Musicians

Tanja Seara Sallustio

Concertmaster

Russel McGregor

Concertmaster

Pavol Varga

Concertmaster

Balazs Schwartz

Violin

Darko Ljubas

Violin

Christian Nenescu

Violin

Nima Naraghi

Violin

Gerda Breslmayr

Violin

Amora De Swardt

Violin

Johanna Sulzgruber

Violin

Laszlo Miklos

Violin

Orsolya Pálfi

Violin

Rita Cuda

Viola

Sergio Trujillo

Viola

Plamena Ivanova

Viola / Violin

Tristan Feichtner

Violoncello

Stefanie Huber

Violoncello

Milan Karanović

Violoncello

Christine Schoppmann

Violoncello

Laszlo Magyar

Double Bass

Camilo Obando

Double Bass

Angelica Weinberger

Double Bass

Boris Lipov

Flute

Heinz Kohlbauer

Flute

Ventzislav Kandev

Flute

Heidi Bosch

Oboe

Magdalena Lucia Puschnig

Oboe

Maša Prebanda

Clarinet

Tobias Fichtinger

Clarinet

Benjamin Schachinger

Clarinet

Anna Jurecka

Bassoon

Matthew Smith

Bassoon

Michael Wachter

Horn

Benedikt Volz

Horn

Nevena Sunajac

Horn

Jörg Schafferer

Trumpet

Josef Hofbauer

Trumpet

Christof Zellhofer

Trumpet

Filip Rozic

Trombone

Michael Böhm

Trombone

Svetlosar Dimitrov

Percussion

Daniel Piedl

Percussion

Emma Frauenholz

Percussion

Pavel Singer

Piano

Dessislava Atanassova

Piano

Tanja Seara Sallustio

Concertmaster

Russel McGregor

Concertmaster

Pavol Varga

Concertmaster

Balazs Schwartz

Violin

Darko Ljubas

Violin

Christian Nenescu

Violin

Nima Naraghi

Violin

Gerda Breslmayr

Violin

Amora De Swardt

Violin

Johanna Sulzgruber

Violin

Laszlo Miklos

Violin

Orsolya Pálfi

Violin

Rita Cuda

Viola

Sergio Trujillo

Viola

Plamena Ivanova

Viola / Violin

Tristan Feichtner

Violoncello

Stefanie Huber

Violoncello

Milan Karanović

Violoncello

Christine Schoppmann

Violoncello

Laszlo Magyar

Double Bass

Camilo Obando

Double Bass

Angelica Weinberger

Double Bass

Boris Lipov

Flute

Heinz Kohlbauer

Flute

Ventzislav Kandev

Flute

Heidi Bosch

Oboe

Magdalena Lucia Puschnig

Oboe

Maša Prebanda

Clarinet

Tobias Fichtinger

Clarinet

Benjamin Schachinger

Clarinet

Anna Jurecka

Bassoon

Matthew Smith

Bassoon

Michael Wachter

Horn

Benedikt Volz

Horn

Nevena Sunajac

Horn

Jörg Schafferer

Trumpet

Josef Hofbauer

Trumpet

Christof Zellhofer

Trumpet

Filip Rozic

Trombone

Michael Böhm

Trombone

Svetlosar Dimitrov

Percussion

Daniel Piedl

Percussion

Emma Frauenholz

Percussion

Pavel Singer

Piano

Dessislava Atanassova

Piano

Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra

Tanja Seara Sallustio

Concertmaster

Tanja Seara Sallustio started playing the violin at the tender age of 5. Her musical talent was already promoted at an early age at reputable music schools in Bulgaria (Plovdiv, Sofia).
After graduating from the Sofia Music High School, her musical talents were taken to the next level at the University of Music in Vienna. In addition to the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra, where she has been concertmaster since 1999, she also performs internationally as a soloist and concertmaster with famous orchestras.
Extensive concert tours and tours in various formations have taken her to all 5 continents of the world. She lives and works in Vienna – the city of the waltz – the city of Johann Strauss, her great musical love.

