Klaus Steffes-Holländer studied the piano at the Cologne College of Music and Dance under Aloys Kontarsky and in Paris under Claude Helffer and Gérard Frémy with a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Furthermore, he intensified his studies with Paul Badura-Skoda.
His particular interest is in Contemporary Music. At the first Concurs de Piano "Compositors del Segle XX" in Barcelona, he received the first prize of the Competition for Contemporary Piano Music; at the Premi Xavier Montsalvatge d'interpretacio de Música Contemporània per a piano in Girona he was awarded a special prize for his interpretation of Stockhausen's Klavierstück X.
Since 1995 he has been the pianist of ensemble recherche Freiburg.
His activities as a guest lecturer have led him to numerous universities in Germany and abroad. He also teaches regularly at the Ensemble-Akademie Freiburg, jointly organized by Ensemble Recherche and the Freiburg Barockorchester.