Born in Radebeul, Prof. Wolfgang Hentrich studied in Dresden: violin with Gudrun Schröter and Gustav Schmahl, string quartet with Rudolf Ulbrich and conducting with Volker Rohde. From 1987 to 1996 he was 1st concertmaster of the Robert-Schumann-Philharmonie Chemnitz before becoming 1st concertmaster of the Dresdner Philharmonie in 1996. He has appeared with the orchestra as a soloist on several occasions, and numerous CD recordings bear witness to his musical work.
He leads the Philharmonisches Kammerorchester Dresden, directs Chorus 116 and has been principal conductor of the Deutsche Streicherphilharmonie since 2013. In 2002 he founded the Fördervereinsorchester der Dresdner Philharmonie, an orchestra of music-loving amateurs, which he has conducted ever since. Since 2003 he has been Honorary Professor of Violin at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden.
He plays a violin made in 1725 by the Venetian luthier Sanctus Seraphin, on loan to him from the Dresdner Philharmonie’s Friends’ Association.