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 jazz bands 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, stand out, particularly the six special projects will demonstrate the whole range of his work.
Worldwide Concerts as a trombonist and pianist with:
as a leader:
CHRISTIAN MUTHSPIEL solo (tb, p, prepared p, tapes, live-electronics)
C. MUTHSPIEL & MOTLEY MOTHERTONGUE (with DK Dyson-voc, Anna Hauf-voc, Benjamin Schmid-vl, Matthieu Michel-tp, Gerald Preinfalk-sax, Wolfgang Muthspiel-g, Reinhard Micko-p, Peter Herbert-b, Alex Deutsch-dr)
CHRISTIAN MUTHSPIEL TRIO (with Peter Herbert-b, Alex Deutsch-dr)
OCTET OST I, II, III (1990-1995) (with J.Bartos, T.Stanko, A.Vapirov, K.Koch, A.Shilkloper, V.Labutis, V.Tarasov, P.Vysniauskas, A.Parghel, S.Namtchilak)
as a co-leader:
WOLFGANG MUTHSPIEL & CHRISTIAN MUTHSPIEL "Duo Due"
MUTHSPIEL-PEACOCK-MUTHSPIEL-MOTIAN (Duo Due plus Gary Peacock-b, Paul Motian-dr)
DAHINDEN-MUTHSPIEL "trombone performance" (with Roland Dahinden-tb)
as a sideman:
VIENNA ART ORCHESTRA (since 1995)
Christian Muthspiel was invited to perform at following Festivals:
Vancouver, Banff, Toronto, Montreal, New York, Mexico City, Tokyo, London, Chard, Huddersfield, Paris, Amiens, Nimes, Le Mans, Vienne, Nevers, Antwerpen, The Hague, Helsinki, Berlin, Zurich, Rome, Warsaw, Moscow, Nowosibirsk, Kiew, Budapest, Varna, Belgrade, Saalfelden, vienna modern, ....
He composed commissioned works for:
Int. Stiftung Mozarteum (piano concerto, premiered by Thomas Larcher and Mozarteumorchester Salzburg)
Benjamin Schmid (Violinconcerto, premiered by Benjamin Schmid and Mozarteumorchester Salzburg)
Erste Bank (Concerto for violin, cello und orchestra)
Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck (Opera "GENESIS:Zeiten/Pätze…")
Klangforum Vienna, concerthouse vienna, die reihe, Company Esther Linley, Jeunesse, ensemble zurich, steirischer herbst, studio percussion, Landestheater Salzburg, Vereinigte Bühnen Graz, Int. Barockfestival St.Pölten, Sauber Formula 1 Team...
Muthspiel's works were performed by numerous ensembles, orchestras and soloists, like:
Klangforum Vienna, Radiosymphonieorchestra Vienna, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, ensemble zürich, die reihe, Benjamin Schmid, Thomas Larcher, Michael M.Kofler...
Records (selection, works as a leader):
CY - Wolfgang Muthspiel & Christian Muthspiel 1998 - Lotus Records
OCTET OST II 1994 - amadeo/PolyGram
MUTHSPIEL-PEACOCK-MUTHSPIEL-MOTIAN 1993 - amadeo/PolyGram
OCTET OST 1992 - amadeo/PolyGram
DUO DUE "TRE" 1990 - amadeo/PolyGram