Russel McGregor

Concertmaster

The Australian violinist/conductor Russell McGregor was born in Oxford, England and grew up in Melbourne, Australia.
He completed his Diploma of Arts in Music at the Victorian College of the Arts and has been based in Vienna, Austria since 1992.
From 1994-1996, he was concertmaster with the Vienna Chamber Opera company.
Since 1997, Russell has conducted and lead the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra and has also performed and conducted in Indonesia, Canada, Japan, Iran, and England and other European countries.
He also performs as a highly successful conductor/soloist with the Johann Strauss Ensemble in Austria and throughout the world with great acclaim.
Russell McGregor plays on a Carlo Giuseppe Testore violin from 1697.

Pavol Varga

Concertmaster

Pavol Varga was born in Slovakia in 1989.
He studied at the State Conservatory in Bratislava and continued to study at University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz with Prof. Eszter Haffner.
During his studies, he deepened his knowledge in several master courses and competitions: Music Academy in Telc – Jan Talich, Neuberger Kulturtage – Eszter Haffner, Veronika Schulz, Gunter Teuffel, Burg Feistritz – Gerhardt Schulz, Thomas Brandis, Benjamin Schmidt.
He took part in international violin competitions such as the Jozsef Szigeti Competition and Andrea Postacchini in Fermo.
In 2010, he won First Prize in the Chamber Music Competition in Zilina (string quartet).
He has also collaborated with several internationally- known artists such as Gottfried Boisits (Vienna Philharmonic), Eszter Haffner, Claudio Bohorquéz, Dalibor Karvay.

Balazs Schwartz

Violin

Born in Hungary.
Repeated winner of 1st Prize and Jury Special Award Jugend Musiziert, Auer Lipot, and Koncz Janos Violin Competitions. Solo and String Quartet / Piano Trio Concerts at home and abroad.
Master of Arts degree from the University of Music Vienna. CD and TV recordings with renowned national and international artists as concertmaster.
Memberships in the Radio Symphony Orchestra, Lower Austrian Tonkünstler, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Haydn Philharmonic, Vereinigte Bühne, various chamber music ensembles in classical, jazz, musical, and pop.

Darko Ljubas

Violin

Darko Ljubas was born in 1966 in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
He started playing the violin at the age of six.
He went to music high school until 1989 and then to the University of Music in Sarajevo.
He is a winner at several different competitions in the former Yugoslavia.
At the age of 20, he became a member of the National Theater of Sarajevo.
In 1991 Ljubas came to Austria to continue studying at the Vienna University of Music. In the following years he worked with many Viennese orchestras.
In 2004, after successfully completing an audition, he was hired by the Carinthian Symphony Orchestra, where he now works as first violinist.
He is still a member of several Viennese ensembles, where he regularly performs at concerts at home and abroad.

Christian Nenescu

Violin

Cristian-Daniel Nenescu was born in Bukarest and started his musical education there.
At the age of 11 he moved to Vienna.
He studied at the Universitiy of Music in Vienna with Prof. Michael Frischenschlager und Evgenia Tchougaeva and graduated with honours.
Apart from that he studied as a postgraduate with Prof. Rainer Küchl, Concertmaster oft the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Cristian-Daniel Nenescu was awarded in several competitions such as Gradus ad Parnassum, Stephanie Hohl (Vienna) and Leopold Mozart (Augsburg).
He had contracts with the Tonkünstlerorchester Niederösterreich and the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra. Since 2019 he is the 1st Concertmaster of the „Bühne Baden“ Orchestra.
Cristian-Daniel Nenescu plays a Gand&Bernardel Violin from 1884.

