1926

Born in Vienna on February 17. Violin lessons at the age of six; first compositions at the age of eight and, at his own request, lessons in harmony and counterpoint

1943

Drafted (before the end of high school). In Denmark, later in Germany contact to the resistance movement who protected him when he left the army

1945

Lives and works as mountain guide in Tyrol, later returns to Vienna for academic studies

1946 - 1950

Studies in composition at the Vienna Academy for Music (Alfred Uhl), violin (Vasa Prihoda), and music education; university studies in German literature, musicology, and philosophy (Ph. D.)

1950

Intense contact with the "Art-Club", a group of avant-garde painters and writers, and with the ISCM, where Josef Polnauer introduces him to the interpretation and analysis of works of the Second Viennese School

1956 - 59

Attends the International Ferienkurse for New Music at Darmstadt, taking part in the courses of Rudolf Kolisch and Eduard Steuermann, among others. Active as violinist and music teacher

1958

Together with Kurt Schwertsik founds the Ensemble "die reihe" in Vienna, a forum for new music and music of the Viennese School. He was a pioneer in presenting new works, the music of 20^th century classics, particularly the Viennese school, and soon gained international recognition

1959 - 88

Instructor, from 1976 on professor for composition, notation and interpretation of new music at the Vienna Hochschule für Musik. Increasing activity as conductor: he conducts at Festivals in Warsaw, Prague, Zagreb, Salzburg, Vienna, Berlin and the Holland-Festival; at opera houses in Berlin (Deutsche Oper) and Buenos Aires (Teatro Colón); the Concertgebouw, Berlin Philharmonic, Cleveland, and at New York's Lincoln Center)

1962

Begins the completion of act 3 of Alban Berg's opera Lulu (première of complete version in 1979 in Paris).

1970 - 71

1974

1978

Founds a second concert series in Vienna, "Wege in unsere Zeit," which he directs until 1983. Then HK Gruber and Kurt Schwertsik became directors of the ensemble “die reihe”

1981

World premiere of the music theatre piece Netzwerk at the Vienna Festival, world premiere of the opera Baal at Salzburg Festival and subsequent performances at Vienna State Opera.
Conducts Austrian premiere of the completed Lulu at Styrian Autumn Festival

1986

Uraufführung der Oper Der Rattenfänger beim Steirischen Herbst in Graz und Folgeaufführungen an der Wiener Staatsoper

World premiere of Impulse, commissioned by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Numerous national and international concerts on the occasion of his 70th birthday, Project Friedrich Cerha with seven concerts at the Salzburg Festival, performances of Spiegel at the Berlin Festival

Completion of the opera Der Riese vom Steinfeld;
Composition of the cycle Im Namen der Liebe (text by Peter Turrini) for baritone and orchestra (commission from Festivals de Música de Canarias)

composed the orchestra piece Hymnus, commissioned by the Konzerthaus Berlin

World premiere of  Five Pieces for clarinet, violoncello and piano, dedicated to Heinrich Schiff on his 50^th birthday, 

composed the Rhapsodie pour violon et piano, a commission from the Jacques Tribaud Competition, Paris

started composing the Requiem for solo voices, chorus and orchestra, commissioned by Konzerthaus Wien

World premiere of Requiem for solo voices, chorus and orchestra

World première of Momente for solo voices, chorus and large orchestra in Munich