Nanna Schmidt studied sound and image technology and design with piano as her main instrumental subject at the Robert Schumann University and the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences.
At the same time, she worked as a freelance editor for ZDF in the service department and as a freelance assistant director in the field of music documentaries and concert broadcasts.
Since 2007 freelance author and director for music documentaries and concert broadcasts (TV, web, DVD / Blu-ray) for various broadcasters, production companies and cultural institutions, including the Digital Concert Hall of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. As part of these activities, she has collaborated with numerous internationally renowned artists.
As music editor for moving images, Nanna Schmidt was responsible for concert productions, music documentaries and short video formats at Südwestrundfunk between 2020 and 2025 (Klassik | SWR Kultur, ARD Klassik). She also realised concert videos and studio productions as a music director and authored music documentaries such as ‘Besuch bei Brahms’ with Sol Gabetta (2022) and ‘Die schöne Müllerin und die unerfüllte Liebe‘ with Julian Prégardien (2024).
2013 to 2021 Teaching at the Karlsruhe University of Music, initially at the Institute for Music Informatics and Musicology, from 2019 at the Institute for Music Journalism.
Since October 2022, Nanna Schmidt has been a visiting professor for music-related image direction at the Berlin University of the Arts in the Tonmeister*in degree programme.
In 2023, she completed her doctorate on „Das Medialisierte Konzert – Zur Repräsentation und Inszenierung von Kunstmusik in den audiovisuellen Medien“.
In April 2025, Nanna Schmidt was appointed Professor of Music Journalism and Cultural Media Technology and took over as Head of the Institute of Music Journalism.
She also serves on the jury for the Rolf-Hans Müller Award for Film Music and the German Record Critics' Award (music film category).