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Lecturer in New Music (Voice/Performance Practice)

Teacher of Piano and Score Reading / Lecturer in Comparative Work Analysis

Univ.-Prof. of Recorder

Teacher of Recorder

Univ.-Prof. of Piano

Univ.-Prof. of Composition

Twenty violinists from 17 countries gathered at the International Mozart Competition in the violin category from February 6 to 12 at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg. First prize went to Xunyue Zhang, second prize to Yuki Serino, and third prize to Maxim Tzekov.

Muriel Razavi and Sào Soulez Larivière took up their viola professorships at the University Mozarteum Salzburg on October 1. Both have received numerous awards, are active worldwide as soloists and chamber musicians, and invest a great deal in the future of classical music.

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

The art and love of the viola led German Tcakulov from Vladikavkaz to St. Petersburg, on to Berlin, Munich, Karlsruhe and now to Salzburg, where he took up a professorship for viola on 1 October 2024.

Univ.-Prof. of Voice

Univ.-Prof. of Voice (Music Pedagogy)

Univ.-Prof. of Voice (Early Music)

Professor of Voice

News … Home News Anna Stierle Anna Stierle - singer & art mediator 01.08.2020 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Privat Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start "Musicians need a stage" — Anna Stierle: Concepts Lichtgrau, singer & art mediator, Salzburg How did you experience the Corona period as an artist? It all came so suddenly and to see that many of my fellow singers, with whom I had sung regularly before, were suddenly faced with nothing, I found shocking. Even before the shutdown, the situation in the industry for freelance singers was extremely difficult. The number of very talented young musicians in Salzburg is enormous thanks to the Mozarteum University and the Salzburg Festival. In addition, there are those who come here from all over the world, because this city has an incredible attraction for artists of all kinds. This puts enormous pressure on wages, and there is no insurance for normal freelancers, or the rates would be much too high anyway. On the other hand, we benefit from a very diverse cultural program. With the mini fairy tale opera, we were forced to cancel all performances. Several performances of "Hansel and Gretel" after E. Humperdinck were planned. It was all the more painful when we learned that we would have played to a sold-out hall in Vienna. Our new production of "The Three Roses" was a commissioned work that I had given to Milan Stojkovic, our pianist, and Julia Ortmann-Radau, the librettist. The money was suddenly gone, because there is no funding without proof of performance, and all the hard work that had gone before was suddenly in ruins. But much worse was the long wait and not knowing when I could start planning events again. Everyone I spoke to was helpless and at a loss. We used this time very intensively to work on the content. An enormous potential of creative ideas emerged and this also gave us the idea of acquiring the Heckentheater in the Mirabellgarten as a venue. I have to say that my incredibly great colleagues also encouraged me a lot during this time to continue working and to find solutions. They were willing to take the risk, earn hardly anything and work a lot. That made us grow together as a team! What conditions do you need as an artist to be able to work "normally" again? More courage in the audience to attend events. A realistic view. Many events are currently with free admission. People also need to think, where is the money coming from for this production? Who is paying for it and what are the artists getting? Would I go to this event if I had to pay admission? What does a production cost anyway? There are people who believe that you can earn millions with entrance fees… We are spoiled in Salzburg when it comes to cultural offerings. The whole city profits from the image of the city of Mozart. But many people forget that it is actually classical music that (before Corona) attracts thousands of visitors here every day. Choirs from all over the world come just to be serenaded on Cathedral Square, and young people pay a lot of money for classical music master classes and workshops and private lessons. Salzburg is the classical music hotspot in the heart of Europe. This is felt by trade and tourism. That's why, for example, the Old Town Association organizes several free concerts for locals and tourists. In addition to the local tax, I could imagine something like an additional tax for tourists as a cultural levy. The money should be used to increase the fees for musicians and a uniform tariff table should be established. Founding a trade union for freelance musicians working in Salzburg would possibly be an additional sensible measure. Long before Corona, I have been in favor of a minimum income or additional tax relief for freelance musicians. Of course, coupled with strict requirements and conditions! I also experience the phenomenon that I am supposed to plan the musical framework for events and explicitly acquire young "cheap" Mozarteum students. I then point out to people that I have standard rates. Unfortunately, others in the industry do not, and many Mozarteum students rely on a sideline and undercut the market rate. As a rule, they do not pay social security contributions as students. This is incredibly troublesome for the honest self-employed in the industry and ultimately hurts everyone. Are there already new perspectives and new projects that you can carry out? Yes, definitely. I've been feverishly looking for opportunities for the mini fairy tale opera. In the end, I was also helped by the incredibly motivating and nice conversations with municipal officials and cultural organizers. Everyone thought the project was great and that motivated me to keep at it and solve problems. Some doors have closed but many new doors have opened. Is there anything else you would like to share with us from an artist's point of view? Musicians need a stage. Right now, artists are almost desperate for opportunities to perform. Many go out on the street or sing out of the window. You have to love practicing with your instrument or voice and consider it a privilege to be paid for it or to perform in front of a full house. Humility, discipline, patience and respect are probably the most important virtues that you need in your toolbox as a musician right now. www.kuenstlerkanzlei.com More portraits Shape music history - Vivi Vassileva 13.5.2026 Shape music history - Vivi Vassileva  Vivi Vassileva represents a new generation of percussionists and showcases percussion as an instrument of the 21st century. She takes the audience to the very frontiers of the world of percussion, which she explores and pushes back with incredible passion, brilliant technique, virtuosity and athletic performance. A conversation about her work as a musician, the world of percussion and the athletic aspects of music. Alumnae & Alumni Stories It shouldn’t just be about the wheelchair – Markus Degenfeld 9.4.2026 It shouldn’t just be about the wheelchair – Markus Degenfeld  An applicant in a wheelchair, with physical and speech impairments, wishes to study acting. Doubts among the teaching staff, uncertainty about how to interact with him, organisational hurdles – and yet the commitment not to judge too hastily, but to look more closely: at his enthusiasm for acting, his spontaneity, his ability to work in a group, and his sense of humour. Alumnae & Alumni Stories 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 More news