Heinz Holliger, a Swiss oboist, composer, and conductor, was born on May 21, 1939, in Langenthal. He began playing the oboe as a child and later studied with Emile Cassagnaud at the Bern Conservatory. In 1953, at the age of fourteen, he composed his first works in the fields of chamber music, songs, and incidental music. Two years after graduating from high school in Burgdorf, he earned a teaching diploma from the conservatory in his hometown. In 1958, Holliger continued his studies, first with Sava Savoff in Bern, and then with Yvonne Lefèbre in Paris. He also took private oboe lessons with Pierre Pierlot. Between 1961 and 1963, he further developed his compositional skills under the tutelage of Pierre Boulez. He took up his first position as principal oboist in 1959 with the Basel Orchestra Society, where he remained until 1963. From 1961 onwards, he made a name for himself as a soloist through recordings and international performances. In 1965, he accepted a professorship at the Freiburg University of Music.
