Search

News … Home News Thomas Reif Thomas Reif - violinist 01.11.2021 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Andrej Grilc Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start Thomas Reif is concertmaster of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, active as a soloist and chamber musician, and has recently taken up a professorship in violin. In addition to classical music, he devotes himself to Argentine tangos of the 1930s to 1950s together with the Cuarteto SolTango. Thomas Reif: violinist Munich     You play in different formations and genres. What is so appealing about that? From the outside, people like to perceive it that way, because I'm a classically trained violinist and tango is understood as its own genre. Personally, I don't like to separate the two. There are basically no big differences in the way we make music. So I try not to separate the genres too much and not to draw boundaries. We are musicians, what kind of music you end up making is not that important - quality is much more important. I have a little bit of a feeling that the careers of young artists are changing compared to older ones. Many are moving into different "genres" in my perception and the terms interdisciplinarity and multimedia are popping up more and more. Careers have changed over the years, of course. Our traditional studies have a definite framework. A course of study needs a curriculum and a structure; to some extent, there's no other way. The question is how much you can break that up. You don't have to play a Bach fugue in the first semester of your bachelor's degree. There's a lot that you should learn beforehand. It's like comparing a person who goes to driving school and instead of learning to drive, is immediately put into a Formula 1 car. But of course, students can be exposed to repertoire outside of the "standard repertoire" while still in college. There are many other composers who have written great and perhaps not so great music. One may need to learn about less great works in order to understand why music, for example by Mozart, is so grandiose. For musicians, the question is whether they want to play pieces as they did decades before, or whether they want to find something new for themselves. A voice of their own, so to speak. You can play unknown works, you can compose yourself, you can create new styles and so on. At this point I come to tango: I love this music and as a classical violinist I have the unusual advantage with tango that I can listen to the originals and get the inspiration. However, we don't want to simply copy the original. In comparison, you can't make a quick phone call to Bach today (laughs). The second exciting aspect of tango is that we want to bring this music closer to the classical audience. We don't play at tango festivals all the time, maybe once a year. Mostly we play to classical audiences who are hearing this music for the very first time. That is a great feeling. We interpret the tango and can show the audience something new. Discovering a piece for yourself in a new way is a great experience! It is different from the hundredth interpretation of a well-known piece. This is an experience I also made after my studies. For me, it's a balancing act, because the position in the orchestra is a very classical one. I wouldn't want to miss either one or the other. But everyone has to find their own way. How does the work in the symphony orchestra differ from that of a chamber musician or in the tango quartet? Of course, the music is very different, but in the preparation and musical practice there are actually no huge differences. One always wants to prepare in the best possible way. The obvious number of musicians is a social component. In a quartet, however, you need a different kind of initiative and organizational skills. As a freelance musician, you have to organize more: Program composition, rehearsals, performance opportunities, dates, publicity, etc. In fact, these skills are often learned much too late, when you don't need them in your studies and therefore don't practice them. The curriculum provides a lot of things. However, awareness of this should actually start earlier. Your concert calendar includes, for example, concerts with Igor Levit and Alice Sara Ott. All of your concert partners are at the highest level. How do musicians find each other for such concerts? It happens in different ways. Some of them are friends from their studies, and as they become better known, they are approached. Some become better known because of competitions, because they were invited to concerts. The position as concertmaster also contributes to this. That's how I got to know Igor Levit. One or two collaborations are a result of that. You get to know other musicians at festivals, for example, and over time you "know" each other in the scene. Networking is important, of course, and working with friends makes things easier. Everyone prefers to work with people they like, provided that the level fits together. Free chamber music ensembles are seldom put together by a selection process, but this happens more often with permanent ensembles. That means you don't necessarily need an agency, right? I personally don't have one, but I know many who do. At the end of my studies I also looked for an agency, because I was aware of the advantages of a network and agencies take care of various administrative things, among other things. I did not pursue this goal when I took up my orchestra position. My schedule is well filled with the two "mainstays" and I don't miss anything at the moment. Perhaps things would be different if I didn't have the orchestra position. Perhaps both the agency landscape and the structures in the concert business have changed. Personal responsibility is important in any case, whether with or without an agency. Your career reads so beautifully and straightforwardly… but is it really that easy to get where you are today? Not quite (laughs). I had my crisis of purpose during my master's studies in Berlin. I had chosen a particular teacher because I knew I could still learn a lot from him. That took a lot of patience and strength. It was really exhausting. If you want to improve things, you have to break up a lot of things and start over. At that time, I gave up engagements I had before and just practiced more. I had stopped focusing on things that were going well and just focused on what was going less well. So I felt like I couldn't play anymore. That was hard, but it was part of it and I had to go through it. I know many musicians who had a similar experience. It can happen sooner or later in the career process. The important thing is to keep going. You have also participated in competitions. What is attractive about competitions for artists today? I myself have played many competitions and thus always set myself goals in terms of repertoire or a deadline. As they said in Pandemic, "I don't need more time, I need a deadline" (laughs). I learned a lot through this and also met many other great musicians* from all over the world, some of whom I am still in contact with. The way to the competition was the goal, so to speak. The goal was to become better. You can't break if you don't come out the winner. You have to be aware that there are many influencing factors in a competition and not least a little luck is part of it. Above all, there are many very good musicians in the competitions. Today, winning a first prize is no guarantee of a great career. This was perhaps a little different in the past, when there were fewer competitions. A few years ago, the winners of the ARD competition still got a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. When I won prizes, there were concerts in the following season with orchestras, among others. In the process, I got around and was able to build up a name for myself. But that is no guarantee for a career as a soloist. Nevertheless, competitions are important, because how else do I get a stage and appropriate attention as a student? Class nights won't be enough. There are many new techniques and media now, it remains to be seen how this will develop. Nowadays, all the competitions are online, so there's also some danger in that. I don't know if I would have wanted everything to be online from the first round. Everyone has to ask themselves what their goal is with a competition and not make everything dependent on that. What advice would you give to students when you think about your time as a student and the work process today? There should be two sides to studying: On the one hand, you have to learn your instrument to the best of your ability and invest a lot of time. On the other hand, you have to be able to answer a few questions for yourself: What can I do differently than the generations before me? What kind of concerts do I want to play? How can I inspire the audience? You have to think about why the audience should go to your concerts. You have to invest time in that, too. This is where the difficult interplay begins. How much time do I spend on social media, recording, advertising, etc. and how much time do I invest in the music and my instrument to get better. In addition, you can't underestimate the so-called "minor subjects". You can't do it without a basis and certain basic education. What do you remember most about your time as a student? Where could there have been a little more? The class exchange was always very important and nice for me. In retrospect, I would have liked the importance of organizational skills to have been a topic. Is there anything else you would like to share? In addition to all the educational steps, you should actively think about what you want to do with music. thomasreif.de 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

