Career
Professional career
Horst Hildebrandt, born in Marburg (Germany), completed violin studies in Freiburg (Germany) and London as well as medicine in Freiburg. Continuing education in movement therapy, Dispokinesis, mental training and pain therapy. Member of the Bundesjugendorchester and the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie. Professional activity as violinist in opera and radio broadcast orchestras. First violinist of the Hilaros-Quartet, the Emsemble Aisthesis and several orchestras. From 1988 violinist and violist of the Ensemble Aventure Freiburg for more than 30 years. Many years of teaching at music schools as well as lecturer at music universities and for orchestras. Head of the Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine Sections at the Zurich University of the Arts (since 1997, www.zhdk.ch/en/departments/dmu/musicphysiology) and the Basel Academy of Music (since 1999).
Main areas
Health prevention, psycho-physiological training and research, physiological and medical consultation for musicians. Founder of the Master of Advanced Studies program in Music Physiology at the Zurich University of the Arts. Founder and member of the leading committee of the Zürcher Zentrum Musikerhand (www.zzm.ch) and the Swiss University Centre for Music Physiology (www.shzm.ch).
Publications
Margulies O / Faller M / Nübling M&Verheul W / Hildebrandt W / Hildebrandt H (2026) “Viola Ergonomics for Thriving and Health Promotion: The Influence of an Instrument’s Dimensions, Positioning and Biomechanics on Muscular Effort”. In: Frontiers in Psychology, March 2026, https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1767988
Wenhart T / Hildebrandt H (2025/26) “Music students' psychological profiles: unveiling three coping clusters using schema mode inventory“. In: Frontiers in Psychology, January 2026, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1673100
Fitzlaff M / Jecker R / Müller A / Riegert M / Riemenschnitter C / Wenhart T / Bucher K / Kleinjung T / Veraguth D / Hildebrandt H / Bächinger D (2025) “Awareness and Attitudes Towards Ear Health in Classical Music Students – Advancing Education and Care for Professional Ear Users”. In: Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 16 - 2025 https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1497674
Ludovic R / Guyon A / Hildebrandt H / Güsewell A / Horsch A / Nater U / Jamieson JP / Gomez P (2025) „Demand-Resource Evaluations and Post-performance Thoughts in Classical Music Students: How They Are Linked and Influenced by Music Performance Anxiety, Audience, and Time”. In: Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 16 - 2025
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1579759