Vita
OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Benedict Mitterbauer (*1994) is one of Austria's leading young violists, a sought-after chamber musician and, since 2020, a principal violist in the Bruckner Orchestra Linz.
EDUCATION
Born in 1994, the Upper Austrian received his first instrumental lessons in the Oberösterreichisches Landesmusikschulwerk. From 2009-2013 Benedict Mitterbauer studied with Prof. Predrag Katanic at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz. In 2019 he got his Bachelor degree with distinction with Prof. Thomas Riebl at the University Mozarteum Salzburg. Since then, Benedict has been a student of Prof. Veronika Hagen. He is also currently studying Music Education for Viola (IGP) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
Benedict has attended several chamber music- and solo-classes in Austria, Germany and France (for example at the Kronberg Academy and Écoles d'art americaines de Fontainebleau 2012) with renowned musicians such as Bruno Pasquier, Gérard Caussé, Pierre-Henri Xuereb, Patrick Jüdt, Nicolas Altstaedt and Alina Ibragimova. In addition, master classes with with Barbara Westphal, Tatjana Masurenko, Hartmut Rhode and Jean Sulem have complemented his musical development.
SUCCESSES & AWARDS
Some of Benedict’s greatest successes include the 2nd prize at the Concorso Lionel Tertis 2016, winning the EMCY prize 2014, as well as the Dr. Josef Ratzenböck scholarship 2012, the Nibelungen Förderpreis 2012 and multiple first prize awards in the Austrian youth competition prima la musica - both as a soloist and as a chamber musician.
Benedict Mitterbauer received a scholarship from the International Music Academy in the Principality of Liechtenstein in 2013 and 2015 and was a member of the LGT Young Soloists from 2016-2019. While with the LGT Young Soloists, he performed regularly as a soloist and recorded the CD, "Nordic Dream", for the Sony classical label, RCA Red Seal, in 2018.
“Mitterbauer acted almost in love with his instrument.”
- Badische Neueste Nachrichten
ORCHESTRAL MUSICIAN
This sought-after musician began his professional orchestral journey in 2015 when he became a regular substitute for the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and Bruckner Orchestra Linz. In 2018, Benedict was appointed Associate Leader, Viola, with the Bruckner Orchestra Linz and, after yet another successful audition in 2020, he earned his current position as First Principal Violist.
Benedict Mitterbauer's many concert tour performances have led him throughout Cuba, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, Israel and large parts of Europe.
VERSATILE CHAMBER MUSICIAN & SOLOIST
Several invitations to take part in cross-over projects have expanded Benedict's stylistic spectrum. As a result of these invitations, he has appeared on stage with renowned musicians such as Nigel Kennedy, Benjamin Schmid, Herbert Berger, Martin Gasselsberger, Florian Willeitner, Sebastian Gürtler or Lisa Eckhart.
Benedict is a member of different chamber music ensembles, and has performed at festivals such as the Rheingau Music Festival, the Mozart-Havana Festival, the Mozartwoche Salzburg, the Styriarte, the Dresden Music Festival, the International Brucknerfest Linz, the Mattseer Diabelli Sommer, the Liedwoche at Schloss Elmau, the International Nikolaus Harnoncourt Days and the Salzburg Chamber Music Festival. At these festivals, he has performed with renowned musicians including Thomas Zehetmair, Benjamin Schmid, Emmanuel Tjeknavorian, Harald Herzl, Benjamin Herzl, Thomas Riebl, Lars Anders Tomter, Clemens Hagen, Julia Hagen, Matthias Bartolomey, Dominik Wagner, Juliane Banse, Markus Schirmer, and Aaron Pilsan.
Benedict Mitterbauer plays on a viola by Giovanni Battista Ceruti, Cremona around 1810, kindly provided to him by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank.
January 2022