The story of KD SCHMID

KD SCHMID was founded on the vision and drive of Hans Ulrich Schmid, who was born in Hamburg in 1926. After studying piano in Munich, Zurich and Stuttgart, Schmid began his professional career at Steinway & Sons in Hamburg, where he quickly rose to become Director’s Assistant. In 1957, together with Alfred Döll, he opened Klavierhaus Döll, a piano shop in Hanover. 

Concerts held in the basement of the shop soon evolved into closer connections with musicians, and in 1959, Schmid formally established Konzertdirektion Hans Ulrich Schmid GmbH, representing artists such as Alfred Brendel, Helen Donath, Pierre Boulez, Sir John Barbirolli and Sir Georg Solti in its earliest years. One of the first to join the roster was Christoph Eschenbach, both as a pianist and conductor.

Eschenbach’s debut with the Cleveland Orchestra marked a turning point. In a visionary move, Hans Ulrich Schmid became the first German artist manager to travel to the US to build direct relationships with American orchestras and agencies. This groundbreaking initiative led to a European tour with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1971, followed by a six-week, 22-concert tour of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Sir Georg Solti and Carlo Maria Giulini.

These landmark tours laid the groundwork for KD SCHMID’s renowned Touring Department. Soon, leading orchestras such as the Hallé Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields entrusted their German touring to the company.

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, KD SCHMID developed a global network and continued to expand its artist roster. Notable additions included Murray Perahia, Dame Janet Baker, Edda Moser, Günter Wand, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Neville Marriner, André Previn, Yo-Yo Ma and Mitsuko Uchida – artists who would then go on to shape the international classical landscape.

In 1986, Cornelia Schmid, daughter of the founder, joined the Artist Management Department. She brought new energy and vision, managing artists such as Christian Tetzlaff, Håkan Hardenberger and Leonard Slatkin. In 1994, she succeeded her father as President and owner of the company, marking a generational transition that reinforced the company’s family-owned identity and international orientation.

In 1998, KD SCHMID opened its London office, founded and led by Karen McDonald, with a focus on general management for international artists, signing on young artists such as Andris Nelsons and Baiba Skride. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009 and opened a further office in Berlin in 2011, expanding its presence in key cultural capitals.

Hans Ulrich Schmid passed away in 2012. His intuition, artistic insight and pioneering spirit remain deeply embedded in the company’s identity and values to this day.

In 2013, KD SCHMID entered into a strategic partnership with Konzertdirektion Goette in Hamburg – a collaboration rooted in the long-standing connection between the Schmid and Funke families dating back to the 1960s.

Burkhard Glashoff, then head of Touring at KD SCHMID, was appointed Managing Director of Konzertdirektion Goette, and in 2015, Karen McDonald joined Cornelia Schmid as Managing Director of KD SCHMID.

In 2021, the partnership with Konzertdirektion Goette evolved further, as KD SCHMID consolidated under the DK Deutsche Klassik umbrella. Burkhard Glashoff joined the Managing Director team alongside Cornelia Schmid and Karen McDonald, aligning the strengths of both companies.
In 2024, KD SCHMID opened its New York office, following the 2023 appointment of Ann SunHyung Kim as director of KD SCHMID US to lead the growing presence in North America. That same year, the company moved its German headquarters from Hannover to Berlin. Christoph Drescher joined the company as Managing Director in January 2024 after two decades at the helm of the Thuringia Bach Festival.

In 2025, KD SCHMID and Vienna-based agency Dr. Raab & Dr. Böhm announced that they have joined forces to create SCHMID RAAB & BOEHM GmbH, a new orchestral touring company with offices in Berlin and Vienna, starting their joint work with the 2027/28 season. The merger brings together the long-standing expertise and international networks of both agencies, aiming to shape the future of global orchestral touring with creative concepts, flexible formats and a strong focus on audience engagement. Led by Nora Pötter, Huw Humphreys, Christoph Drescher and Philipp Stein, SCHMID RAAB & BOEHM acts as a strategic partner for orchestras navigating a changing touring landscape.

After four decades in the company and five years as Chair of the International Artist Managers’ Association (IAMA), Cornelia Schmid stepped back from her executive role. She continues to be closely involved as Honorary President.

Today, the leadership team of KD SCHMID is comprised of Karen McDonald and Christoph Drescher.