Wolfgang Seifen grew up in Oberaußem in the Bergheim district. From 1973 to 1976 he studied church music at the Gregoriushaus in Aachen. Until 1983 he was a church musician at St. Sebastian in Nettetal-Lobberich, and from 1983 to 2000 he was organist at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary in Kevelaer. Together with Paul Wißkirchen he founded the International Altenberg Organ Academy for Improvisation and has been its permanent lecturer since 1987. At the same time he headed the organ class for improvisation and liturgical organ playing at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart from 1989 to 1992. From 1992 to 2000 he held the same teaching position at the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf, where he was appointed honorary professor in 1995. From October 2000 he was Professor of Improvisation and Liturgical Organ Playing at the University of the Arts in Berlin, and he retired in October 2021. In 2002 he was appointed to the Church Music Commission of the Archdiocese of Berlin by Cardinal Sterzinsky. He maintains a lively concert schedule at home and abroad. In 2021 he retired as professor emeritus at the UdK Berlin. In 2022 he retired as titular organist at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin, a post he held since 2004. Wolfgang Seifen has been chairman of the Orgelbauvereins Kevelaersince March 2024.