Nima Naraghi

Violin

Gerda Breslmayr

Violin

Gerda Breslmayr was born in Linz, grew up in a musical familiy, and received piano and violin lessons at a very early age.
She won several prices in competitions with both instruments.
First she studied in Linz at the Bruckner Conservatory, after graduating from high school she went to Vienna and Rochester/USA to complete Violin studies in 2002 with diploma.
She works in many different ensembles and orchestras, from baroque to classical (Kammeroper Wien, Volksoper, Bühnenorchester der Wr. Staatsoper, Seefestspiele Mörbisch, Opernballorchester, SSO…) to musical and pop (Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, Rondo Vienna) with numerous concerts all over the world.
Since 2006 member of the Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra.

Amora De Swardt

Violin

Amora de Swardt was born in Cape Town, South Africa and started violin lessons with Noel Travis when she was 8 years old.
She finished her Bachelor of Music degree in 1984 at the University of Cape Town and from 1985 till 1988 she was a member of the opera orchestra in Cape Town (CAPAB).
In 1988 she moved to Vienna to continue her violin studies at the Viennese Conservatoire. She is a free-lance musician and works with numerous orchestras in Vienna, like the Schönbrunner Schloss Orchestra, the Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Viennese Mozart Orchestra, the Volksoper Symphony Orchestra, the Strauss Festival Orchestra.
Since 2000 she is Concert Master of the Neue Oper Wien.

Johanna Sulzgruber

Violin

Vienna-based violinist Johanna Sulzgruber completed her concert studies at the Joseph-Haydn-Conservatory Eisenstadt.
She first gained orchestral experience at the Wiener Jeunesse Orchester and as concertmaster of the Conservatory Orchestra Eisenstadt.
From 2009 to 2017, Johanna Sulzgruber was a member of the Franz Lehár-Orchestra.
Since 2015, she has been a permanent substitute at the Stadttheater Baden.
The violinist maintains further collaboration with ensembles such as the Vienna Strings, the Ambassade Orchestra Vienna, and the Ballorchester Steubl.
As part of several orchestra and opera tours, she has been a guest in Japan and China, the United Arab Emirates, and South America.

Laszlo Miklos

Violin

Orsolya Pálfi

Violin

Orsolya Pálfi was born in Budapest, Hungary. She studied violin at the University of Music in Vienna with Prof. E. Zienkowski and she completed her degree with Prof. Eszter Haffner in Graz. She plays in numerous orchestras, including the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, RSO Vienna, the Volksoper Vienna, Stadttheater Baden and the Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra. She loves being in nature, travelling and trying out the culinary specialities of different cultures. She believes that a smile is the most beautiful makeup that a woman can wear!

Rita Cuda

Viola

Rita Cuda discovered her passion for music at the age of six.
She began to study violin in Hungary, where she switched–influenced especially by Prof. Jenö Seffer – to the viola.
She continued her studies in Vienna at the University of Music and Performing Arts and graduated with honors with Prof. Siegfried Führlinger.
She took part in successful tours with the Wiener Symphoniker in Austria and in Europe and specialized in contemporary music as principal violist of Wiener Kammeroper.
Rita Cuda has been a member of the renowned Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra for decades and presents the music of Johann Strauss with enthusiasm.

