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News … Home News David Steffens David Steffens - bass 01.08.2019 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Matthias Baus Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start The path to becoming an opera singer: Bass David Steffens was awarded the Lilli Lehmann Medal of the International Mozarteum Foundation in 2011 at the end of his vocal studies at the Mozarteum University. in 2010 he made his debut at the Salzburg Landestheater, and in 2018 at the Salzburg Festival. He talks about the love for his profession and the beginnings of a career as an artist. David Steffens: bass Germany     You performed in three productions at the Salzburg Festival this summer. How did it feel to be a "Festival artist"? When you study at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, it's naturally a big dream to move to the other side of the Salzach one day. After the Young Singers Project 2012, last year I was invited for the first time by the Salzburg Festival to take on the role of the Fifth Jew in the Strauss opera "Salome." That obviously pleased them, and this year I was allowed to participate in George Enescu's "Œdipe," in the revival of "Salome," and at short notice also in Mozart's "Idomeneo." Was this short notice stressful? Well, I found out about an hour before the performance that I could sing, and I received the sheet music ten minutes beforehand. Of course there's stress involved. But the adrenaline is high at such a moment and it was very nice. Above all, it was great to get to know musical director Teodor Currentzis in this way. You have been a member of the ensemble at the Stuttgart State Opera since the 2015/16 season. Your first impressions? I was fortunate in Stuttgart in that the singers are continuously built up. I started with relatively manageable roles and was approached for a first leading role after the premiere season with "Figaro." You can learn new roles at a large theater like Stuttgart and have perfect working conditions, a wonderful orchestra and a great choir. Nevertheless, as an ensemble singer you are protected and can also try things out. And what was the path there like? After graduating from the Mozarteum, I first went to the Zurich Opera Studio, then moved to the Stadttheater Klagenfurt am Wörthersee for two wonderful years. There, too, I was lucky enough not to be "sold out" as a young singer. Often, up-and-coming singers have to master big roles that they are not yet up to, but in Klagefurt I had enough time to develop in peace. You have to get to know yourself in the first few years, in order to realize where your voice hangs out, what your voice can do, and in what repertoire you feel comfortable. Of course, you want to work as much as possible from the beginning and be universally applicable, but you also have to know your strengths - and those can often only be found out on stage. Did you plan and organize your career yourself, or do you need an agency? I took part in several auditions while I was still a student and traveled halfway across the country to northern Germany without things working out right away. That can be a pretty frustrating time and you ask yourself: is this really the right thing I'm doing? But fortunately, a small agency has already heard me in the university productions at the Mozarteum. Usually the way it works is that an agent proposes you to ten, twenty houses and you get invited by some of them to audition. Without anyone in the background, it's incredibly difficult to get into the large and small theaters - they have hundreds of blind applications on the table. What specific advice would you give to young graduates? I think the best way to get started these days is to join an opera studio at a good theater. There you have the opportunity to audition for agencies, get to know conductors and build up a network. You also have to have the courage to introduce yourself to as many people as possible, to write to people and approach them. What could be worse than not getting a response? Conversely, an invitation to an audition is already the first step. And often, after five or six years, someone does remember you. In your home country of Germany, there is even support from a public agency, the ZAV Artist Placement Office of the Federal Employment Agency… Yes, the ZAV helped me a lot. At that time, they also came regularly to audition at the Mozarteum University and got me my first engagement in Klagenfurt. The advantage is that you don't have to pay any agency commissions. That's essential, because the fees are low at the beginning. How did you actually prepare for such auditions? For the audition, you should have a fixed repertoire of common arias, no exotic and new arias. You know you can do more, but you also have to establish comparability. The important thing is to feel comfortable in the roles. How fit did the Mozarteum studies make you feel for the "job market"? My teachers Horiana Brănișteanu and Wolfgang Holzmair prepared me well, taught me inner strength and how to deal with criticism. For me it was a very good time at the Mozarteum University. You could work with great pianists