Matthias Hennecke matthiashennecke(at)freenet.de
Heinz Gengler

He started his musical career as an accordionist in 1968 by a private teacher and in 1972 he registered in  the music school of Dortmund. There he was in charge of the local accordion-orchestra of the music school from 1978 to 1983. In autumn 1979 he passed the entrance examination of the Dortmund conservatory and studied as a young student - still being a pupil - accordion in the class of Prof. Georg Reidys. He emerged victoriously from a lot of competitions either as a solist or as a member of an ensemble. Stations of this orchestral career were the accordion orchestras of Dortmund, Unna, Siegerland, Bergisch-Land and finally he came to the First Cologne Accordion-Orchestra. In the beginning 80ies he started as a guest player and later on he became an active member. He also made a name for himself as an editor, arranger and composer; he e.g. arranged ”The Beatles”, a big medley, ”Misteriosa Venezia”, a ”Morricone-Special” and other things...

It was Heinz Gengler who founded the First Cologne Accordion-Orchestra in 1935. It is the only orchestra out of more than 3000 harmonica ensembles in Germany, which is led by only one conductor for 62 years, starting in the pioneer-time of the accordion-scene and developing to the highest technical precision of the instruments.