Kulturwelten Summer Academy 2025
Villa Liebenstein Bregenz
9 July - 14 July
Lecturers
Dominika Falger
Dominika Falger was born in Krakow to a family of musicians. She received her first violin lessons from her father at the age of four. Studied concert violin at the Academy of Music in Poznan with Prof J. Kaliszewska and Prof M. Baranowski and at the universities of Vienna and Graz with Prof E. Z. Zienkowski, Prof Y. Kless and Prof J. Pospichal. 1997-2005 assistant in the training class of Prof. Y. Kless at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. Studied instrumental (vocal) pedagogy at the Universities of Graz and Vienna. Graduated in both fields of study with the title “Magistra artium”. Historical instrument practice with Prof. I. Rainer and Prof. H. Kurosaki. Masterclasses with H. Krebbers, S. Ashkenasi, N. Brainin, among others. Dominika Falger has won prizes at numerous international competitions such as the Z. Jahnke Competition in Poznan, R. Lipizer Competition Gorizia, P. Sarasate Competition Pamplona, J. Brahms Competition Pörtschach, K. Lipinski and H. Wieniawski Competition Lublin, Szymanowski Competition Lodz and T. Wronski Competition Warsaw. 12 years old, she began her solo career, which took her through almost all European countries, to America and the Far East. Collaboration with many important orchestras (e.g. Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Taegu City Symphony Orchestra, Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra Gdansk, Philharmonic Orchestra Poznan, Slovak Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra “Wratislawia”, Lviv Virtuosi). Solo recitals, active chamber music radio, television and CD recordings. Her repertoire ranges from baroque to the most important works of classical and romantic contemporary music. She teaches at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and at the Vienna School of Music. Since 2011 professor at the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna. Participation as a lecturer at various masterclasses and as a juror at international violin competitions. Since 1999 Member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra as 1st section leader of the 2nd violins. Member of the Glière String Quartet since 2017.
Wladislaw Winokurow
Wladislaw Winokurow was born in Kiev (Ukraine), came into contact with music at a very early age: coming from a family of musicians, he received his first violin lessons from his father at the age of five, and after being admitted to the special music school for highly gifted children and young people, he received intensive musical training and guidance from Alexander Panov, Avanes Buludian and later Isaak Kushnir. He gained his first major stage experience at the age of ten in solo performances with the Kiev Chamber Orchestra and moved to Austria in 1992. He began his school education at the Vienna Music High School, combined with professional instrumental lessons, initially with Eugenia Polatschek. This was followed by studies at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts with Gernot Winischhofer and Boris Kuschnir. Complementary masterclasses with Abraham Stern, Joseph Kopelman, Zakhar Bron, Viktor Tretyakov and others. Wladislaw Winokurow is the founder and leader of the Glière String Quartet. After winning 1st prize at the 8th International Beethoven Competition in 2012, the quartet has performed at numerous international festivals, as well as a busy concert schedule at home and abroad, including appearances at the Vienna Musikverein, at international festivals such as the Nikodemowicz Festival Poland, Harmonie Starego Miasta Poland, Musikverein International Music Festival, KUL Festival “Opus Magnum” Poland, etc. The quartet’s repertoire includes works from the early classical period to contemporary music. One of the core areas is the interpretation of Ukrainian and Soviet composers such as A. Borodin, R. Glière, N. Myaskowski, D. Shostakovich, etc. Since 2020 cooperation with the company DUX (Poland), recording series of the R. Gliére string quartets.