News … Home News Walter Auer Walter Auer - solo flutist 01.12.2021 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Daniela Beranek Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start Walter Auer is principal flutist of the Vienna State Opera and Vienna Philharmonic. He is in demand internationally as a soloist and chamber musician and teaches as professor of flute at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Walter Auer: solo flutist Vienna     What is the beauty of working with young people, of teaching? Everything (laughs). It's a wonderful task to accompany young people in an important phase of their lives, to give them as much input as possible and to further develop skills. An incredible amount of personal and musical input comes back. You develop yourself in the process, which is important. It's about advancing your own subject and not getting stuck with the things you've been presented with at some point. I love doing that, and I think that's a prerequisite. In summary, I see the instrumental and especially the musical imprinting of young people as well as supporting and encouraging their enthusiasm as my main task. You said that you learn a lot yourself. Do you observe a change in young people today compared to when you were a student? Funnily enough, I was just talking to a student about this topic recently. When I think about how my student days were, … (laughs). We were certainly not always easy and some things I should perhaps have done differently. I studied in Salzburg with Michael Kofler and he wasn't much older than me. I miss the contradictoriness, the critical questioning among the young. Sometimes I actually wish for more constructive contradiction. Starting a discourse. Are the students more well-behaved today? Yes, I think so. They come out of school more well-behaved. But the enthusiasm is there. It's about being honest with yourself. How many hours can I put in, how much can I practice, what will get me ahead? That has remained unchanged. Was it clear to you from the beginning where you wanted to go professionally? Fortunately, yes. I went to the Villach Music School, as did my later professor Michael Kofler. He, however, a few years before me. He virtually showed me this path and was already my role model at that time. He studied in Vienna and became a solo flutist in Munich at a very young age. As far as I remember, it was already my wish at the age of 15 or 16 to play in an orchestra. That it then became exactly this position, I could neither foresee nor plan. I was well aware that it would be difficult, although I was already studying IGP (note: pedagogical training) at the same time. It was not a plan "B", both interested me. However, a career is also determined by luck. The right position has to be available at the right time. But what is luck? I recently read the definition of a professional golfer who said that the more he practiced, the more luck he had. I found this train of thought very beautiful. Auditions for orchestras are important career steps, aren't they? I was lucky enough to get into the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic while I was still a student. The day before, I flunked out in the first round at the audition at the Munich Orchestra Academy. The next day, I won the audition in Berlin. That is the reality. A career doesn't have to be linear. It's important to take something away from negative experiences as well. If you don't go at all, you deprive yourself of a chance from the outset. The two years in Berlin under Claudio Abbado were a paradise for me. I came from the country as an amazed child. The impressions I gained there were great. Learning from the best - what more could you want? I was allowed to play under Kurt Masur and James Levine when I was young, for example. The path is basically quite simple: You open the "Orchester" magazine - not yet digital at that time - and see where there is a position. Then you apply. Of course, it looks good on your résumé if you already have a few orchestral stations to show for it. The most difficult point for students is to be invited and to present themselves. Nowadays, there are more and more auditions to increase the number of people invited, but that's still the first big hurdle. My next stop was the Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, I won the audition and so it went on. I looked for a new destination and this was Kassel. After failing the audition year, I moved on to the Dresdner Philharmonie audition, which I won again. One always looks for the next best position, so to speak. After Dresden, two years followed with the NDR Rundfunkphilharmonie Hannover. I was very happy in this orchestra. At some point I met Olivier Tardy, my colleague from the Berlin period, and he drew my attention to the position in Vienna. In all orchestras I met excellent musicians* and therefore I am very happy about these stations and experiences. Many orchestras now have their own "young academies". Karajan already had this vision 50 years ago. The academies of the orchestras must first and foremost offer great development opportunities for the students. Students must be able to learn and play. They need good pay to be able to live in the city, and students must be able to develop musically. The whole package is crucial. What do you think is most important at the beginning of a professional career? Seizing the opportunities that are offered. Investing as much as possible and not limiting yourself by determining too early what you don't want. You have to be aware that we have a lot of good flautists, but relatively few positions. Of these, only a few are top positions. If you don't go to the audition, you deprive yourself of the opportunity. I was still studying in Salzburg when I was invited to audition for the Bayerischer Rundfunk. It was for a piccolo part that was not one of my favorites. When I arrived, a fellow candidate was playing a Vivaldi concerto. I heard it through the door and it was so beautiful that I didn't compete and went back home. I didn't think I could do it that way. Today I know that everyone sounds fantastic through the door and that one's perception can be deceiving. However, by not competing, I didn't have a chance at all. So not trying is not an option. This applies to competitions or entrance exams in the same way. You yourself have successfully participated in several competitions. What is the significance of competitions for artists? Competitions are fantastic per se, because good competitions offer possibilities and opportunities. There are usually many concerts and performance opportunities associated with them. I'm less comfortable with the shift of competitions to the online realm. I want to hear artists and their sound live. The best thing about competitions is that you learn new repertoire. There is a goal, you have to prepare and learn a certain repertoire. The path to the competition is perhaps more meaningful than the competition itself. What changes has digitalization brought about in your view? And what significance do CD and radio recordings have for classical artists today? Great careers for singers and instrumental soloists are still linked to recordings. Whether these will have to be available in physical form in the future is the big question. Recordings are still being produced, but rather to make them available for download. And there is also a trend back to vinyl for certain aspects and for the aficionados who still have a great stereo at home and want to revive these special worlds of sound. And then there are also countries like Japan, where the physical market is very important. A lot has already changed in daily use. We don't have drives on our computers anymore, my students can't do much with CDs. The industry is setting the pace here. In addition, we have all learned a lot about technology through Corona. We can hold a Zoom meeting flawlessly, operate the camera, sound and lights, and teach our students online. Even during a tour in Japan, that would not have been possible before. Flexibility has increased, even though everything has its limits. You also play chamber music. What is important to you in that? The chamber music repertoire for flute is beautiful. We are neither violinists nor pianists, but we have a beautiful repertoire in different instrumentations. This has to be cultivated. During my studies I played in a great woodwind quintet. We won the prize of the German Music Council, second place in the ARD competition and played together a lot for a few seasons. Today we are active in different orchestras, but maybe we will revive our quintet in retirement! I enjoy playing chamber music very much and also "poach" in the violin repertoire. I have a very good agency in Japan, as the Japanese market is a very important one for us flutists. Every year I play at least two tours in Japan with different instrumentation. In Vienna I play together with my wife. The beauty of my job is that I can draw from the full range of musical possibilities. I have the greatest opera and symphony repertoire and can also let off steam in chamber music. These experiences subsequently flow into my teaching. It's essential for me to actively live music to see where musical trends are going. We just premiered Don Giovanni in Vienna, and in the summer Currentzis turned Don Giovanni in Salzburg completely upside down. The differences could not be clearer. Of course, the question arises: what is my view of Mozart? What am I teaching, where is the spirit going? What is my opinion and is it scientifically based? You took part in the "Mozart 100 trail run" in Salzburg this summer and run marathons. What meaning does sport have for you? I was very sporty as a child, but then I smoked too much. I put an end to that overnight. Today, sports are an important balance for me. Sports make me more efficient and resilient. I also run the Vienna City Marathon and do some runs with friends. In summer I ride a racing bike and my family hobby is horseback riding. My wife and I have three children and all five of us ride. It's all about experiencing nature and yet there's a lot to learn and work on. I can incorporate a lot of that into playing the flute. Aspects of riding, such as body awareness and tension, I can transfer one-to-one into music-making. Although you live in Vienna, your job often takes you to Salzburg. Is there a particularly fond memory of your student days in Salzburg? I have fond memories of special places: for example, my lessons took place above the Marionette Theater, a place that had something almost enchanted about it. I lived on Wolf-Dietrich-Strasse, and St. Sebastian's Cemetery and Linzer Gasse are beautiful places that I still return to today. For me, it's a reference to Leopold Mozart, whose grave I could look at from the balcony of my shared apartment. Is there anything else you would like to leave us with? I admire and encourage anyone and everyone who wants to study music and make music and art their life's meaning. The arts in an increasingly technical and economic world are enormously valuable. We are here for the next generation and I really see myself as a "service unit". I want to encourage the young artists to finish their studies and continue. walterauer.at 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

