Concerts Austria Workshops

Concerts-Austria offers your performing group the opportunity to participate in an educational music workshop program especially designed for specific performing groups. The program consists of lectures in music history, music theory, and performance studies and is taught by faculty members of the University of Music and Performing Arts and the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna, as well as by members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra or other prestigious orchestras in Vienna. Each Workshop program is designed to offer your performing group, be it an instrumental or vocal ensemble, the opportunity to expand its repertoire and enhance its performance skills.

Lecturers

Aleksandar Markovic

is a Serbian-born conductor renowned for his powerful interpretations and broad repertoire, spanning from the classical canon to 20th-century avant-garde. He has held prominent positions with the Brno Philharmonic, Tiroler Landestheater, and Opera North, while leading major orchestras across Europe, Asia, and the UK. A graduate of the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien and recipient of the Karajan Foundation Scholarship, he continues to shape the international stage with refined artistry and bold musical vision.

Alexandre Grandé

is a Russian-born conductor and composer whose international career bridges Moscow, Paris, and Jerusalem, marked by a profound command of both classical and contemporary repertoire. As co-founder and artistic director of Ensemble Orchestral Integral, he has led acclaimed productions in major European venues and championed new music with passion and precision. Currently director of the Conservatoire Régional d’Aubervilliers – La Courneuve, he is also a respected pedagogue shaping the next generation of musical talent in France.

Andy Icochea Icochea

is a Peruvian-Austrian conductor, composer, and pianist whose career spans orchestral, choral, and operatic music across 29 countries and premier venues like Carnegie Hall and the Wiener Musikverein. He has collaborated with legendary conductors and led world-class ensembles, while premiering operas and championing innovative musical projects worldwide. As Music Director of Superar, he empowers thousands of children through accessible music education, shaping the next generation with artistic excellence and social impact.

Anna Grabowska-Borys

is an accomplished Polish conductor and music theorist, holding degrees with honors in choral and opera-symphonic conducting from the Karol Lipiński Academy of Music in Wrocław. As founder and artistic director of Ars Cantandi, she has led the ensemble to international acclaim over 15 years while also serving as Chief of the Wrocław Opera Choir, preparing around 50 operatic premieres. Recognized for her artistry and leadership, she has received numerous awards for both her educational and conducting achievements.

Carolin Nordmeyer

is a German conductor celebrated for her versatility in opera, ballet, and symphonic repertoire, with engagements at theaters in Bielefeld, Augsburg, and beyond. A passionate educator and leader of numerous youth orchestras, she serves as chief conductor of the Schwäbisches Jugendsinfonieorchester and the Academic Symphony Orchestra Munich. Known for her musical depth and commitment to education, she combines professional excellence with a strong dedication to fostering young talent.

Christoph Ehrenfellner

is a Salzburg-born conductor, composer, and violinist whose works have captivated audiences in leading concert halls such as the Elbphilharmonie and Vienna Musikverein. As artist-in-residence at Theater Nordhausen and recipient of international residencies, his compositions—including symphonies, operas, and concertos—have earned acclaim from major media and collaborators like Gidon Kremer and the Mozarteum Orchestra. His music, awarded the OPUS Klassik prize, reflects a bold artistic voice deeply rooted in European tradition yet open to global resonance.

Erwin Ortner

is a renowned Viennese conductor and educator, celebrated as the founder and artistic director of the Grammy-winning Arnold Schoenberg Choir. A former professor and dean at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, he has shaped generations of choral conductors and elevated Austrian choral culture on the world stage. With a global conducting career and long-standing collaborations with figures like Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Ortner is a leading force in both historical performance and contemporary choral artistry.

Georg Mark

is a Salzburg-born conductor and violinist, internationally acclaimed for his work with leading orchestras across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. As Principal Guest Conductor of the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra Moscow and long-time professor at the Konservatorium Wien, he bridges the Viennese classical tradition with a deep affinity for Russian repertoire. With a career spanning over three decades, he has collaborated with world-renowned soloists and remains a vital figure in both performance and pedagogy.

Heinz Ferlesch

is an acclaimed Austrian conductor and visionary founder of the baroque orchestra Barucco, known for his stylistic depth and historic performance practice. Appointed at just 27 as Artistic Director of the Wiener Singakademie, he has since led the choir in collaborations with world-renowned conductors and orchestras across major international stages. With multiple prestigious awards and a strong presence in both performance and education, Ferlesch shapes the choral and orchestral landscape with passion and precision.

