• 1938

    Graduation from the Faculty of Medicine at Comenius University in Bratislava

  • 1946

    Began working at the hospital in Liptovský Mikuláš as a specialist physician, later became head of the dermatology department

  • 1948

    Co-founder of the G. F. Belopotocký theatre ensemble

  • 1979 – ?

    Inspector (supervisor) of the Eastern District of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia

MUDr. Karol Wurm was a Slovak organologist, hymnologist, choir director, composer, conductor, cultural organizer, and physician.

He came from the family of a Lutheran teacher and cantor in Bratislava, and since 1946 he lived and worked in Liptovský Mikuláš. He studied organ playing under Kurt Freitag and vocal training with Ján Strelec.

 

Karol Wurm made a significant contribution to the social and cultural life of Liptovský Mikuláš. He organized musical events, soirées, and concerts.

"Even in the late 1980s, Dr. Wurm was shaping the entire cultural life of Mikuláš. Within his means, he influenced the selection of performing soloists and ensembles, and sometimes their repertoire as well. He introduced many concerts with spoken commentary and brought together classical music lovers for guided listening sessions of recorded music." (Bohuslav Riečan, Kultúrny život, April 22, 1993)

 

He was a co-founder of the Gašpar Fejérpataky-Belopotocký theatre ensemble, led his own orchestra Hudobný súbor v meste, as well as the Divadlo hudby at the District Cultural Centre, and served as chairman of the Circle of Friends of Music at the former Trade Union House of Culture. He also founded a mixed church choir and for several years conducted the Tatran choir.

 

Wurm was also active as a composer, creating both sacred and secular choral works, and arranging pieces by early music masters. One of his most important contributions was his involvement in the creation of the first Slovak Lutheran hymnal (1993), where he applied his extensive expertise in hymnology.

 

He worked as a historical organ expert for the Heritage Preservation Office and published several works in the fields of organology and hymnology.

 

A major achievement in Slovak organology is the bilingual book Historické organy na Slovensku (Historical Organs in Slovakia, 1982), which he co-authored with Otmar Gergelyi. Karol Wurm played a key role in preserving and cataloging many historical organs.

 

For many years, he served as both a Catholic regenschori (director of church music) and a high-ranking official of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia, where he held the position of district inspector (dištriktuálny dozorca).

He also taught organ and accordion playing.

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