In 2010 employed and took over his own violin class at the Vienna Music School, Margareten location. Since 2018 Senior Lecturer at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (preparatory course, gifted course, IME, ME). Pedagogical successes to date include over 50 victories at numerous national and international competitions. Lecturer at national and international masterclasses such as Kulturwelten.at Summer Courses (Vienna), Austrian Master Classes (Salzburg), Vienna International Art Open (Vienna), European Music Institute Vienna (Vienna), Wienerwald Summer Academy (Lower Austria), Wieniawski Society Masterclasses (Lublin, Poland), Summer Academy of Music (Krakow, Poland). Jury member at competitions such as Prima la Musica state and national competition (Austria). Vasa Prihoda International Violin Competition (Czech Republic). Kocian Music Competition (Czech Republic). Martin Edelmann
Martin Edelmann, born in Bretten/Germany in 1969, received his first violin lessons at the age of five After studying with Prof. Maria Grevesmühl at the Hochschule für Musik und Kunst in Bremen, Martin Edelmann went to Vienna to study with Prof. Gerhart Hetzel and later with Prof. Edward Zienkowski. In 1993, he switched to the viola and joined the class of Prof Siegfried Führlinger. In addition to his studies, he received artistic impulses in masterclasses with Felix Andriewsky, Sachar Bron, Max Rostal, Igor Ozim and later with Kim Kashkashian and Barbara Westphal. Martin Edelmann already played as a substitute at the Vienna State Opera and with the Vienna Philharmonic during his studies. In 1994, he co-founded the “Hugo Wolf Quartet”, in which he played as a violist for five years. With this ensemble he was honoured several times, for example with the first prize at the International Competition for String Quartets in Cremona, the first prize at the national competition “Gradus ad Parnassum” and the prize for the best string quartet at the 45th International G. B. Viotti International Competition for Chamber Music in Vercelli. As a chamber musician, he has performed in major concert halls such as the Herkulessaal in Munich, the Tonhalle Zurich, the Vienna Musikverein and Vienna Konzerthaus, the Mozarteum Salzburg, the “Y” in New York as well as at renowned festivals in Salzburg, the Carinthian Summer, the Schubertiade Feldkirch and the Klangbogen Vienna. Concert tours have taken him throughout Europe and North America. Edelmann was a member of the viola section of the Vienna RSO from 2007 to 2019 and has been with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra since September 2019. He has been a member of the Glière String Quartet since 2019.
Natalia Binkowska
Natalia Binkowska is a violist born in Warsaw and has been performing as a soloist and chamber musician on national and international stages for many years. In 2009, she completed her instrumental violin and viola studies in Poland with distinction and transferred to the Vienna University of Music. In November 2015, she completed her concert studies with Prof. Wolfgang Klos – also with distinction. Binkowska was a scholarship holder of the Ministry of Culture and Arts in Poland and the Federal Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in Austria. The musician, who has already won several awards at international competitions, received further artistic impulses under the direction of members of the Vienna Philharmonic, including at the Orchestra Academy in Ossiach and the Attersee Institute Attergau, in the Vienna Jeunesse Orchestra and in professional orchestras such as the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, the RSO, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Volksoper. From 2017 to 2019, Binkowska was assistant principal viola in the Slovak National Philharmonic Orchestra in Bratislava. She has been a violist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra since 2019. In the 2020-21 season, she took over the position of 2nd solo viola. 2019. Chamber music has always been a particularly important part of Binkowska’s musical life. She regularly performs with members of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and is a co-founder of the Auner Quartet, in which she was active until the end of 2017. She has been a violist in the Umia Quartet since 2021. Binkowska has been teaching viola and chamber music for several years. Until summer 2020, she led her own class at the Prayner Conservatory in Vienna and can look back on many teaching successes; many of her former students study at Austria’s renowned music universities. Binkowska is an external juror for the practice audition at the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna and viola teacher of the Vienna Jeunesse Orchestra. She has been teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna since October 2021.
Dumitru Pocitari
Dumitru Pocitari, born in Moldova in 1991, began his music studies at the age of seven. Between 2000-2012, he won numerous prizes and medals at international violin competitions in Romania, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, as well as second prize at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Competition (2012).
He has taken part in masterclasses with Eduard Wulfson, Phillipe Bride, Bujor Prelipcean, Serban Lupu, Zakhar Bron, Julian Rachlin, Alexandra Soumm, Nikolaj Znaider and Pinchas Zukerman.
