klangfarben" for orchestra, was premiered in 1968 and received critical acclaim. The piece was notable for its use of unconventional instrumental techniques and its exploration of timbre and texture. In the 1970s, Leyendecker began to incorporate elements of traditional tonality into his compositions. His works from this period, such as "Symphony No. 1" and "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra," were characterized by their lush harmonies and expressive melodies. Leyendecker's music continued to evolve throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He began to incorporate elements of jazz and world music into his compositions, as well as electronic and computer-generated sounds. His works from this period, such as "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" and "Symphony No. 5," were notable for their eclectic mix of styles and their use of unconventional instrumentation. One of Leyendecker's most famous works is his "Requiem," which was composed in 1993 in memory of his father. The piece is a powerful and emotional work that combines elements of traditional requiem music with modernist techniques. It has been performed by orchestras and choirs around the world and is considered one of Leyendecker's masterpieces. Leyendecker was also known for his work as a conductor. He served as the music director of the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1984 to 1991 and the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1991 to 1997. He was also a guest conductor with many other orchestras around the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. Leyendecker received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the German Music Prize and the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. He was also a member of the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts and the Academy of Arts, Berlin. Leyendecker continued to compose and conduct until his death on January 3, 2017, at the age of 70. His legacy as a composer and conductor continues to be celebrated by musicians and music lovers around the world.

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