director of the Karajan Institute
Dr. Matthias Röder is the managing director of the Karajan Institute and as such responsible for the overall strategy and worldwide business development of the KARAJAN® brand and its associated products. Dr. Röder joined the Karajan Institute in 2011 from Harvard University, where he was a member of the music faculty and also received a PhD in musicology in 2010. At Harvard he founded the Digital Musicology Study Group (now at MIT) and worked on several music technology and digital learning projects with partners such as the Packard Humanities Institute or the American rock band Incubus. Prior to Harvard University, Matthias studied music at the renowned Mozarteum University in Salzburg.
With more than 200 Mio. records sold, Herbert von Karajan remains the top-selling classical artist of all times and leaves an unrivalled recording catalogue of almost every known classic composition. He was the driving force behind technological developments such as the CD and VHS formats and has pushed the development of the LaserDisc, a forerunner of the DVD format. Through these efforts and innovative activities Herbert von Karajan raised the level of classical music worldwide and until today Karajan is perceived by many as a technology-enabled classical music brand.
In continuance of his passion the Karajan Institute today is not only managing the artistic legacy of the legendary conductor but is also continuing Karajan’s history of innovation in the music technology sector. In addition the Institute also houses the unique Karajan Archive, which is the world's most comprehensive collection documenting the life and work of a conductor. Mostly digitalized, it is intended as an international focal point for research, and is aimed at professionals as well as interested Karajan enthusiasts. The Eliette and Herbert von Karajan Institute was founded by Eliette von Karajan in 2005.
