Despite his young age, the Styrian composer Christoph Breidler can already point to significant successes. Awards and performances of his compositions at major events show that this is one of the most promising composers of the younger generation. Reason enough to take a closer look at his work in the mica series “Austria’s Young Composers”.
Fast Facts
Christoph Breidler was born in Graz, and grew up in St. Bartholomä in West Styria. At the age of 16 he started studying piano at the Vienna Conservatory and composition, conducting and harpsichord at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He is co-founder of Platypus Association for Contemporary Music, which successfully hosted the “Marathon Festival for Young Composers of Contemporary Music.” He also founded the “Ensemble Phidias”, an ensemble for soloists with preferences in contemporary music and the repertoire of the Baroque. He has conducted over 40 world premieres at festivals such as Bern Biennale, ISCM music festival, composers marathon and Wien Modern. Between 2008 and 2009 he studied composition at the Shanghai Conservatory with Zhu Shi-Rui. He is the winner of the Theodor-Körner-Award 2010 and fellow of the Foundation Dr. Robert and Lina Thyll-Dürr.
Portrait
The basic intention of Christoph Breidler is to raise the emotional potential with his music. The decisive confrontation with emotional psychology and his study visit in China encouraged him to develop his own code, which ministers the systematization of sounds. Based on this, he uses a method of composition with which he – like the baroque doctrine of the affections – wants to achieve certain effects. He uses acoustic instruments, often also in combination with live electronics, in which he changes recorded sounds from the orchestra and mixes them simultaneously with instrumental sounds. The broad field of harmony serves him as a testing ground based on the spectral music of Gérard Grisey, and beyond. As a composer, conductor, pianist and harpsichordist, he combines various musical activities and engages as a performer in music of the contemporary period as well as works from the Baroque period.
Doris Weberberger
Important Compositions
“KongXin for Gu Qin” (2008)
Gu Qin Zhong Zhi Yue will be released on the Young Composers CD of mica
” Erstarrung” (2008) for violin and piano
Premiered: 27 March 2010, Heidelberger Frühling,
Violin: Birgit Erz
Piano: Emanuele Torquati
” Schlussgesang” (2010) for flute and clarinet
Premiered: 30 September 2010, …die Welt in Klang gefasst…
Flute: Wan Zi
Clarinet: Ryuta Iwase
Photo © Donner, Gratwein
http://www.breidler.net/