Professor Gerd Starke was born in Graslitz (Tchechoslovakia).
He studied in Dresden with Prof. Karl Schütte and in Berlin with Prof. Albert Heinke.
He has been awarded at several international competitions, as the National Competition of the German Democratic Republic (first price), the International Music Competition in Geneva / Switzerland (second price) and the International World Competition in Warsaw / Poland (first price).
From 1952 to 1956 he has been principal clarinettist at the Saxonian State Orchestra in Dresden. He held the same position from 1956 to 1966 in the Bavarian State Orchestra and from 1966 to 1983 in the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in Munich.
As a chamber music player in different formations he starred in many countries all over the world.
Gerd Starke has been working as a clarinet professor at the Universities in Dresden and in Munich for many years.
Many of his former students now hold principal positions in the important Symphony and Opera Orchestras or as Clarinet professors at Universities, in Germany as well as in many other countries.
Prof. Starke has been invited as a jury member to the most important music competitions of the world.