News … Home News Genia Leis Genia Leis - Stage & Costume Designer 01.02.2022 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Gerald Sommerauer Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start Genia Leis won the Max Ophüls Prize of the 2022 Youth Jury together with Gerald Sommerauer for the film "Risse im Fundament". She studied stage and costume design at the Mozarteum University and has already been responsible for costume and set design as well as equipment for numerous theater and film projects. After the fall of the "Iron Curtain" she emigrated with her family from Kazakhstan to Germany. Questions about cultural pressure to adapt in capitalism and the paradoxes of post-communist mentality play a crucial role in her creative processes. Genia Leis: stage & Costume Designer Berlin     Congratulations on the Max Ophüls Award! You are a set and costume designer and obviously feel very comfortable with directing as well? Yes! I held the position of art director on the film. In film, I've always had a mix of duties as art director and set designer, but I've also been involved in production, and I've always taken on the position of assistant director and worked a lot with the director in terms of content. I'm friends with female filmmakers, so I've been passionate about what I do in the past. Without passion, working on an emotional level doesn't work; I approach projects emphatically. Then about five years ago I made my first two short films as a director, "The yellow Wallpaper" deals with the theme of loneliness and will soon be submitted to festivals. For the current film "Cracks in the Foundation", which deals with the "MeToo story", I was already part of the team when production started. I dealt with the content of the script and was in constant conversation with Gerald Sommerauer (director) and Isabella Kröger (screenwriter). Gerald and I have been in close contact for many years and have developed a common language for filmmaking, and since it is important to include the female perspective and experience in a "Me Too" theme, he asked me if we would do it together. I knew the actors, who we cast together with a lot of thought, and so it became my official directorial debut. Somehow that suits me (laughs). What does this award mean to you and your colleague? The award means a great opportunity to be seen and heard. To generate attention. Of the many new young directors, not all get this chance. We have now succeeded in taking this first step. The next step is to apply for grants and scholarships, to pitch, to find producers in order to be able to continue working. With the current film we will now travel to festivals for about a year and then of course hope that film distributors will contact us. This is not so easy due to corona, because in the last two years we were "stuck" with the films due to closed cinemas, but in spite of everything we hope for the attention. After the theaters, the film should also be seen on television. This is a long process … Yes, even short films can sometimes take an enormous amount of time. It's always individual. We shot the film "The yellow Wallpaper" in just three days with three people in the film team, but the post-production took over four years. That has different reasons, sometimes content needs its resting phases until you know what to do with it. It takes a year and a half to make a short film, from the script to the finished film. Before that, the script has to be written and then you work on the attention for the film. You just did stage and costumes for a play at the E.T.A. Hoffmann Theater in Bamberg. Do you work in parallel for film and theater? Yes, it's crazy sometimes, but it just turned out that way. It's kind of a balance and I don't really want to do without either of them. In theater, stage and costume, in film art direction, screenplay and direction. I just have to find a good rhythm. What is the difference in the development of stage and production design? In set design, you actively search for spaces, you do location scouting. In stage design, you develop a new space in an existing black space, which is limited. A scene picture can be anywhere. It encompasses many places, spaces and expanses. Above all, it's not limited to the interior, so you have to think differently. This is also a good balance. Do you work primarily in planning or do you also like to lend a hand in the workshops during implementation? It happens every now and then, and I also think it's nice and important not to forget how the haptic works. Craft is everything, you have to say that. It's very important, even at university. Nevertheless, I already felt at university - not always to the enthusiasm of my professors - that I needed to get out, that I was missing the movement. I wanted to meet people, work with people, communicate, travel and see many things. I needed the input. Many students appreciate working in the workshops. I think that it is very important to give students the opportunity to go out, because each*one works things out in an individual way. For me, the craft and the communicative go hand in hand. I also make performative videos and do a lot of the design myself. In Altusried I work for an open-air stage with 2500 seats. Lay people build and design, sew and do everything themselves, but I have to show them how to do it. I demonstrate, hold workshops and explain how things work. Was your career path planned like this from the beginning? No. But I have to say that before university I had already worked in the theater for four years. I was inside that practice and couldn't "sit quietly in school" anymore. It was not an easy path, there were enough challenges. But everyone has to decide that for themselves individually. The important thing is to listen to yourself - even if it sounds strange. You feel best yourself what you need. How to move forward. I would always recommend looking outside, discovering new things, putting out your "feelers". How can you imagine the process of creating a stage set or the costumes for a production? What is the collaboration with the director like? How do you get started? First you read a lot (laughs). Theoretically acquire the material. Think about what we are telling. What fates are we talking about? Mostly, in art we tell about humanity, nature, creation, everything that surrounds us on an emotional level. We want to reach the audience. Therefore, it is important not only to look at the content spatially and creatively, but to deal with the material emotionally, empathically, almost sensitively. In parallel, you need the research work as inspiration and, last but not least, walking. As much as you need the input from outside, the "creative rest" is also crucial. For me, walking is very essential to let things work on me. What many neglect is the rest period where the brain can process things without having to be immediately productive again. This is something we totally neglect in "neoliberal capitalism." Moments of "non-productivity" - that's where creativity comes from. In my view, a constantly running engine does not always create creativity. When you have finished your research, you go into the conversation with the team. That's one of the most important steps. What have they been thinking about? What's the approach and what's the shared vision? In theater, but also in film, the hierarchy is very strong. The director has the last word. That's also good. For me personally, however, the "holistic" is then missing. That's another reason why I now direct myself, to create a whole vision. When I work with another director, I enter completely into that vision. This is where empathy, sensitivity and being responsive to each other is very important. In this role, as an artist, you really have to take a step back. You serve the stage, the piece. The question is, what does the play and the actors need in order to tell a certain story? What must the space be able to do? On the one hand, that limits creativity, but on the other hand, it builds a structure in which you can tell a story. The next step is to create a design and discuss that with the theater on a technical and financial level. This is followed by quite a lot of organization (laughs). It's about questions like: When will what be rehearsed? When will what be produced? Until finally the rehearsals start. This process takes about six weeks and then it's off to the premiere. Whereby the rehearsals are usually divided into several blocks by Corona. If there does happen to be a lockdown, productions are stretched out and others are brought out of the holding pattern. In the last two years, much of the art has been digital. What has been your personal experience with it? One positive effect was that I had to travel less. Model presentations could also be done online, unlike construction rehearsals. I think it's better when the rehearsal blocks at the theater return to normal and we can rehearse for six weeks at a time again, so that we can stay with the content. After all, we carry our plays into our lives and deal with them very intensively. Is the "gender issue" with hierarchies, pay, the proportion of women vs. men in your profession also a present one? Unfortunately it is, yes. It continues to be a struggle. As a woman, I have to keep reminding people of this. As a young woman, you were regularly kept down or treated poorly. In some cases, there was also generosity toward the young. Today as a grown woman who has arrived in life and earns her own money, I have to function within the system and that's where I really notice that the system is always working against me. Prices are pushed down, things are made impossible, often it's quite banal things that are perhaps not meant badly at all. At the last festival, my co-director couldn't be there and I held a photo of him up to the camera with my cell phone so that we could both be pictured. However, a photo was initially used in which my colleague was clearly visible but I was lost in the background. Unfortunately, I had to point this out so that we were both visible, even though it is a totally feminist and very diverse great festival. This has to do with our learned seeing and thinking behavior, which we have been trained in the patriarchal system. It's quite noticeable that as a woman you always have to be more behind in order to be treated as an equal. Often it's about micro-injuries. I still feel this is a big and important issue to work on. We women still have a harder time getting into the big "star director" or "star stage designer*" positions. It's not that women are less capable. It seems as if the opinion prevails that the man is the "safe option" and that's only because we've been taught that way for decades. What role does the topic of sustainability play in your profession? It's absolutely my theme. I would say I was one of the first to start doing that. I guess it also has to do with my background. I was born under communism, in Kazakhstan, and then came to Germany with my parents to capitalism, to a completely different system. My family taught me to recycle things and to be creative with things you have. With that, I also went to the theater. In the beginning, that was very unusual for many. In the trades, everything was usually made from scratch, or purchased, with very little used from what was available. I took existing costumes from the fundus, cut them up and produced new ones. At the Staatstheater in Mainz, for example, they found that quite funny (laughs). I had to establish myself with it first. Basically, I get my inspiration first from the fundis. In Altusried, I made knight's armor out of old leather jackets. Currently, I'm creating rococo dresses out of throw tents that we got donated. This works wonderfully for hoop skirts. We also make headpieces out of lampshades that we cover with fabric - all copyrighted by Genia Leis, of course (laughs). That's something I'm totally into! You are already in the middle of your artistic career. What was the path from university to theater like? What tips and tricks can you give young artists? It's important not to be shaken and to pursue your dream, to stay awake, open and curious about the world. You also have to allow processes of suffering and find space for them, so that you can then move on again. The problem in our "social media world" is that we are afraid of suffering processes. The world that is suggested to us is so colorful, so cheerful, so wholesome. We therefore believe that we, too, need to be that permanently. In our film "Cracks in the Foundation" there is the young woman who almost naively, ambitiously pursues her dream and is so deeply shaken by an experience…- it's an important process. On the one hand it is terribly painful what she experiences, on the other hand it is a process of recognizing one's own limits. Whereby it must not happen in the way it does in the movie…. Other people, teachers can give you a lot, but these are "only" thoughts, experiences, assumptions, opinions,…nothing is set in stone. There is no rule for everyone. Everyone has their own possibilities within themselves. Listening and respecting is important, but these are suggestions, not maxims. The important thing is to look for a wide range of opinions, and from that to arrive at your own opinions. Personally, I collected images. I wanted to learn to see. To see what others have done in order to draw from it. H ow does the "job market" for stage and costume designers work? Are jobs for stage and costume advertised per production? Is it possible to apply? As a stage designer, I can't apply. You can employ an agency, more and more are doing that. My experience is that word of mouth is very important and access works through the director. I already appreciated the proximity to the directing and acting department during my studies at the Mozarteum. I was able to make very good contacts and still work with these people today. Networks are very important. You should start early in this industry to get to know as many people as possible. In film, things are a little different, there are already one or two job openings for costume design, for example. What is the biggest illusion of aspiring stage and costume designers? That you can work as a freelance artist. What do you enjoy most about your job? What can be stressful? The design work, the freedom to "be creative" is especially nice. In addition, there is the "family" that usually develops while working together. What is not so nice is all the traveling. At the beginning it's a lot of fun, but at some point it becomes exhausting. I often miss my home. Sometimes I have the feeling that the theaters overtax themselves. There is too much programming. Trades and people suffer from the productions. Of course, that also spills over to the artists. The working atmosphere is then no longer as good, less friendly. Often the work becomes just something you have to do, and that's poison for the art. You feel the pressure of having to deliver in the way people interact with each other. When you think back to your student days, what do you remember most fondly? I particularly like to think of my shared apartment in a large old building in Salzburg near the university. That was a new reality of life for me. In the course of my studies, I found out how I wanted to work. The most beautiful thing was probably the experience with the people I met in my shared apartment and at the university. That has been with me all my life. People and communication are insanely important to me. I am also very grateful to my department and the professors for allowing me a lot and giving me a lot of freedom to find my way. 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