and do real orchestra rehearsals. It was also very helpful to experience the stress of an opera production. I benefited from that in the opera studio in Zurich - 70 evenings with small parts and chronically too little time to rehearse. It already gave me a starting advantage over others. And in which area could you have done a bit more during your studies? One should always have the view "outside" in the back of one's mind. I'm the last person who would say that training should be geared to the market, because at university we first have to concentrate on the technology and on the personal profile. Only then can you market yourself. But it would be helpful to do a little more in the direction of contacts and agencies. That way, you could make the first step a little easier. As a singer, how have you experienced the job market so far? The German-speaking market is one of the most interesting for singers worldwide. That's because we still have the large ensembles. But it's also an incredibly tight market. You're not only competing with former fellow students, but also with incredibly well-trained colleagues from all over the world who are auditioning for the same position: from the U.S., from Russia and all of Eastern Europe, from China, Korea and Japan - everyone is here and wants to get into this small market. We have a few hundred stages in Germany, but compared to the supply of singers, it's still very small. As a bass, I'm still lucky in that I'm not exposed to quite the same competition as a soprano or a lyric baritone. There are ten times as many who apply for a position. Still, what's great about your profession? First, it was the total love of music. Coming from the piano, growing up I was able to convey everything through music. What's also wonderful, of course, is the encouragement you get from others. As a young person, you realize that you can do something that others can't do. You realize the talent. But when you start studying at university, it quickly becomes clear that it's not just talent that gets you ahead. You also have to focus the great joy and learn things that may not be so much fun at the moment - just like in any profession. www.davidsteffens.com More portraits Ten voices in harmony - Sonance vocal ensemble 17.2.2026 Ten voices in harmony - Sonance vocal ensemble  A conversation with Benedikt Gurtner about a cappella singing, working in an ensemble, the importance of music for children and society, and the social value of making music together. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Paths to self-employment - Franziska Strohmayr 6.8.2025 Paths to self-employment - Franziska Strohmayr  The versatile and renowned violinist, project manager and lecturer Franziska Strohmayr grew up in Augsburg and came to Salzburg to study, where she still lives today after graduating from the Mozarteum University under Prof. Martin Mumelter and Prof. Wolfgang Gratzer and from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under Prof. Jacqueline Ross. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Braver than before - Mariia Tkachenko 8.4.2025 Braver than before - Mariia Tkachenko  Mariia Tkachenko lived in Kyiv until March 2022, where she received singing and violin lessons as a child and has already appeared in several TV productions. Her acting studies at the I. K. Karpenko-Karyi Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television were interrupted by the war in Ukraine. Alumnae & Alumni Stories A passionate (folk) music educator - Rupert Pföß 17.3.2025 A passionate (folk) music educator - Rupert Pföß  Alumnus Rupert Pföß has been working as a music teacher at Musikum Salzburg since 1996 and has been head of the folk music and harmonica department since 2012. He is also an extended board member of the Salzburger Volksliedwerk. His busy seminar and jury activities at various music weeks and music competitions enrich his everyday life as a musician time and again.  Alumnae & Alumni Stories From Kiev to Salzburg - Sofiia Musina 20.11.2024 From Kiev to Salzburg - Sofiia Musina  The flutist and instrumental music teacher Sofiia Musina came to Salzburg to study at the Mozarteum University in April 2022. From 2017 to 2022, she studied at the Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University in Ukraine and obtained a Master's degree in ‘Master of Musical Art. Educational and Professional Programme: Musical Art’. She wrote her master's thesis on the Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Art will always be there, even in the most difficult times - Meral Guneyman 5.11.2024 Art will always be there, even in the most difficult times - Meral Guneyman  Meral Guneyman is a versatile classical musician, with numerous releases, who is comfortable in both pop and jazz music, has transcribed many original works and is also an enthusiastic arranger and improviser. Her ability to move between classical and jazz with lightning speed and conviction is a rarity. In 2021, her arrangements of classic David Bowie songs were presented for the first time on ‘Steinway-Spirio’ - a high-resolution self-playing system of the highest quality. Alumnae & Alumni Stories More news