Dumitru Pocitari has taken part in international music festivals in Belarus and Moscow. He performed as a soloist with the “Moscow Virtuosi” under the direction of Vladimir Spivakov at the “Ascending Stars in Kremlin” festival. He has also performed under the baton of Zubin Mehta with the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Symphony Orchestra in Tel Aviv, at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt and with the Israel Philharmonic at the Charles Bronfmann Auditorium. He has performed with Martha Argerich in chamber music concerts in Israel and Italy. He has been a member of the Israel Philharmonic since 2014 and was appointed concertmaster in 2019. Dimitru plays the “Rawlins” Omobono Stradivarius, which was made in Cremona in 1737.
Christoph Stradner
Christoph Stradner was born in Vienna in 1970 and received his first instrumental lessons from Frieda Litschauer at the age of six. He then studied with Wolfgang Herzer at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, graduating with distinction. A scholarship from the Alban Berg Foundation in Vienna enabled him to study in London with William Pleeth. Stradner, who was previously principal cellist of the Tonkünstler Orchestra of Lower Austria and at times principal cellist of the Camerata Salzburg, has been principal cellist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra since 2004. He also teaches at the Vienna Conservatory Private University. Stradner has performed as a soloist with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Tonkünstlerorchester Niederösterreich. Performances at festivals such as the Carinthian Summer, the Bregenz Festival and the Vienna Music Summer as well as a busy chamber music career complete his profile. Stradner won first prize at the Austrian “Jugend Musiziert” competition in 1991 and first prize at the “Concurso Internacional de Violonchelo” in Murcia/Spain in 1993. Stradner plays a violoncello by Antonio Stradivari from the year 1680.
Ernst Weissensteiner
Ernst Weissensteiner studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Ludwig Streicher – in 1989 he graduated with honors and was awarded an appreciation prize by the Federal Ministry of Science and Art. He has been a member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra since 1986 and its first solo bassist since 1991. As a soloist, he is responsible for the world premieres of numerous solo works for double bass. In addition, his concert activities testify to a wide stylistic range and liveliness, including in Klangforum Wien, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Ensemble Modern Frankfurt, Vienna Art Orchestra and with Ingrid Jensen, Joe Zawinul, Terry Bozzio, Tatiana Grindenko, Alexei Lubimov, Nigel Kennedy, Ernst Kovacic, Milan Turkovic, the Haydn Trio Vienna, the Eos Quartet, Aron Quartet, Vienna Piano Trio, Vienna Symphony Jazz Project and the double bass sextet Bass Instinct. In 2012, he ended his teaching career at the Vienna Conservatory Private University and has since been a professor of double bass at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. He also regularly gives masterclasses in Madrid and at the Escuela de Altos Estudios Musicales in Santiago de Compostela.
Ivan Kitanović
Ivan Kitanović was born in 1976 in Kruševac (now Serbia); his great love of music was evident from an early age: he taught himself to play the guitar and accordion before his great musical talent was discovered and he was accepted into the renowned music boarding school in Ćuprija. There, his outstanding aptitude for the double bass soon became apparent and he achieved great success on this instrument in a very short time: he won first prize in five national and international competitions, followed by numerous solo performances with orchestra, live broadcasts and portraits on TV and radio. Immediately after graduating from the Ćuprija music boarding school with the highest honours to date, he became solo bassist with the Belgrade Strings and at the same time studied at the Belgrade Academy of Music. From 2000, he continued his studies with Josef Niederhammer at the University of Music in Vienna, where he was soon able to build on his previous successes: for example, he was chosen as the musical representative of Europe for the highly acclaimed intermission film of the 2003 New Year’s Concert, which was broadcast worldwide, and was a member of several orchestras (including the stage orchestra of the Vienna State Opera). Since 2003 he has been 1st solo double bassist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Ivan Kitanović is dedicated to expanding the double bass repertoire and also includes major works of cello literature in his concerts. This enables him to position the double bass as a musically fully-fledged, sonically impressive solo instrument. He pursues his love of chamber music with the trio “Impossibile”, which performs worldwide, and is also regularly invited by renowned ensembles (such as the Hugo Wolf Quartet, EOS Quartet, Ensemble “die reihe”). Nikolaj Leo Strauss