Johann Mösenbichler

is a leading Austrian conductor and educator, internationally recognized for his deep expertise in wind band repertoire and his professorship at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz. As principal conductor of the Bavarian State Police Wind Band and artistic director of the renowned MID EUROPE festival, he has shaped the international wind music scene for decades. His work as conductor, adjudicator, and artistic ambassador spans continents, earning him prestigious honors including the FAME-Award and the Midwest Clinic International Award.

Johannes Hiemetsberger

is an influential Austrian conductor and educator, renowned as the founder and artistic director of Chorus Sine Nomine and the COMPANY OF MUSIC. With engagements at premier venues such as the Wiener Konzerthaus and collaborations with distinguished ensembles across Europe, his work fuses artistic precision with emotional depth. As a professor at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and artistic leader of numerous festivals and masterclasses, he shapes both the present and future of choral artistry.

Lars Mlekusch

is a Swiss saxophonist, conductor, and educator of international renown, celebrated for his boundary-pushing artistry and leadership in contemporary music. He has performed and taught on five continents, held professorships in Vienna and Zurich, and collaborated with elite ensembles such as Klangforum Wien and PHACE. Despite being diagnosed with focal dystonia, Mlekusch continues to inspire as a resilient performer and visionary mentor shaping the next generation of saxophonists worldwide.

Luc Anthonis

is a distinguished Belgian conductor and flautist, educated at the Royal Flemish Music Conservatory in Antwerp, where he specialized in flute, harmony, and choral conducting. He is the founder and artistic leader of Vocal Ensemble Cantando, and has led both Cantando and Cantilene to national and international acclaim. A respected pedagogue and jury member, he teaches choral conducting at the Royal Conservatory and regularly collaborates with esteemed ensembles such as the Flemish Radio Choir.

Margrethe Ek

is a dynamic Norwegian conductor, vocalist, and educator who began her conducting career at just 14 and later earned a diploma in conducting from the Norwegian Academy of Music. She is a passionate advocate for the health benefits of choral singing, authoring a book and contributing scholarly work to the IFCM. As a sought-after adjudicator and conductor across genres, she leads Moss Ensemble Consensus and serves as Head of Music-Dance-Drama at Kirkeparken School, inspiring excellence on both stage and podium.

Maria Goundorina

is a Russian-born conductor whose career spans three countries and is marked by deep musical insight and international acclaim. Trained at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Universität Wien, and the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, she brings a rich blend of Slavic tradition and Nordic refinement to her work. As conductor of Allmänna Sången and Korgossarna, and recipient of prestigious awards such as the Eric Ericson scholarship, she continues to shape the European choral scene with precision and passion.

Milan Kolena

is a prominent Slovak conductor, educator, and artistic leader, serving as president of the Slovak Choral Association and artistic director of the Bratislava Music Festivals. As founder and conductor of Apollo Choir and Schola Gregoriana Bratislavensis, he has led his ensembles to international acclaim, earning top honors including the Grand Prix at “Moscow Sounds.” A respected professor and global clinician, Kolena is a sought-after jury member and advocate for choral excellence worldwide.

Pablo Boggiano

is an acclaimed Argentine conductor, known for his dynamic presence on both Latin American and European stages. Trained in Buenos Aires, Paris, Vienna, and Helsinki, he has led major orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic London, Budapest Festival Orchestra, and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. A specialist in opera and symphonic repertoire, Boggiano continues to shape international music scenes with powerful interpretations and pioneering productions such as the Opera-Tango premiere in Vienna.

Pavel Kachnov

is an award-winning Ukrainian pianist and educator, recognized for his virtuosity and depth across a broad repertoire from baroque to contemporary music. A prodigy trained in Kyiv and Vienna, he has performed in prestigious venues worldwide, including the Vienna Musikverein, and with leading orchestras in Europe and Latin America. As a soloist with the Vienna Royal Orchestra and professor in Vienna, he also fosters young talent through his International Piano Competition in Kyiv.

Thomas Doss

is an acclaimed Austrian conductor, composer, and educator whose versatile career spans orchestral, operatic, and wind music across Europe and beyond. Born in Linz in 1966 into a family of musicians, he has worked with major ensembles such as the Brucknerorchester Linz and Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt, while collaborating with renowned artists from classical and popular genres. A prolific composer published by Mitropa/Hal Leonard and a passionate teacher, Doss is a leading figure in contemporary wind ensemble literature and conducting education.

Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant

is an acclaimed Austrian conductor and educator, serving as Associate Professor and Director of the Duke University Wind Symphony, as well as Artistic Director of the Durham Medical Orchestra. She is internationally active as Executive Director of the World Youth and World Adult Wind Orchestra Projects at Mid-Europe and winner of The American Prize in Conducting. Known for her insightful transcriptions and dynamic leadership, she continues to shape wind music at the highest level across both academic and professional stages.