News … Home News Domenica Radlmaier Domenica Radlmaier - Soprano 27.04.2020 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Privat Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start "Solo program as an alternative" — Domenica Radlmaier: Soprano, Germany & Austria How did you experience the Corona period as an artist? For me it was from one hundred to zero within one day. I had a four-week rehearsal period until mid-March for an opera project near Karlsruhe, where I would have sung Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus. That meant lots of people, full days, wonderful music, great experiences and very creative work. We then had to skip the last day of rehearsals, because the public buildings were closed and so we couldn't go into our rehearsal hall anymore. So we met in front of the building on what was supposed to be the last day of rehearsals. The announcement, you are not allowed to enter anymore, came only in the morning. We were only able to have a short closing meeting outside. We said goodbye to each other and were all a little irritated. Most of us were already looking for trains home because we were afraid we wouldn't get home. We were an international team. But none of us really thought at that point that this festival couldn't happen. The rehearsals stopped in March and in May it was communicated that the festival cannot take place in the form it did. Instead, there will be smaller concerts. In what period would the festival have taken place without Corona? T he festival was planned with several productions from July to August. One production would have been the "Fledermaus" with 20 performances. Are there already new perspectives for you now? I was invited this week for four concerts. The program is not quite fixed yet, because the staff tried to save the festival until the very end. Not least for the audience, as it is a very established and popular open-air festival. Fortunately, the productions will be made up next year. But the four concerts are a first step and they probably wanted to stay present for the audience and not leave us artists out in the rain. It's nice to hear that other formats, forced smaller formats, are being implemented. I can already hear a sense of optimism. But what was the first time like after you stopped rehearsals? The first time I was still very committed to the project, because I couldn't imagine or didn't want the phase to last so long. I was still totally in work mode and worked off things that had been left lying around, got my apartment in shape and structured every day. Then the phase got longer and longer and at some point it was no longer foreseeable. From that point on, it became really difficult for me. When there is no real goal point. Especially since it is difficult to sing in my apartment. We have thin walls and I was also aware that many people are now at home. And then, when it was also foreseeable that I wouldn't be able to go on stage for a while, I didn't want to exhaust that and then also be a noise nuisance. Do you have to practice less as a singer than a violinist or a pianist? You notice it very much as a singer if you can't practice much. Especially the condition suffers. In Austria, support programs for artists, for example through the Artists' Social Insurance Fund, were also an issue relatively soon. What was that like in Germany? I didn't deal with it so intensively at first, because I thought the festival was taking place in the summer. I also thought, maybe others need this help more urgently than I do. In addition, the whole system was very opaque and keeps changing until today. Only yesterday I received new information. For a long time it looked like that solo self-employed people who don't have liquidity problems don't get any help. So, that private costs like rent don't count. I have no studio, no rehearsal room, no machine to pay for. For this reason, I fell out of the "aid projects" for the time being. Now it's being adapted and refined little by little, and I have high hopes that the system will improve for us artists. I've signed up for some things and filled out some forms but I guess you still have to be patient. It's not easy, but I'm trying not to lose heart and hope that some kind of "normality" will return soon. I am afraid that many people do not realize that the situation will drag on for a long time. This is not over with the end of the pandemic, but many things simply cannot be done now because they are not profitable for theaters. Without a financially functioning theater, artists can't be hired either. Therefore, the aftermath will be felt for much longer. As a young professional, it is therefore difficult to regain a foothold. Many auditions were canceled, programs and operas were canceled completely. I was lucky now that this festival tries to implement small projects instead of the planned program. But a lot of things have been canceled without replacement, so the loss of earnings