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German conductor Helmut Müller-Brühl was born on 28 June 1933. He studied musicology, philosophy and theology at the Humanistisches Gymnasium in Brühl, and later studied viola and conducting. His relationship with the Cologne Chamber Orchestra began when it became the house orchestra for concerts in Schloss Brühl, his family home, and the orchestra's conductor, Erich Kraak, later invited Müller-Brühl to be the group's chief conductor.
Müller-Brühl had considerable experience in historical performance practice, making a series of recordings for Naxos of Baroque and classical repertoire. He also worked with Takako Nishizaki on a disc of violin concertos by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George.
Müller-Brühl died on 2 January 2012, aged 78.