News … Home News Barbara Lindmayr Barbara Lindmayr - visual artist & art educator 01.03.2022 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Evelyn Kreinecker Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start Barbara Lindmayr is a visual artist in the fields of graphics, painting, textiles and object art / installations. For a few years she has been passing on her knowledge as an art teacher to young people interested in art. She studied in Salzburg, Linz and Leipzig. A semester abroad led her to the Accademia di Belle Arti Venice. Barbara Lindmayr: visual artist and art educator Ottensheim     Are you a freelance artist and art educator? How do you reconcile the two and what is the beauty of your work? I am relatively new to the pedagogical field. I'm only in my fourth year working at the HBLA for Artistic Design - a vocational school. That means artistic education is the main focus and that is very challenging. What's nice is the social and interpersonal aspect of teaching, the "critical minds" I meet. It's a beautiful combination of theory and artistic practice. That was very important to me. Art history and art science were already very interesting to me during my studies. Through the pedagogical work, I can tie in with that again. This is a great enrichment for my practical artistic work. I also taught at a grammar school, but that wasn't quite my subject. It depends on the type of school and the teaching content. I feel more "at home" at the artistic vocational school. Here I can live my vocation, so I am very happy that this opportunity has arisen. How do you find the right place as a teacher? Before you are hired, you usually do an internship. You realize very quickly whether the type of school and the work are right for you. Do you see potential for the future generation of our graduates in the pedagogical field? Yes, as long as there are no further cuts in hours. Technical and Textiles have already been merged, and there is talk that Fine Arts will be bundled with the other two. If this plan is implemented, the situation will be more difficult. Whereby I am of the opinion that one must not "rationalize away" the craft, creative and artistic! It is a very important area! At the moment, interested graduates do get jobs. Possibly not immediately where they want to go, but the paths are open in principle. As far as I know, it is easier in Tyrol and Vorarlberg, in Upper Austria and Salzburg it is a bit more difficult because of the local training centers. People often want to stay in those places. Now about your artistic path. Your work has just been shown in two exhibitions. A common thread runs through your artistic work. Under the title "Cumulations" you create spatial installations, graphics and painting. You work in different techniques and with different materials: Nets, yarn, sheet steel, varnish & putty, ballpoint pen, ink, oil, acrylic. How can we imagine the process of creating a project? What is important to you? With the line and its accumulation, with condensation and dissolution of hatching and the possibility of suggesting spatiality with it, I have been occupied for many years. At the same time I am interested in perception and irritation, the effect on the viewer and his interaction, as well as the dimensions and the use of different materials and techniques in an unconventional way. The breadth of my artistic work was already founded in my education during my school years. It was then that my awareness of different materials emerged. During my studies I was engaged in painting and graphic arts and textile art was important and present for me from the beginning. I also sew my own clothes. The craftsmanship is very important to me. A single technique would quickly become too boring for me (laughs). One thing very often leads to another, sometimes by accident. Orange nets fascinated me in their structure and there were parallels to my graphics. That's how I came up with the idea of putting "net installations" in the room. A lot of things have to be tried out to see if they work. All my works are long, the leisure must remain. The way to the exhibition is a subordinate step. One of the ways I've shown the net installations is in public spaces, so that people come across them directly as they walk by. They recognize the material they often deal with in a different context. I want to challenge the viewer to look more closely. To develop an analytical view and to question things. Does the theme of sustainability play a role in your work? I also work with oil and acrylic, but of course I consider which materials to use and when. Working with nets is more in line with my basic attitude, of course. The handling of the material is the most important thing. Everyday or disposable material is always used in my work in an unconventional way. With your exhibitions you are regularly represented in Upper Austria. How does a young artist find a suitable exhibition space? A few spaces approached me, so I was lucky (laughs). For example, an exhibition organizer saw works of mine and offered me new exhibition spaces. One thing follows another. You can't give up, even if there are phases when things aren't going so well. You do need a certain amount of stamina. Among other things, I'm active in an art association, and that's how we've been able to make "vacant spaces" in the city accessible and use them for exhibitions in recent years. These were also "pandemic-friendly" spaces. In the last two years, a lot of art has been digital. What was your personal experience with that? Digital formats allowed you to participate in a lot of things you wouldn't have seen otherwise. As soon as the museums reopened, people started coming back to the exhibitions with joy. The real experience and impact of a work cannot be replaced by the digital world. But of course the digital also has great advantages, it's a complement. As an artist, I was not restricted by the pandemic, but in the area of teaching I was. I'm not convinced about long school closures. The interpersonal is an essential factor in teaching! What conditions do visual artists need from your point of view? A different status. Especially in the compulsory school, the artistic subject is seen as a "recreational subject". On the one hand, it's good that young people can express themselves freely in a subject without pressure, but on the other hand, the subject is unfortunately devalued as a result. Yet the work with the hands and the creative processes are so important. There is also a need for calls for proposals, grants and residencies are not equally accessible everywhere. There is certainly still a need for action here. What about work spaces? What spaces are available? How does one get a studio? Affordable spaces are difficult to access. The need is great. It is possible to form studio communities. There are a few places/institutions that offer spaces at favorable conditions, e.g. through grants, but that is certainly still too few. What do you want to give young artists to take with them? What do you think is important for an artistic and pedagogical career? You should already look for opportunities during your studies. As long as you are at the university, everything is organized. The work space, the exhibitions. Some planning of the next steps, whether it's a stay abroad, an exhibition, further studies, an internship, etc. is certainly advisable. Stays abroad, preferably for a whole year, I would strongly recommend! They enrich immensely. Where could there have been more in your studies? We were very well supported in our artistic practice and in our own work. But it was almost too little for teaching at a school. From today's perspective, I would have liked to have learned even more techniques and practices of teaching. Personally, I was very happy about the teaching situation at the Mozarteum University, but looking back, the pedagogical teaching could have been even more multifaceted. Whereas it will always be the case that you have to work out a lot of things yourself. I can say that my education was not a pure "teacher training" - but that was also the reason why I decided to study at the Mozarteum. It was so much freer than elsewhere. But the decision about priorities has to be made by everyone. I am still happy with the decision I made. You have completed a varied educational path. You pass on your knowledge to young people at a vocational school. Was your career path planned like this from the start? No, I actually wanted to study art. Pedagogy was the safeguard my family insisted on (laughs). Today I'm glad I did it that way. Teaching art is a great enrichment for me and, last but not least, it shapes my personality. barbara-lindmayr.at 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

