Hildemann was born on June 17, 1925, in the city of
Cheb (formerly known as Eger or Egerland) which was part of the contentious
German Sudetenland. Following
World War Two, Hildemann studied at the
music conservatories in
Prague and
Nürnberg. Among his professors were
Fidelio Finke,
Anton Nowakowski and
Joseph Keilberth. Succeeding his studies in Nürnberg, Hildemann passed the
examination to become a
chapel master in 1952. Between 1949 and 1967, he worked as the musical instructor of the
Windsbacher Knabenchor (Windsbach Boys’ Choir). From 1962 on, he taught at the
Odenwaldschule in
Oberhambach, a private boarding school following a concept of
progressive education after
World War Two. After moving to Mönchengladbach, he continued teaching music in school at the Hugo Junkers-Gymnasium. Once settled down in Mönchengladbach, Hildemann became a professor and frequent lecture in
church music and
composition at the University of Applied Sciences Niederrhein (Rhineland). He further lead the musical branch at the Esslingen Künstlergilde, a group of artists. The majority of the music that ended up being published was composed during his time in Mönchengladbach. == Selected compositions ==