Christian Muthspiel
Born in Judenburg, Austria, in 1962; at the age of 6 piano lessons, of 11 additional trombone lessons. Studies at the Musikhochschule Graz (Trombone classical and jazz), all studies broken off in time; 1987/88 scholarship at the School of Fine Arts in Banff/Canada.
As trombonist, pianist, composer, and conductor, Christian Muthspiel is internationally active in the areas both of jazz/improvised music and of new classical music. Numerous invitations to perform, produce, and conduct in many important musical centers of the world and compositions commissioned by renowned orchestras, ensembles and soloists prove the innovative cross-over quality of his work. Christian Muthspiel's main concern is the combination of improvised and composed music, i.e. the junction of the energies of single moments with the formal possibilities of predetermined material. Muthspiel's field of activity and possible cooperations with interpreters of his musical inventions reaches therefore from small jazzbands to symphony orchestras and electronic multi-media operas.
Beside the hereinafter mentioned events of recent years, Muthspiel´s series as "artist in residence" in the Brucknerhaus, Linz, 1999/2000 and 2000/2001, stood out particularily, the six special projects demonstrated the whole range of his work.
The latest
Christian Muthspiel's main activity in the past few years has been as a composer and as a conductor for his own cycles of very special programmed concerts, for instance with the "Camerata Salzburg" and the "Münchener Kammerorchester". These include the four "Mozart Loops" for orchestra at the Philharmonie Essen and in Salzburg 2006/07. Here classical orchestra work meets different styles of jazz and pop (performed together with Wolfgang Muthspiel).
In 2008 the premiere of the commissioned composition for the Wiener Musikverein (a work for large choir to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Wiener Singverein) will be followed by the premier of a song cycle for Angelika Kirchschlager in Weimar, commissioned by the Siemens Arts Program. A double concert for violin, drums and large orchestra as well as a new ensemble piece will be premiered in 2009.
ENNAHH... (for Albert Mangelsdorff) a concert for trombone and large orchestra, commissioned by the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) and the Philharmony Essen, was performed in 2006 by the Radio Symphony Orchestra and Christian Muthspiel as the soloist at the Musikverein in Vienna and at the Brucknerhaus in Linz. It will be played in April 2008 in Essen and Kaiserslautern with the German Radio Philharmony.
In 2007 Christian Muthspiel was awarded the Hans Koller Preis „Musician of the Year",
in 2006 the Austrian Award for Outstanding Achievements in Music, and the Award for Outstanding Achievements in Music in Lower Austria and together with Wolfgang Muthspiel the Jazzpott 2006.
Having started in 2006, a series of exhibitions presenting Muthspiel's work as a painter, which he kept concealed for a long time, is currently taking place at different galleries and museums.
His recent touring projects are:
Christian Muthspiel Trio (with Franck Tortiller-vibes, Georg Breinschmid-bass)
Christian Muthspiel solo
A short list of the most important projects of the last few years
07 Christian Muthspiel Trio, „against the wind", CD (Universal) and on tour
06 „mozart loops", Münchener Kammerorchester, Camerata Salzburg
concert serie for the mozart anniversary, Essen - Philharmonie, Salzburg -
Große Aula der Universität
04/05 Camerata Salzburg - Cycle of conderts „new series"
10 concerts with crossover programms mit spartenübergreifenden Programmen
Wien-Musikverein, Linz - Brucknerhaus, Essen-Philharmonie
04 „Die Geschichte von der unbekannten Insel" nach J. Saramago, Buch:
Hans Hoffer
Musiktheater, mit Klaus Maria Brandauer, Graz, Steirischer Herbst
03 „EARly Music", Europa-Tournee und TV-Film „Family Music" SF DRS/3-sat
zum 20-jährigen Bühnenjubiläum together with Wolfgang Muthspiel
02 „Harmonices Mundi", Linzer Klangwolke
01 „Motley Mothertongue", „parts of a shattered love story", Tournee und TV-Film
SF DRS/3-sat
00 „Stodt aus Staa", mit Ostbahn-Kurti und dem Klangforum Wien
00-02 "artist in residence" am Brucknerhaus Linz.