News … Home News Hakan Ulus Hakan Ulus - composer 01.04.2022 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Anna Utkina Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start Hakan Ulus studied composition with Ernst Helmuth Flammer, Adriana Hölszky, Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf, Tristan Murail, Aaron Cassidy and Liza Lim at the University Mozarteum Salzburg, the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University of Music and Theatre Leipzig and the University of Huddersfield in the UK. He also completed a master's degree in contemporary music at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main. Hakan Ulus: composer Klagenfurt & Vienna     He has received numerous composition prizes and scholarships, including the impuls Composition Prize Graz, a scholarship from the Academy of Arts Berlin, a scholarship from the International Ensemble Modern Academy, his works are performed internationally by renowned performers such as Klangforum Wien and Ensemble intercontemporain, and his publications have appeared in Wolke Verlag, Rombach Verlag and Musik & Ästhetik, among others. He has given numerous lectures on his music in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and has given composition master classes in Madrid, Detmold, Singapore, and Udine. Since 2019, his works have been published by Edition Gravis. In October 2021, he followed the appointment to the professorship of composition and music theory at the Gustav Mahler Private University in Klagenfurt.   One of your works was selected this year for the MATA Festival in New York. A festival for new music that has been described as the "most exciting showcase for outstanding young composers from around the world." What does it mean for a composer to participate? The MATA festival is very well known in the U.S. and has a very good reputation in the international composition scene. It's not a prize in the strict sense. It was a call for scores. Every year over 1000 composers* submit their works, and a small selection of about 10 works make it to the festival. It's almost like a lottery (laughs). But of course I am happy about it and many people come to hear the works. I wrote the selected work, Auslöschung II, based on Thomas Bernhard's novel of the same name, for ten vocalists, and it premiered at the Kulturpalast in Dresden in 2019. A performance at the MATA Festival allows for very great attention. What role do prizes and scholarships play in the career of a composer today? A very big one. There are calls for scores, prizes, scholarships, residencies, and all these opportunities give composers* the chance to present themselves and their works. If we didn't have this opportunity for presentation, we would develop much more slowly in our work. The rehearsal work is a very crucial part of this. You learn an incredible amount. After my studies at the Mozarteum, I was very lucky to receive a scholarship from the International Ensemble Modern Academy in Frankfurt. I was allowed to work with the IEMA ensemble and the Ensemble Modern on a daily basis for a year. In the process, I learned a lot about rehearsal psychology and how to handle instruments. But also how to effectively lead a rehearsal. The direct practical experience to this extent is luxurious; you don't have that in the normal everyday life of a composer. There were two commissions, one for chamber instrumentation and one for large ensemble. One of my pieces was Tawāf for amplified grand piano, large ensemble, and electronics. The usual number of rehearsals of three was insufficient. I wanted 12 rehearsals; finally seven was enough. The number of rehearsals usually cannot be negotiated. It was indeed a luxury and I was able to take a lot from that time. Residency grants are also a very important thing because you see a lot. Travel is fundamentally important for the inspirations, the impressions, for things that you may not process directly but realize the significance of individual moments and acquaintances three four years later. Then there's the larger prize money, which broadens the scope. That allows the focus to be completely on composing. The smaller opportunities like Call for Scores, are equally important because one leads to the other and every performance is important. Therefore, every minute of rehearsal should also be used as effectively as possible so that the performance becomes exactly as it is envisioned. How can we imagine your work as a composer? What is your approach? How does a compositional process work? What role do harmony and rhythm play, how do you find the right chords? That's a great question (laughs). In May, I will give my inaugural lecture entitled Composing and Exploring at Gustav Mahler Private University, and it will be about exactly that. The composition process can't be generalized; of course, I can only speak for myself. First of all, it is very important that I have a certain regularity in composing. Relying only on inspiration is risky, because it can happen that you get lucky and a thought comes at the right time, but you can also get out of the process and then it's all the more difficult to get back in. My first professor at the Mozarteum, Adriana Hölszky, had always said: "Composing is like being on the open sea with a ship. When the wind is good, you have to set the sails." That means taking advantage of favorable situations artistically. Even if that means working through the night. For example, I often can no longer define or describe the actual moment of creation. I am then in a different state of consciousness. In art, one creates a second reality - as Adorno put it so beautifully. An artist lives in this other reality. Ingeborg Bachmann, for example, said that she only lived when she wrote. I maintain that this is true for all true artists. The concrete process has a lot to do with being alone, but you still need the feedback and collaboration with the musicians. New directions need to be tried out. For example, I call musicians I know and ask them to play something, to try something. Of course, you have to call the right people, because new things can often be difficult at first. It was important to me from the beginning to go outside and I would recommend it to everyone. That was one of the first things I learned from Adriana Hölszky. She said my work was quite great, but it was more important to go outside with the works so that they would be performed by professional ensembles. It's not enough to perform the works at the university with fellow students for a few years. But this is true for all subjects. This step automatically brings about a change in compositional thinking. Suddenly the boundaries of what is possible shift and at some point it is realized that there are hardly any limits. Composing is thinking without limits, dreaming. At some point, however, one is confronted with reality. Would you describe composing more as a craft or as a reflection of certain events, experiences, literary subjects or time periods/epochs? Reflection is a crucial aspect, also the reaction to certain experiences has meaning. Maybe not necessarily consciously, however one certainly reacts in the unconscious to things that have been experienced. A social responsibility also plays a role, as social events are reflected through art and bring new insights. Craft is certainly important for professional work. You have to know how to implement things. Whereas I think that a piece that is based on a good idea but the craft is not perfect is better than a piece with a bad idea and the best craft. Craft can always be learned - it is a means to an end. Creativity may be stimulated, but ultimately you either have it or you don't. Execution needs craft, which of course is reflected in composition lessons. However, at a certain point, a professional level, craft becomes less important: it is then taken for granted. Critical self-reflection, discussions about aesthetics, other arts, about events and so on follow. How do you manage to leave the familiar tones of renowned composers of past eras and create something completely new? There is no such thing as something completely new. Everything is evolution, all people have a tradition and socialization. Of course, attempts can be made to create breaks, but the unconscious remains. Even such great personalities as Stockhausen, who were certainly criticized, said that they did not break, but rather added. Schoenberg was not the great revolutionary either; he referred to Brahms again and again. But it can be tried to take other perspectives and thus to develop something new. The new is often not visible at first sight. Sometimes the composition process surprises you. The work must be extremely flexible in the process. Directions change and 12 minutes suddenly become 25 minutes, which the work requires. What has to emerge emerges. Regardless of whether it is performed once, ten times, or a hundred times. One good performance is more valuable than ten bad ones. Art is also allowed to fail in the process and result. That is quite essential. True to Samuel Beckett's motto "ever tried, ever failed, no matter, try again, fail again, fail better." Are there any particular sources of inspiration for you? Was it always clear to you that you wanted to compose? Yes, composing was my goal very early on. I started with piano, but composing was in the foreground early on. I have always been interested in creative work, and so I consistently followed this path. In the city where I grew up, there was and still is the Ensemblia Festival for New Music. In the more than 