One of Germany's most sought-after teachers and musicians, Bernd Goetzke studied with Prof. Karl-Heinz Kämmerling at the Hanover University of Music and Drama from the age of 13. Another important phase in his development was his long association with Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, who regarded him as his last pupil. He also participated in Beethoven courses given by Wilhelm Kempff and Claudio Arrau, and was awarded prizes at several international competitions, among them in Paris, Milan, Epinal, Athens and Brussels. At the age of 25 he was appointed Lecturer at the Hanover University of Music and Drama, where he became Professor in 1982.
He teaches a class of young pianists from all over the world, many of whom have won prizes at international competitions, and holds master classes in Germany and throughout the world. Bernd Goetzke has served as a jury member in many international competitions, including Moscow, Munich, Bolzano, Orléans, Oslo, London, St. Petersburg, Kharkov, Kiev, Salt Lake City, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Warsaw. Since 2000, he has been Director of an institute for gifted children, which he founded and which is attached to the Hanover University of Music and Drama and is the only one of its kind in Germany. His concert repertoire includes works by Bach, Scarlatti, Haydn, Beethoven, Schumann and Debussy, as well as twentieth century music