is 100 percent. I can hear that as an artist you have to be creative in a different way at the moment. What can you actually do under the existing conditions? In Austria, events with 100 people have been allowed to take place since the end of May - an opera production is thus not profitable… It was very nice that some approached me and asked for online lessons. That was also a lot of fun and of course I was happy that they thought of me during that time. I also try to offer solo programs, have done some cabaret as well. The small programs include only two people on stage: the singer and the pianist. With them I want to bring the audience a little bit of cheerfulness, looseness and laughter in the difficult time for everyone. Is there anything you wish for your work environment? What has always stung me personally is that the soccer club has been in the media a lot, and very often there have been discussions about when the players will now be allowed back on the pitch, and other areas have been given less thought. There are very many people in the arts and many who are dependent on this industry. I was lucky that I was always well informed about the state of affairs by "my festival". However, I know of other organizers who to this day have given no indication of how things will continue, even though there are existing contracts. Being "stand-by" was also the hardest part of the Corona period for me. Not knowing when to be ready for the stage or whether to try for other things, the uncertainty. Of course, no one could know how long the situation would last. But I hope that soon we will be able to put aside this caution and have great events. We artists are all hungry to be able to make more art again. I realized during the Corona period that listening to music or seeing productions through a screen is not the real thing. The experience of the stage and concert hall is different. I miss that contact with my colleagues and the audience. www.domenicaradlmaier.com More portraits Ten voices in harmony - Sonance vocal ensemble 17.2.2026 Ten voices in harmony - Sonance vocal ensemble  A conversation with Benedikt Gurtner about a cappella singing, working in an ensemble, the importance of music for children and society, and the social value of making music together. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Paths to self-employment - Franziska Strohmayr 6.8.2025 Paths to self-employment - Franziska Strohmayr  The versatile and renowned violinist, project manager and lecturer Franziska Strohmayr grew up in Augsburg and came to Salzburg to study, where she still lives today after graduating from the Mozarteum University under Prof. Martin Mumelter and Prof. Wolfgang Gratzer and from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under Prof. Jacqueline Ross. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Braver than before - Mariia Tkachenko 8.4.2025 Braver than before - Mariia Tkachenko  Mariia Tkachenko lived in Kyiv until March 2022, where she received singing and violin lessons as a child and has already appeared in several TV productions. Her acting studies at the I. K. Karpenko-Karyi Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television were interrupted by the war in Ukraine. Alumnae & Alumni Stories A passionate (folk) music educator - Rupert Pföß 17.3.2025 A passionate (folk) music educator - Rupert Pföß  Alumnus Rupert Pföß has been working as a music teacher at Musikum Salzburg since 1996 and has been head of the folk music and harmonica department since 2012. He is also an extended board member of the Salzburger Volksliedwerk. His busy seminar and jury activities at various music weeks and music competitions enrich his everyday life as a musician time and again.  Alumnae & Alumni Stories From Kiev to Salzburg - Sofiia Musina 20.11.2024 From Kiev to Salzburg - Sofiia Musina  The flutist and instrumental music teacher Sofiia Musina came to Salzburg to study at the Mozarteum University in April 2022. From 2017 to 2022, she studied at the Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University in Ukraine and obtained a Master's degree in ‘Master of Musical Art. Educational and Professional Programme: Musical Art’. She wrote her master's thesis on the Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Art will always be there, even in the most difficult times - Meral Guneyman 5.11.2024 Art will always be there, even in the most difficult times - Meral Guneyman  Meral Guneyman is a versatile classical musician, with numerous releases, who is comfortable in both pop and jazz music, has transcribed many original works and is also an enthusiastic arranger and improviser. Her ability to move between classical and jazz with lightning speed and conviction is a rarity. In 2021, her arrangements of classic David Bowie songs were presented for the first time on ‘Steinway-Spirio’ - a high-resolution self-playing system of the highest quality. Alumnae & Alumni Stories More news