30 years of the festival, all the big names were represented there: Lachenmann, Hölszky, Spahlinger and many others. And so I was lucky enough to come into contact with New Music at a very early age. For me, there was no break between composers of the past centuries and composers of new music. That developed quite naturally for me. There are many sources of inspiration. Among other things, music from other parts of the world. I find music that works very strongly with ornaments exciting. From Arabic music we know that the musical, melodic line and not the harmony is in the foreground. This allows for a completely different richness in terms of connecting tones - with glissando and vibrato. Literature also plays a decisive role for me: in recent years, especially Thomas Bernhard. So I composed a large 45-minute Thomas Bernhard cycle. In addition, coffee houses play an important role as a source of inspiration (laughs). When I came to Austria in 2010, I immediately fell in love with Café Bazar. The inspirations are, of course, very work-specific. The important thing is to stay curious, to go through the world with open ears and eyes. That's why traveling is also very important. Although I've never been to Japan, I'm interested in the Karōshi phenomenon, for example. It refers to the culturally induced overworking that leads to death. My piece Karōshi for soprano with sound objects is part of the Bernhard cycle. With Bernhard, we know that the protagonists are always in an extreme state of inner and outer tension, due to certain events, depressive moods, etc. I also like to observe rituals from different cultural contexts and compose rituals from them in turn. You have already said a lot about your works, but is there anything else that you would like to particularly emphasize or convey with your compositions? It is very often about fragile states, about friction, it is about being tense. The stage presence must be extreme in my works. The way I interpret my music is very important. I emphasize this again and again in communication with the musicians. The musicians are extremely challenged in my works. This is an existential experience that has great significance for me. Both in the composition process itself and in the performance of the works. When my studies were finished, I lived freelance for several years, with many residency grants. I had no scheduling obligations and was completely free. In this situation, I tried different schedules for composing. Sometimes I composed at night, then started in the late afternoon, or in the evening - quite different. This was also an existential experience and sometimes exhausting for the body. The interesting thing I took away from this is that each work has its own schedule. Each work challenges me in a different way and I have to adapt to it. What role do publishers play in the careers of composers? How do you get a publisher? I was approached by Edition Gravis some time ago. It's a small publishing house in Berlin that is very committed to young artists. For me, this publishing house is a stroke of luck, because it prints my handwritten manuscripts. That is no longer a matter of course. At the Ricordi publishing house, for example, there is a competition in which only computer-written scores can be submitted. The winner then receives a publishing contract for several years. If a composer writes by hand, he/she is already excluded. I make few compromises when it comes to art. For me, the process of writing on paper is part of the work. The haptic experience is very important and personal. I also get this feedback from the musicians, who can interpret my scores better that way. Why are there far fewer female composers than male composers in the public perception? Fortunately, this is something that is changing. In my role as professor of composition at the Gustav Mahler Private University of Music, I actively campaigned for structural changes to take place. The background is explained by the history of music. It was simply not allowed for women to compose. We know the letters from Robert to Clara Schumann from which it is clear that Robert prevented Clara from composing; likewise the story of Alma and Gustav Mahler. Even if women composed, the works were not included in the canon. Music history is, after all, always music historiography of individuals or a group of individuals. But that is changing more and more. There are now also international prizes aimed exclusively at women composers. Ideally, we will overcome all of this at some point, and it will then only be about the quality of the works and no longer about who or which gender is behind the composing person. Because what matters is that music is full of quality and content, which gender, which skin color, which denomination a person has is completely irrelevant! You now pass on your knowledge and experience as a professor to young up-and-coming artists. What is the beauty of this work and what do you want to convey? From my point of view, it is very important to put yourself into the personality of the other person, which also comes up against natural limits. It's always about encouraging students so that their creativity reaches the highest level. You can tell very quickly if someone has talent. Talent is the most valuable gift to be nurtured. I also see myself as a companion to young composers who are searching for their own voice. Composing is always searching, no matter how old you are. You have to try to understand what is important for a young person at a particular moment. It can be very concrete things, something crafty or motivating. It can also be how to deal with rejections. It's important not to let yourself get sidetracked and to always keep going. That's what I want to convey, and I want to do it at eye level. Perhaps the term "composition students" is not ideal either; it would be better to simply call them young composers. Appreciation of the work and efforts of young composers is very important. Furthermore, the psychological aspect is also important. With the wrong choice of words, a lot can be destroyed in composition lessons. Artists are mostly very sensitive and delicate people. The sensitivity of language is therefore essential. Teaching is very enriching for me on several levels. Dealing with people of different ages shows, among other things, how different perspectives can be. When I teach, I reflect on my own perceptions and remember my own learning processes. It simply makes me very happy when I see that things I try to teach lead to success. However, I cannot show the young composers their way, they have to find it themselves. I can only give impulses, try to uncover hidden potential, help the young composers to uncover the way into their inner being. Because: If someone has something to say, he will also find the way and the means to say it. What skills do you think a good composer must have? To look for opportunities and to actively perceive them, to always keep going and not let oneself be sidetracked, to gain practical experience. There are many books about instruments, but when writing for clarinet, it's best to sit down with a clarinetist and rehearse, have things explained to you, try things out. Rehearsal experience is very important and can only be taught to a limited extent at university. Self-confidence must be built up and doubts reflected upon. Knowing about current developments in the scene is important in order to be able to contextualize one's own composing in society. It is a matter of keeping up to date. Festival visits and concerts are essential, or at least catching up on the internet if you can't go. It's important to know what pieces have just premiered to be as close to the practice as possible. What are you particularly looking forward to at the Gustav Mahler Private University in Klagenfurt? Because of the still-young accreditation of the Gustav Mahler Private University of Music, I am in the unique situation of building up the composition department from scratch, especially with my colleague Jakob Gruchmann. There are no entrenched structures like at many other universities. This is a very valuable task with a lot of responsibility. We are analyzing important aspects of composition studies, checking which subjects are needed and how the emphasis should be placed. We will certainly hear a lot about this program. We are also building a doctoral program in composition, which is scheduled to begin in two to three years. That is, of course, a very nice task! What working conditions would you like to see for composers*? What should change? There are many things! Basically, music, including contemporary art music, should be much more prominent in school education. The feeling and sensitivity for music must be developed. Unfortunately, many composers still work under precarious conditions. There are guidelines for composition fees, which are unfortunately hardly ever adhered to. Of course, there is the Composers' Association and the AKM, which represent these interests. On the other hand, it must be said that there has never been social justice in the arts. We still have to fight for our place in society and argue why our work is valuable. This is likely to continue for some time. Therefore, it is desirable that more commissions be awarded, many more concerts be held, better rehearsal conditions be created, and several performances be organized in different cities in addition to a premiere. If funds could be reallocated, I would say: Please put everything into art! www.hakanulus.de 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

