Kurt Sassmannshaus

Kurt Sassmannshaus, a distinguished German violin instructor, teaches at the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) and Great Wall International Music Academy. Born in Würzburg, Germany, he is the son of renowned violin pedagogue Egon Sassmannshaus. Sassmannshaus pursued his bachelor's degree at Cologne under Igor Ozim and later earned a master's from Juilliard as Dorothy DeLay’s scholarship student. He won first prize in the International Chamber Music Competition in Colmar, France.

Sassmannshaus began his teaching career at the University of Texas, Austin, and Sarah Lawrence College before joining CCM full-time in 1983. At CCM, he holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Chair for Classical Violin, a role previously held by Dorothy DeLay. He has conducted master classes globally and collaborated closely with DeLay at CCM and the Aspen Music Festival.

His students have achieved significant acclaim, including prizes in major competitions, roles as soloists, chamber musicians, and orchestra leaders in prestigious ensembles. Some of his former students also hold faculty positions at leading conservatories and universities.

In 1987, Sassmannshaus founded the Starling Preparatory String Project, a pre-collegiate program for string players. This initiative includes a concert series, international tours, and recording projects, with performances in major venues like New York's Lincoln Center. In 1996, he expanded this to "Starling Kids," a community-based violin program at CCM and local schools, fostering music education outreach.

Sassmannshaus’s contributions to violin pedagogy and his influence on the global musical landscape are substantial, reflecting his dedication to nurturing talent and advancing string performance.