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1940 – 1945
study at the Academy of Music in Prague (piano performance – E. Kalix, composition – F. Finke, conducting – J. Kleiberth and A. Nowakovský)
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1945 – 1947
studied composition in Dresden and at the Conservatory in Bratislava (E. Suchoň, A. Moyzes), conducting (K. Schimpl)
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1948
engagement in Opera of the Slovak National Theatre at first as a répétiteur, later as an assistant began to conduct the ballet repertory
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1950 – 1990
acted as regular conductor of opera and ballet (during a 40-year career in the Slovak National Theatre conducted more than 100 titles of opera and ballet repertory of various styles)
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since 1958
extern contract in the Opera Studio at the Academy of Performing Arts
Gerhard Auer was an opera conductor, teacher, and composer of Czech origin living and working in Slovakia. His artistic work was associated with the Slovak National Theatre Opera from 1950 to 1990. During his conducting career, he staged several ballets and around 80 opera pieces. Almost from the very beginning of the Academy of Performing Arts, he trained new generations of artists, soloists, and conductors at the Opera Studio. Auer's compositional work includes the short opera The Confession of Don Juan, two ballets (Maria and Beautiful Hediga), and orchestral and chamber works.
“As a composer Auer grew out of Czech-German post-romantic traditions and conventions. Most significantly his work manifested as vocal music (mini opera Spoveď Dona Juana / Confessions of Don Juan, Tri piesne na texty J. Jesenského / Three Songs on Lyrics by J. Jesenský etc.), as well as in small instrumental forms. His musical language assimilated a variety of styles and stylistic elements. He wrote mainly programme music in which he expressed himself as a spontaneous and emotional composer.”
(JURÍK, Marián: Gerhard Auer. In: 100 slovenských skladateľov. Ed. Marián Jurík, Peter Zagar. Bratislava: Národné hudobné centrum, 1998, p. 21.)