Wolfgang Richter studied German and History at the University of Salzburg and Art Education at the Mozarteum University. As an educator, he taught as an assistant at the Mozarteum University and at a Salzburg grammar school.

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 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

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 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

News … Home News Ulli Gollesch Ulli Gollesch - visual artist & art educator 30.05.2020 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Privat Skip page navigation Overview Conversation More portraits Alumnae & Alumni Network Return to slider start "A collection of experiences and adventures" — Ulli Gollesch: visual artist & art educator, Austria How did you experience the Corona period as an artist? Artistically, not much has changed for me. I am in an intensive preparation phase for a solo exhibition that is planned for the fall. I feel the same as always, because the fact that I retreat to work is nothing new. Neither are the issues that come up because of the crisis. For example, I have often dealt with isolation in my art. Maybe because I am a melancholic person. So pure loneliness has not yet overtaken me, but neither has overcreativity. I work always and everywhere - even in public spaces or in my small print workshop. Mostly a bit unstructured and yes, I would say I don't feel the crisis at all from that point of view. Of course, my exhibitions could be canceled in September, but then the world won't collapse for me either. I am also an art teacher and therefore not so dependent. In homeschooling (visual education), great discussions arose with my students about contemporary art, about the understanding of art and the interpretation of works of art. A project with artists from the Forum Stadtpark could also be implemented online, including an online exhibition. From a pedagogical point of view, homeschooling was already a burden. I have a certain demand as an art teacher, the personal contact in the school was very missing and the compensation in nature or in the studio became all the more important for me. My own gallery, the "Kunst off-space Narrenkastl" continues as normal. It is a shop window and the concept is based on the fact that people can look at the art as they pass by or sit down for a moment around the clock. So that's not a problem, the distance can be maintained optimally, and I don't hold any vernissages. In addition, I am engaged in a meeting zone in my home community Frohnleiten. Since Easter, there are 2 advertising columns on which passers-by can leave artwork, news, sundries - this will be a temporary story until the end of May. The action is well received, a special Grätzel has emerged - a neighborhood creativity - and I hope that the project will continue to develop. Planned are game meetings from the end of June with table tennis or other joint actions. When and where will you show your work? Will there be a vernissage and an artist talk? From September 12 to October 24, 2020, I will be showing my work at the Galerie Marenzi in Leibnitz with the exhibition "Geschichten aus der Schublade" (Stories from the Drawer). The opening will take place on September 11 at 7 pm. With mask and spacing rules of course. The gallery has about 150 square meters, so it will not be too crowded. The exhibition opening will make Heidrun Primas (Forum Stadtpark). Text about the exhibition: "Doesn't everyone have that drawer full of old things from the past, a small fantastic archive of memories and quotes that can't simply be cleared out without diving into it and intensively connecting even the smallest or most bizarre object with images of thoughts?" A conglomerate of stories - an accumulation full of inspirati¬ons, found or explored, captured moments. Remnants brought to light again - an archaeology of one's own biography - staged and reflected. What is the importance of interacting with the audience for you? I am a passionate networker and love to interact with people. Here and there stories are also inspirations for me - I am a collector. Everyone carries stories, memories or experiences around with them - isn't it the most beautiful thing to reflect or philosophize about them together? Is there anything else you would like to share with us from an artist's point of view? I think it is important to always believe in yourself and your own projects and to stand behind them. To create is something so meaningful - to have an expression and turn it into something. Art and culture is an important essence of life. www.ulligollesch.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

The New Art and Music Ensemble NAMES recently received the ensemble sponsorship award of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, endowed with 70,000 euros. A conversation with Anna Lindenbaum, violinist and founding member of NAMES.