News … Home News Petra Polli Petra Polli - visual artist 26.05.2020 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Privat Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start Extremely Productive Corona Times Petra Polli: visual artist Bolzano & Leipzig     How did you experience the Corona period as an artist in Bolzano? The Corona period was an extremely productive one for me right from the start. I made two small ink works a day for the TRACKS series, where nature/the forest is the central motif. In the beginning, the works were black and white as in the Tracks series. As the Corona period progressed, the color and mood in my paintings changed. With the tightened restrictions and the duration of the quarantine, the colors became warmer, more intense and the images more sensual. The longing to go outdoors, into the forest became stronger and stronger. I have the impression that the measures in South Tyrol and Italy were stricter than here in Austria... Exactly. In Bolzano, at the beginning, it was the case that you were only allowed to go 200 meters away from where you lived. That was the case for about three weeks. You could only go out for shopping and to take short walks. Sports were not allowed. We were given new rules and packages of measures every week. At first these were very strict, then the movement radius was extended from 200 to 400 meters. At some point we were allowed to do some sports again, at least running. Cycling was not yet allowed. Friends and family were also not allowed to visit. After two months, the relaxation was that you were allowed to walk as far as you could. Only now, at the end of May, one is allowed to move freely again in South Tyrol, even to drive a car and meet one's friends and family. Masks are still compulsory as soon as you leave the apartment. I know you have a small studio in the apartment. Was that a stroke of luck? Yes. It so happened that I had to give up my studio because, as an artist, I was not allowed to go into my studio for the first two weeks. Wisely, I set up a space at home to work. The good thing was that there was always nice weather. That made the Corona time easier. Especially for those who had a balcony. How can you imagine the "Corona productivity increase" compared to a normal creative period? I've done the workload of a normal year now in two months. So you made good use of the Corona time and were productive. Do you already have plans where you will show the pictures? There are already planned exhibitions that will take place soon - although it is not yet clear how and whether there will be a vernissage and whether contact with the public will be possible. When are exhibitions allowed to take place again in South Tyrol? The museums may open to the public on May 29. In June I will show works in the Museion in Bolzano. The second exhibition in June, in which I will show works from the TRACKS series, will take place at the Palais Mamming Museum in Merano. In this exhibition there will be an artist talk, unfortunately without an audience. The talk will be recorded and put on the web. What were the biggest challenges during the Corona quarantine? The biggest challenge for me was the social distance. Not being allowed to meet anyone, no family, no friends. But there was also a positive development with the increasing video calls. Some contacts were intensified again as a result. I experienced this as a very intense time, but also as a time in which, unfortunately, many exhibitions had to be canceled. What conditions do you need as an artist to be able to work "normally" again? Basically, the framework conditions are now in place again. However, as an artist you have to think about how an alternative exhibition mode can take place. Maybe it would be a possibility to bring the works more into the net and to do virtual tours and artist talks, as some museums are already doing now. Nevertheless, the interaction and contact with the public are the most important. Are there any support programs for artists in Italy? In South Tyrol, an initiative was started by the Artists' Association and the South Tyrolean provincial government to support artists during this period. There was emergency aid of 600 euros, which worked well. As proof of activity, a work of art, which was offered for sale, was put online on a separate platform. A second initiative was created by the state for freelancers and entrepreneurs. This help was dependent on the income of the same month in the last year. However, artists do not earn regularly. So if the income was bad in April 2019, it will affect the help in 2020. How do you see the next weeks and months? Now is a good time for me to take initiative, be active and initiate projects. I feel in a mood of optimism. www.petrapolli.com More portraits Ten voices in harmony - Sonance vocal ensemble 17.2.2026 Ten voices in harmony - Sonance vocal ensemble  A conversation with Benedikt Gurtner about a cappella singing, working in an ensemble, the importance of music for children and society, and the social value of making music together. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Paths to self-employment - Franziska Strohmayr 6.8.2025 Paths to self-employment - Franziska Strohmayr  The versatile and renowned violinist, project manager and lecturer Franziska Strohmayr grew up in Augsburg and came to Salzburg to study, where she still lives today after graduating from the Mozarteum University under Prof. Martin Mumelter and Prof. Wolfgang Gratzer and from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London under Prof. Jacqueline Ross. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Braver than before - Mariia Tkachenko 8.4.2025 Braver than before - Mariia Tkachenko  Mariia Tkachenko lived in Kyiv until March 2022, where she received singing and violin lessons as a child and has already appeared in several TV productions. Her acting studies at the I. K. Karpenko-Karyi Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television were interrupted by the war in Ukraine. Alumnae & Alumni Stories A passionate (folk) music educator - Rupert Pföß 17.3.2025 A passionate (folk) music educator - Rupert Pföß  Alumnus Rupert Pföß has been working as a music teacher at Musikum Salzburg since 1996 and has been head of the folk music and harmonica department since 2012. He is also an extended board member of the Salzburger Volksliedwerk. His busy seminar and jury activities at various music weeks and music competitions enrich his everyday life as a musician time and again.  Alumnae & Alumni Stories From Kiev to Salzburg - Sofiia Musina 20.11.2024 From Kiev to Salzburg - Sofiia Musina  The flutist and instrumental music teacher Sofiia Musina came to Salzburg to study at the Mozarteum University in April 2022. From 2017 to 2022, she studied at the Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University in Ukraine and obtained a Master's degree in ‘Master of Musical Art. Educational and Professional Programme: Musical Art’. She wrote her master's thesis on the Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk. Alumnae & Alumni Stories Art will always be there, even in the most difficult times - Meral Guneyman 5.11.2024 Art will always be there, even in the most difficult times - Meral Guneyman  Meral Guneyman is a versatile classical musician, with numerous releases, who is comfortable in both pop and jazz music, has transcribed many original works and is also an enthusiastic arranger and improviser. Her ability to move between classical and jazz with lightning speed and conviction is a rarity. In 2021, her arrangements of classic David Bowie songs were presented for the first time on ‘Steinway-Spirio’ - a high-resolution self-playing system of the highest quality. Alumnae & Alumni Stories More news

The harpist Isla Biffin, a Master's student at the Mozarteum University, has been awarded the 2024/25 annual scholarship from the Fondation Armand & Nicky Delvaux under the patronage of the Fondation de Luxembourg for her outstanding academic achievements. The scholarship is endowed with 20,000 euros. Our warmest congratulations!

The ASEAN-European Academic University Network (ASEA-UNINET) was founded in 1994 and is currently made up of over 80 universities in around 20 countries. The aim of the university network is to promote research and teaching activities between the member universities in Europe and Southeast Asia (in Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam).

From 3 June to 31 July 2024, the students of the Mozarteum University will have their say: your opportunity to express your opinion on the quality of teaching, studies and the university's service facilities via an online questionnaire.

Writer, literary and cultural scholar and university lecturer Thomas Ballhausen has been head of the Inter-University Centre for Science & Art since October 2023. A conversation about his new role at the "interface".

The Institute for Open Arts at the Mozarteum University recently moved into premises at Franz-Josef-Straße 18 that were once occupied by the Austrian National Bank. An interview with Prof. Claudia Lehmann, who has headed the institute since 2023.

The student of the Thomas Bernhard Institute of the Mozarteum University Giulia Giammona won the prize of the 20th Festival Körber Studio Junge Regie with her production "Penelope" yesterday on 9 June 2024. We congratulate her warmly!

At the national competition for German-speaking drama students in Frankfurt, the final year of the Thomas Bernhard Institute at the Mozarteum University won several prizes for its production of Elfriede Jelinek's "The Silent Girl". In addition to the Swiss Ensemble Prize and the Audience Prize/Students' Prize, we are delighted to have won two solo prizes for Payam Yazdani and Joyce Mayne Sanhá.

A city on the move - young, dynamic, full of contradictions. Nine students from the Department of Scenography embark on urban forays with their sketchbooks. From the beginnings of modernism to contemporary architecture. Experimental drawing on selected objects. Between Stalinism, Brutalism and Contemporary, new centre and periphery, indoor and outdoor.

The Slovenian-Austrian violinist Igor Ozim taught at the Mozarteum University from 2002 to 2016. He died in Salzburg on 23 March 2024.

The British businessman, musician and philanthropist Sir Ian Stoutzker made a lifelong commitment to young musicians out of a deep conviction that music is an important factor in everyone's life. He died on 6 April 2024 at the age of 95.

The University Mozarteum Salzburg is looking for art practitioners to enroll in the PhD in the Arts, a doctoral programme in artistic research. Artists from any field of practice are encouraged to apply, including but not limited to music, the visual arts, theatre, dance, film, digital media, and design.