Konrad Boehmer was born in 1941 in Berlin. He studied composition with Gottfried Michael Koenig (1959–1961) and philosophy, sociology and musicology at the University of Cologne, writing his doctoral thesis on the theory of open form in new music (“Zur Theorie der offenen Form in der neuen Musik”, 1966).
From 1961–1963 he was active at the electronic music studios of the WDR (West German Broadcasting Company) in Cologne. In 1966 he moved to the Netherlands and worked until 1968 at the Institute of Sonology at Utrecht University. He then became music editor of the Dutch weekly newspaper Vrij Nederland and in 1972 professor of music history and new music theory at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where since 1994 he has been director of the Institute of Sonology (until 2006). Since he is living as a free composer in Amsterdam.
In the 1970s and 80s he was repeatedly guest professor at the “Latin-American Courses for Contemporary Music”, as well as extensively in the USA and Europe. His composition “Information” was presented with the Dutch AVRO-award (1966) and the electronic work “Aspekt” was awarded the first price of the Vth Paris Biennale in 1968.
In 1980 the City of Rotterdam awarded him the “Pierre-Bayle-Prize” for his writings on music and musical life. His works include concert music (chamber and symphonic), music theatre and electroacoustic music. His music drama “Doktor Faustus” was awarded the Rolf-Liebermann prize in 1983.
Boehmers works have been featured at the following festivals and organisations: Musik der Zeit (WDR, Cologne), Domaine Musical (Paris), Radio Télévision Belge (Brussels), Österr. Rundfunk (Vienna), Tage der Neuen Musik (Hannover), musica nova (Bremen), Gaudeamus Music Week (Hilversum), Allgemeines Deutsches Musikfest (Munich), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), ORTF (Paris), Théatre National de l’Opéra (Paris), Centre Pompidou (Paris), Nationale Opera (Amsterdam), Nat. Opera België (Brussels), UNM Festival (Albuquerque), Donaueschinger Musiktage, Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik, Stadsschouwburg (Rotterdam), Festival International de Musique Expérimentale (Bourges), Hamamatsu Festival (Japan), Helsinki Festival (Finland).
Konrad Boehmer died in Amsterdam on 4th October 2014.