The Hochschule für Kirchenmusik Heidelberg is a university of church music in Heidelberg and one of the most renowned ones in Germany.[1]
Its predecessor, Evangelisches Kirchenmusikalisches Institut Heidelberg (KI, Protestant church music institute) was founded in 1931 by to improve the training of church musicians for the Evangelical Church in Baden. It was modeled after the institute in Leipzig, where Poppen had previously studied with its founder, organist Karl Straube.
The institute offers all church music subjects (organ and other instruments, choral conducting, singing) and theoretical subjects (harmony, counterpoint, figured bass, stylistics).
After Poppens death in 1956, organist was the director until 1973, succeeded by,, and from 2006 to 2018, followed by Prof. Dr. Martin Mautner since 2018.
Notable lecturers have included Wolfgang Fortner, Walter Leib,, Bruno Penzin, Heinz Werner Zimmermann,, Gerhard Wagner, Rolf Schweizer, Gudula Kremers, Hermann Schemmel, Eugen Polus,, Maria Mokhova and .
Notable alumni have included Felix Hell, Martin Lutz, Erna Woll and Hans Rudolf Zöbeley.