Gregor Tümmler

Composer

Born in 1987 in Halle (Saale), Germany, Gregor Tümmler is a composer and psychiatrist who seamlessly blends his passions for music and medicine.

He received his comprehensive musical education at the prestigious Conservatory of Halle (Konservatorium Halle), studying piano, music theory, and composition alongside vocal training and education. He was a scholarship student of the City of Halle and completed his piano studies with an advanced diploma. He was a member of the award-winning Children’s Choir of Halle (Kinderchor der Stadt Halle), touring nationally and internationally.

Twice awarded in the German National Youth Composing Competition (Jugend komponiert) organized by Jeunesses Musicales Germany, Gregor attended workshops with renowned contemporary composers such as Theo Brandmüller and Moritz Eggert.

Despite his musical accomplishments, he pursued a career in medicine, earning his Doctorate in Medicine (Dr. med.) from Berlin’s Charité Medical School in 2014. After specializing in psychiatry and psychotherapy, he currently serves as a senior physician focusing on geriatric psychiatry at a Berlin hospital and lectures at the International Psychoanalytic University Berlin (Internationale Psychoanalytische Universität Berlin, IPU).

Throughout his medical career, Gregor has remained musically active. He co-founded the six-voice a cappella ensemble “Polyvox” in 2011, which is a member of the Berlin Choral Association (Chorverband Berlin) and focuses on Renaissance, Baroque, and contemporary choral works. The ensemble performs regularly in Germany and abroad, also premiering several of his compositions.

Believing the human voice to be “the most beautiful instrument”, Gregor’s work predominantly explores vocal music. He often draws inspiration from traditional elements such as folk music melodies and historical compositional techniques, blending them with modern influences to create entirely new and original works. His compositions emphasize dense harmonic textures and structures, delving into musical spaces and timbral nuances beyond traditional tonality, often employing micro-motivic techniques. His works include both sacred and secular music, with a particular emphasis on smaller forms, especially compositions for choir, piano, and chamber ensembles.

For Gregor, music is not just a passion but an essential counterbalance to his medical profession. Witnessing the profound impact of music on mental health and well-being, he seeks to capture and explore the emotional and psychological depths of musical expression in his compositions.