Detlef Heusinger was born in Frankfurt-on-Main and studied guitar, lute, conducting, musicology and composition in Bremen, Cologne and Freiburg. His most important teachers for composition were Hans Werner Henze and Klaus Huber. Among the grants and fellowships he has received are those of the Heinrich Strobel Foundation, the Internationale Ferienkurse Darmstadt, the Worpswede Art Studio, and the Cité des Arts.