Nikolaj Leo Strauss’ career is inextricably linked to the name of Frédéric Chopin. Born in Friedrichshafen, Germany, concerts and piano studies took him to Poland at an early age. His teachers included Jerzy Sulikowski and Kevin Kenner. The most significant influence was his studies with Chopin legend Adam Harasiewicz in Salzburg und Warsaw. He also studied with Nora Doallo in Lugano and with Kornél Zémplény at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. He attended masterclasses with Piotr Paleczny and Karl-Heinz Kämmerling. Concert tours have taken him to many European countries, Argentina, Israel and Finland. In addition to his work as a pianist, Strauss turned to the liturgical singing of the Orthodox Church early on and conducted the choirs of the Orthodox cathedrals in Buenos Aires and Budapest. Strauss has lived in Lugano, Switzerland, for almost three decades.Reinhard Hofbauer
Reinhard Hofbauer was born in1975 in Mürzzuschlag, first lessons at the age of 10 1993-2000 Studied at the Vienna University of Music with Prof. Horst Küblböck Concert diploma with distinction 1999-2004 Bass trombonist in the Tyrolean Symphony Orchestra Innsbruck 2003 State teaching qualification examination at the Innsbruck State Conservatory Since 2004 tenor and bass trombonist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra Since 2010 teacher for trombone at the music school Weinviertel Mitte Member of the Vienna Symphony Jazz Project, Strauss Festival Orchestra Vienna. Participation in all major Viennese orchestras, Clemencic Consort, Vienna Academy, Johann Strauss Orchestra, Austrian Brass Connection, Vienna Concert Association.
Markus Obmann
Markus Obmann was born on 1981 in St. Veit an der Glan/Carinthia. He received his first horn lessons at the age of eight at the Treibach-Althofen music school. After taking part very successfully in the “Prima la musica” youth music competition several times, he studied in the horn class of Roland Berger and Thomas Jöbstl at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna from October 2000. In 2005, Markus Obmann became a member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra as a horn player. He is also a regular guest with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera. He also performs regularly with various chamber music formations and ensembles (Vienna Art Orchestra, Austrian Brass Connection, Wiener Concertverein, etc.) in Austria and abroad. Since 2006 he has been a permanent member of the Vienna Horns, a unique ensemble consisting of the leading horn players of Austrian orchestras. All members exclusively use the Viennese horn in F, which is jointly responsible for the unmistakable Viennese sound. After completing his concert diploma with distinction, Markus Obmann was appointed assistant to Thomas Jöbstl’s horn class at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in March 2009.
Robert Gillinger
Robert Gillinger (formerly Buschek) studied with Milan Turkovic and Stepan Turnovsky in Vienna. From 1994 to 2001 he was a member of the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, since 2001 he has been a member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (deputy 1st, 2nd and 3rd bassoon as well as contrabassoon) and has a teaching position at the Vienna University of Music. Robert Gillinger has played in all Viennese opera and concert orchestras, as a guest in Klangforum Wien, in the ensemble “Die Reihe”, in Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt) and in the Ensemble Modern Orchestra, among others. He is first bassoonist of the Wiener Kammerphilharmonie, the Wiener Concert-Verein and the Vienna Classical Players, as well as a member of the ensembles Elliott Carter Quintet, Triple Tongue Vienna, Ensemble 1080 and Ensemble Reconsil. He also works with both historical and modern instruments (such as the contraforte). He has performed as a soloist with the Webern Symphony Orchestra, the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, the Wiener Concertverein, the Baroque Ensemble of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Ensemble Reconsil. His intensive collaboration with composers has led to numerous compositions for/with bassoon and contraforte. In addition to numerous chamber music and solo pieces, he plans to perform and record bassoon and contraforte concertos.