Worldwide Concerts as a trombonist and pianist amongst others with
Christian Muthspiel Trio (mit Franck Tortiller-vibes, Georg Breinschmid-b)
Muthspiel & Muthspiel (Wolfgang & Christian Muthspiel)
Christian Muthspiel & MOTLEY MOTHERTONGUE
Vienna Art Orchestra (1995-2004)
Christian Muthspiel solo (tb, p, prepared p, tapes, live-electronics)
Octet Ost I, II, III (1990-1995) (mit T. Stanko, J. Bartos, A. Vapirov, K. Koch, A. Shilkloper, V. Labutis, V. Tarasov, P. Vysniauskas, A. Parghel, S. Namtchilak)
Christian Muthspiel was invited to perform at the following festivals
Vancouver, Banff, Toronto, Montreal, New York, Mexico City, Tokyo, Hongkong, London, Chard, Huddersfield, Paris, Amiens, Albi, Nimes, Le Mans, Vienne, Grenoble, Nevers, Antwerpen, Den Haag, Helsinki, Bergen, Berlin, Frankfurt, Essen, München, Zürich, Willisau, Rom, San Sebastian, Warschau, Moskau, Nowosibirsk, Kiew, Budapest, Sarajevo, Varna, Belgrad, Wien, Graz, Linz, Saalfelden...
He composed commissioned works for
Siemens Arts Program (Liederzyklus nach Texten von Marcel Beyer, UA August 08, Weimar)
Wiener Musikverein (Chorwerk zum 150. Jubiläum „Wiener Singverein", UA April 08, Wien)
Wiener Mozartjahr 2006 ( „Die Schicksalsperücke", Musiktheater, Text: Manfred Karge)
ORF und Philharmonie Essen („ENNAHH... an Albert Mangelsdorff", Posaunenkonzert, UA 2006, Linz/Wien)
Steirischer Herbst („Die Geschichte von der unbekannten Insel", Musiktheater, UA 2004, Graz)
Brucknerhaus Linz (Linzer Klangwolke 2001/02)
Benjamin Schmid
(Concerto for violin, cello und orchestra, premiered by Benjamin Schmid, Clemens Hagen, Camerata Salzburg, conducted by C. Muthspiel, September 2002; violinconcerto, premiered by B.Schmid und Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, cond. Gerard Korsten)
Jeunesse Österreich ("Stodt aus Staa" with Kurt Ostbahn, Klangforum Wien, cond. C. Muthspiel)
Int. Stiftung Mozarteum (piano concerto, premiered by Thomas Larcher and Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, cond. Hubert Soudant)
Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck (chamber opera "GENESIS: Zeiten/Plätze ...")
Klangforum Wien, Wiener Konzerthaus, Schauspiel Frankfurt, Ensemble „die reihe", Company Esther Linley, ensemble neue musik zürich, steirischer herbst, studio percussion, Landestheater Salzburg, Vereinigte Bühnen Graz, Int. Barockfestival St.Pölten, Sauber Formula 1 Team...
Discographie, selection
as a leader:
FÜR UND MIT ERNST - Christian Muthspiel Solo, 2008, edge/DG/Universal
AGAINST THE WIND - Christian Muthspiel Trio, 2007,Universal
HARMONICES MUNDI - Linzer Klangwolke 2001/02, blue danube/edel
CHRISTIAN MUTHSPIEL & MOTLEY MOTHERTONGUE, 1999, Lotus Records
OCTET OST II, 1994, amadeo/Universal
OCTET OST, 1992, amadeo/Universal
TROMBONE PERFORMANCE (mit Roland Dahinden), 1990, amadeo/Universal
with Muthspiel & Muthspiel (in the duo with Wolfgang Muthspiel):
EARly MUSIC, 2003, material records
ECHOES OF TECHNO, 2001, material records
CY, 1998, Lotus Records
MUTHSPIEL-PEACOCK-MUTHSPIEL-MOTIAN, 1993, amadeo/Universal
TRE, 1989, amadeo/Universal
FOCUS IT, 1987, amadeo/Universal
SCHNEETANZ, 1986, Extraplatte
with the Vienna Art Orchestra:
BIG BAND POESIE, 2004, Universal
DUKE ELLINGTON´S SOUND OF LOVE, VOL.2, 2003, Universal
ART & FUN, 2002, Universal
A CENTENARY JOURNEY 1900-2000, 2001, Quinton
ARTISTRY IN RHYTHM, 2000, TCB
DUKE ELLINGTON´S SOUND OF LOVE, 1999, TCB
AMERICAN RHAPSODY, 1998, BMG
NINE IMMORTAL NON EVERGREENS FOR ERIC DOLPHY, 1997, Verve/Universal
Awards
2007 - Hans Koller Preis, „Musician of the Year"
2007 - NÖN-Leopold Preis, Kategorie Kultur
2006 - Austrian Award for Outstanding Achievements in Music
2006 - Würdigungspreis für Musik des Landes Niederösterreich
2006 - Jazzpott / Essen (together with Wolfgang Muthspiel)
2003 - Josef Krainer Kulturpreis des Landes Steiermark (together with Wolfgang Muthspiel)
1996 - Anerkennungspreis für Musik des Landes Niederösterreich