Lars-Christian Koch (German Ethnomusicologist) Age, Biography, Fami.

Quick Info

Profession	Ethnomusicologist
Nationality	German
Date of Birth	01/01/1959
Age	67 years
Birthplace	Peine, Lower Saxony, Germany

Latest News about Lars-Christian Koch

01/01/2026

Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, by the Government of India in 2026. The award recognized his decades-long dedication to promoting Indian classical music and fostering deep intercultural exchange between India and Germany through his research, writing, and museum leadership.

01/10/2025

Lars-Christian Koch was appointed as the new Director of the Staatliche Ethnographische Sammlungen (State Ethnographic Collections) of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) on October 1, 2025. This prestigious role encompasses the management of ethnographic museums in Dresden, Leipzig, and Herrnhut, marking a significant new leadership chapter following his tenure as Director of major ethnographic museums in Berlin's Humboldt Forum.

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Bio/Wiki

Full Name	Professor Dr. Lars-Christian Koch
Known for	Receiving the Padma Shri by the Government of India for promoting Indian classical music and serving as Director of major ethnographic museums in Berlin and Dresden

Physical Stats & More

Eye Colour	Blue
Hair Colour	Salt & Pepper

Educational Qualification(s)

Graduation in Ethnology
PhD in Musicology in Bonn

Personal Life

Languages	German English Hindi

Career

Awards	Padma Shri by the Government of India (2026) The 6th Merck-Tagore Award for Promoting Intercultural Exchange between India and Germany (2026)
Positions Held	Head of Media (Ethnomusicology and Visual Anthropology) at the Ethnologisches Museum, Berlin Director of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin collections in the Humboldt Forum Director of the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum of Asian Art Director of the State Ethnographic Collections of the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD) Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Cologne Honorary Professor at the University of the Arts in Berlin Guest Professor at the University of Vienna and the University of Chicago

Awards

Padma Shri by the Government of India (2026)
The 6th Merck-Tagore Award for Promoting Intercultural Exchange between India and Germany (2026)

Positions Held

Head of Media (Ethnomusicology and Visual Anthropology) at the Ethnologisches Museum, Berlin
Director of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin collections in the Humboldt Forum
Director of the Ethnologisches Museum and the Museum of Asian Art
Director of the State Ethnographic Collections of the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD)
Professor of Ethnomusicology at the University of Cologne
Honorary Professor at the University of the Arts in Berlin
Guest Professor at the University of Vienna and the University of Chicago

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Grew up in Peine, a quaint town in Lower Saxony, Germany.
2. Merged his formal education in Ethnology with a PhD in Musicology.
3. Redefined Indian music and instruments through writing.
4. Conducted research in India and South Korea focusing on historical recordings and music archaeology.
5. Interviewed many people to learn about music manufacturing processes in Kolkata.
6. Wrote about Rabindranath Tagore's music in his book 'My Heart Sings: The Songs of Rabindranath Tagore Between Tradition and Modernity'.

Lars-Christian Koch Ethnomusicologist German Peine, Lower Saxony, Germany