Heinrich Bruckner
Heinrich Bruckner was born in Vienna in 1965 and received his first instrumental lessons in recorder and piano. In 1977 he began his trumpet studies at what is now the Vienna Conservatory Private University with Richard Schwameis and Karl Brugger. In 1985 he received his concert diploma with distinction. From 1985 to 1987, he continued his trumpet studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Josef Pomberger. Heinrich Bruckner has won several prizes at the “Jugend musiziert” competition. In 1981, he was the youngest participant to win third prize in the “Helmut Wobisch Memorial Competition”. He has been first trumpeter of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra since 1987 and a member of the brass quintet “Art of Brass Vienna” since 1984, where he is responsible for numerous arrangements. As a member of the “Ensemble Tonus”, he also works intensively with historical instruments such as the cornett and baroque trumpet. As a soloist, Heinrich Bruckner has performed with various orchestras such as the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Tonkünstlerorchester Niederösterreich and the Austrian Chamber Symphony Orchestra. His CD recording of Leopold Mozart’s trumpet concerto, released by Camerata, was nominated for the Amadeus Award in 2005.
Erwin Klambauer
Erwin Klambauer was born in Ottensheim, Upper Austria. He initially studied flute and piano at the Anton Bruckner University in Linz and then continued his flute studies at the Vienna University of Music with Wolfgang Schulz. Erwin Klambauer received important artistic impulses as solo flutist with the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, the Youth Orchestra of a United Europe and the Camerata Salzburg, among others. After an engagement in the stage orchestra of the Austrian Federal Theaters, he was principal flute of the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1993 to 2013. Erwin Klambauer performs as a soloist with various orchestras and ensembles in Austria and abroad; his repertoire ranges from baroque to contemporary music. Numerous CD recordings as well as radio and television recordings document his solo activities. He also works regularly with the pianist Reinhold Puri-Jobi, the ensemble Kontrapunkte, the ensemble “die reihe” and the flute ensemble “Halil”. Erwin Klambauer taught a flute class at the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität from 2004 to 2008. Since 2008 he has been professor of flute at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz/Institute Oberschützen. Erwin Klambauer has been principal flute of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra since 2014.
Reinhard Wieser
Reinhard Wieser studied clarinet at the Vienna Academy of Music with Prof. Alfred Prinz (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) and gained experience in several youth orchestras. In 1985 he was engaged as principal clarinettist with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He continued his studies and graduated with honors from the Vienna Academy of Music in 1988. This was followed by an intensive study of Mozart’s chamber music for wind instruments, which he completed in 1991 with a Master of Arts degree. In addition to his 35 years as solo clarinettist in the orchestra, Reinhard Wieser is a member of the Vienna Chamber Musicians and the Johann Strauss Ensemble of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. He has made numerous recordings and toured with them, including to Japan, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. Other chamber music activities include concerts at festivals and CD recordings with artists such as Renaud Capucon, Philippe Jordan (the chief conductor of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra), Rainer Honeck, Doris Adam, Karin Adam, Thomas Christian, Thomas A. Irnberger, Maria Prinz, Jasminka Stancul, Christopher Hinterhuber, as well as several ensembles. Examples include the Ensemble Kontrapunkte, the Altenberg Trio, the Gringolts Quartet, the Haydn Trio Vienna, the Vienna Instrumental Soloists, the Ensemble Interclarinet and the Trio Clarin. Symphony Orchestra since 2014. Several recitals at festivals of the renowned ICA (International Clarinet Association) in Stockholm, Madrid and in July 2018 in Ostend round off his activities as a chamber musician. In fall 2020, Reinhard Wieser will give a recital series in New York and Washington with pianist Maria Prinz. In addition, Reinhard Wieser often performs as a soloist, several times with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Concertverein, the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, the Valencia Orchestra, together with conductors such as Adam Fischer, Georges Prétre, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Bertrand de Billy, Yakov Kreizberg, Johannes Wildner, Claus Peter Flor, Milan Turkovic, Leopold Hager and Fabio Luisi. He has recorded Theme and Variations for clarinet and orchestra by Jean Francaix (for Camerata Tokyo) and most recently the Concertino for violin and clarinet by Vítězslava Kaprálová. Prof. Reinhard Wieser has been leading his class at the MUK Private University of the City of Vienna since 1996, and his alumni play and teach in orchestras (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra) and institutions throughout Austria and internationally. He also regularly holds masterclasses in Austria, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Japan, Venezuela and the USA and is active as a juror at competitions.