In 2020, the author Helena Adler's second novel Die Infantin trägt den Scheitel links was published by Jung und Jung. The book landed at number five on the ORF bestseller list in April 2020; she opened the O-Töne literature festival in 2020 with a reading from the book. In August 2020, the novel was longlisted for the German Book Prize. At the end of August 2022, her third book was published: Fretten, which was nominated for the Austrian Book Prize 2022.

Seda Röder, formerly a concert pianist and now an author, entrepreneur and philanthropist who works to promote creativity in society and organizations. She is a sought-after speaker, advisor to DAX companies, and founder of the Sonophilia Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the scientific study of creativity and critical thinking.

News … Home News Agnes Kern Agnes Kern - Music & dance teacher 01.11.2023 Alumnae & Alumni Stories Iris Wagner © Orff-Institut Agnes Kern - Music & dance teacher Graz hat do you do for a living? What does your "everyday working life" look like? I studied music and dance education with a focus on social work and integrative education at the Orff Institute. Fortunately, I got a job at the College for Social Pedagogy in Graz straight after my studies. I was lucky that the director was not looking for conventional school musicians. The Orff Institute is well-known and the holistic method was preferred. I started with the subjects of music education and rhythmic-musical education. I now also give instrumental lessons with guitar, i.e. small group lessons. With the college, I have found a field of work that absolutely emphasizes the artistic-creative orientation. The focus is just as practice-oriented as it is musically creative. These two components are the core elements, with a lot of handicrafts, visual education and musical subjects. I was welcomed with open arms, was able to get involved and was allowed to work freely. I really have the feeling that I can continue what I already enjoyed during my studies. What is the best thing about your job? What opportunities does it open up? I particularly like the integrative approach. Not having to choose between instrument and dance or artistic areas, I liked the holistic approach. I didn't even know that the Orff Institute existed until I was 18 or 19. When I came across it, I was thrilled! The movement, the dance, the stage, performance and the music of course - being able to integrate all of that is great. I also had the feeling that this was important to my colleagues, even though they were all looking for their own niche. I recently met my fellow students in Salzburg (laughs). I was certainly one of those who specifically sought out the integrating and connecting aspects. I was passionate about interdisciplinary areas and interdisciplinary projects. That appealed to me back then and it's exactly what I appreciate so much about my current job. Just yesterday we had project presentations at the college with insanely creative ideas. We go out and work with underage refugees, but also with senior citizens. It's a wide and wonderful range. Which groups of people do you teach? My students are prospective teachers aged 18 and over. However, we also have older students on part-time courses and a day college. Our college now offers two courses, namely elementary education and social pedagogy. In elementary education, graduates work in crèches and kindergartens. Graduates in social pedagogy use their training to work in a broad spectrum of social pedagogy, in child and youth care facilities, with people with disabilities and in employment support projects. What do art, music and dance mean to you? These subjects are of central importance to me. I am always very sad when the artistic-creative subjects are dismissed as marginal subjects or even dispensable appendages. Unfortunately, I am currently experiencing this at my daughter's primary school. In the creative arts lies this creative power that we need for all areas of our lives. I keep realizing how much it is missing when someone doesn't have this integrating insight. This became even clearer during corona. I see it as a huge task to bring sensitivity into the classroom. Digitalization means the need is even greater. When people talk about supposed media literacy, it is usually not about the competent use of media, but about the consumption of media and here we should actually return to the musical-creative, to the ability to perceive. It's about questions like: What happens in the real world and what happens in the digital world? When is it better to switch off the screen? What defines me as a person? What is my social interaction ability, my expression? The musical aspect is intended to meet the sensual need for expression that all people have. It is also about topics such as resilience, coping with stress, balance and a fulfilling everyday life. What challenges do (young) artists face in your field? Our field is still struggling for recognition, not least financial recognition. We are a niche program in Austria and our work is unfortunately not adequately remunerated. We have to complete the same length of training as other educators and yet we are not paid the same. There are inequalities here. In my personal professional work, I have experienced a great deal of appreciation and gratitude, but this is not reflected financially. In addition, we are not allowed to teach at all schools, such as elementary school. However, this problem also exists with other music education courses. Young music and dance teachers also have to come to terms with what it means to "work as a teacher" and in which regulated fields the profession also works. A classic area is the music school and it depends in which environment you end up. There are very good music schools that show appreciation and also pay well. Unfortunately, there are also those that differentiate between "first lessons" and "real music lessons" and show less appreciation for our area. Pure group lessons are also very strenuous and difficult to cope with in the long term. In any case, there is a broad field. Working in teacher training, in my case in the field of social and elementary education, is a great opportunity and I find it very exciting. I have the feeling that I can pass something on. Ultimately, we train multipliers. What was your experience of training at the Orff Institute? I was lucky enough to be able to take a lot with me. The instrumental lessons, the individual lessons and the voice training were important for me. The additional instrument, dance, yoga and Feldenkrais courses were particularly valuable. As already mentioned, the interdisciplinary projects played a special role for me. It was often a balancing act between lots of fresh input from outside and the core disciplines. In addition, the social component of our work was very valuable - creating something together, experiencing how the different skills and approaches of the participants can intertwine in a creative design process and opening up paths in this process that you would never have discovered on your own. The experience of being able to try things out within a wide creative scope was wonderful. Finally, the very broad-based internship groups at the Orff Institute were also a great resource. What advice would you like to give young creative people? I still see this course of study as a great opportunity and I think it's great that this professional field exists, that it can continue to expand and establish itself. For me, it is a great playing field to live out my own creativity and enthusiasm. Last but not least, working together with other people and the educational aspect are wonderful. I can remember my fellow students saying that they no longer had any hobbies, because all their hobbies had become professions (laughs). That is a great gift. Studying and having a job where you can do things you like is a gift. What would you like to see in the future, apart from greater recognition of your subject? Greater visibility of this diverse course of study in all its breadth. I feel lucky to be able to live like this and hope that the course will continue to exist in this way. Weitere Alumni Stories 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

Following our cultural evening at the Austrian Embassy, at which we - together with the University of Salzburg - launched our Alumni Chapter Berlin, we warmly invite our alumnae and alumni to attend an informal networking event in October. We look forward to seeing you (plus-ones also welcome!) at the "Alumni-Stammtisch Berlin"!

The run up to Christmas is packed with social events and this pre-Christmas networking evening, organised by the Mozarteum University Alumni Network and the University of Salzburg Alumni Club, saw alumnae and alumni from both universities gather at the Berchtoldvilla for a book presentation.

In order to ensure that Austria maintains its position in the world of art and culture, selected outstanding graduates of arts universities are supported in the early stages of their artistic careers. To this end, the public arts universities, in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, have launched the A4 – Austrian Art Alumni Award programme: each year, six graduates of Austrian arts universities are awarded a grant in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements.