Karl-Heinz Steffens, born on November 28, 1961, in Trier, Germany, is a German clarinettist and conductor. He studied clarinet at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart from 1982 to 1985. Steffens' early career included positions as solo clarinettist at the Staatstheater Kassel, Oper Frankfurt, and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks. He served as Generalmusikdirektor of the Staatskapelle Halle from 2007 to 2013 and as Chefdirigent and Generalmusikdirektor of the Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz from 2009 to 2018. Steffens has directed orchestras internationally, including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Symphoniker, and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. He was Music Director at the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo during the 2016/2017 season and became the music director of the Staatsoper Prag in 2019.
