Elisabeth Link
Oral History Information
Elisabeth Link, wife of Horst Link, played an important role in the success of Sonor - a company synonymous with quality percussion instruments. For many years, a critical part of the product palette has been the Orff Schulwerk instruments, which are used in classrooms all over the world. Elisabeth was responsible for the success of the Sonor instruments in schools. She married Horst, the third-generation owner of Sonor, in 1969, and made music education and pedagogy her calling. Alongside Hans Borgese, who was the assistant of Carl Orff and a composer in his own right, she expanded the programs and workshops offered by Sonor and in 1975 founded the IGMF, the International Society for Further Education in Music Pedagogy. Fifty workshops were organized each year and ties to the American Orff Schulwerk Association were then established. With Sonor as the sole sponsor of the Society, Elisabeth and Horst Link made sure that the courses furthered education and professional exchange.