Riedel, Johannes, 1913-1996

Johannes Riedel was born on May 16, 1913 in Neustadt, Poland. He earned his B.A. in 1937 in musicology from the University of Berlin. After the rise of the Nazi party in Germany, Riedel fled to Ecuador. He was a professor and choral director at the Colegio Normal Rita Lecumberry in Guayaquil, Ecuador from 1940-1948. In 1948, he enrolled at the University of Southern California, earning his B.A. in 1951 and his Ph.D. in 1953. Dr. Riedel joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1953 as an assistant professor of music. He was promoted to associate professor in 1957 and professor in 1960. From 1960-1981, Dr. Riedel was also the director of the graduate school. He was instrumental in the development of a multicultural program in the music school. Dr. Riedel retired as professor emeritus from the University of Minnesota in 1983. Johannes Riedel died in August 1996.

From the guide to the Johannes Riedel papers, 1942-1987, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University Archives [uarc])