Sergio Trujillo

Viola

Sergio Trujillo was born in Bogotá/Colombia.
At the University of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana he studied Viola and also sound engineering with a focus on Composition and Production. He later perfected his viola playing at the Université de Montreal/Canada with Jutta Puchhammer-Sedillot and graduated with a master’s degree.
For five years, he worked as a sound engineer at the Festival Internacional de Música de Cartagena. He was also involved in CD productions and film music recordings for the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia.
As a viola player, he worked for eleven years in the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia, first as a Tutti player and later as a Principal viola. In Montreal he was invited to play with the OSM (Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal) and La Sinfonia de Lanaudiére Orchestra.
He also taught viola at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, the Universidad Central and in various institutions such as the Fundación Batuta; a foundation for socially underprivileged children. In addition, he founded the “Encuentro Nacional de Violistas” and directed it for two years. The festival gave young Colombian violists the opportunity to exchange knowledge with already established professors from all over the world.
He has been in Austria since 2014 and also plays here in various chamber music groups and is very active as a substitute in the major symphony orchestras in Vienna (RSO Wien, Niederösterreichische Tonkunstler, Wiener Symphoniker, Volksoper Wien).
Shortly after his arrival in Austria, he also got to know the “Schonbrunn Palace Orchestra” and has since played regularly both in Schönbrunn Palace and on the many tours the orchestra undertakes.
He resumed his work as a sound engineer with his company Flying Tonstudio a few years ago. His mobile recording studio gives him many opportunities to produce a wide variety of audio and video productions of classical music.

Plamena Ivanova

Viola / Violin

The Bulgarian violinist began to play the violin at the age of 6.

Since 2005, she has studied violin at the Music and Art University (MUK), since 2006, instrumental pedagogy at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, since 2009, violin and since 2013, viola at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz.

As an orchestra and chamber musician, she has played concerts all over Europe, as well as in Peru, China, Japan, and Korea.

Tristan Feichtner

Violoncello

Tristan Feichtner, born in Austria in 1995, studied Cello with Prof. Nagy and Prof. Kropfitsch at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, graduating with distinction in March 2021.

His chamber music partners have included Robert McDuffie, Lawrence Dutton (Emerson String Quartet), Alissa Margulis, Gilad Karni, Petr Prause (Talich Quartet), and Alexander Buzlov.

Tristan has gained valuable orchestral experience by working in ensembles such as the Wiener Kammerorchester, Wiener Concert-Verein, and the Tonkünstler-Orchestra NÖ.

In recent years, concert tours have taken him to Asia, South America, and South Africa. He has been a member of the Schloss Schönbrunn Orchestra and Johann Strauss Virtuosi Ensemble since 2022.

Stefanie Huber

Violoncello

The cellist, Stefanie Huber was born on september 2nd, 1987in Klagenfurt/ Austria and she received her first cello lessonsat the age of 8 at the music school of Vienna.
In 2006 she began her studies at the Joseph-Haydn-Conservatory in Eisenstadt with Othmar Müller. 2010 the cellist did her first diplome (Bachelor) with Othmar Müller in Eisenstadt and Prof. Jozef Podhoransky in Bratislava (Slovakia).
Master classes with Reinhard Latzko, Stefan- Jess- Kropfitsch, Wolfgang Boettcher, Diethard Auner, Josef Luitz, Georg Baich and Othmar Müller.
In 2012/2013 member of the Gustav- Mahler- Jugendorchester. Among other things she was participating at chamber music Festival in Prades 2009 and at the Gustav Mahler academy 2013 in Bozen and at the ISA Festival in Austria.
In 2015 prize winner of different chamber music competitions with her piano trio Trikolon in Slovenia, Malta, Swiss and Spain.
In 2018 the cellist graduated in the chamber music class of Johannes Meissl at the Mdw (University of Music and performing Arts) of Vienna.
Since 2021 she has been a member of the Varga Quartett Wien stringquartet.
She has been teaching for three years at the music school of Baden.
Stefanie Huber plays a Guadagnini model of the violin makerHenriette Lersch.

Milan Karanović

Violoncello

Milan Karanovic was born in Belgrade in 1980, where he began taking cello lessons at the age of eight.
He studied cello with Jontscho Bayrov and Christoph Stradner at the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität.

Christine Schoppmann

Violoncello

Born in Vienna, Christine Schoppmann grew up in Klosterneuburg, where she started cello lessons with her teacher Vladimir Malinowsky at the age of 7.

She studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts and the Music and Arts Privat University in Vienna, where she graduated in the class of Christoph Stradner (Wiener Symphoniker).

Her studies were influenced in master classes with well-known soloists and orchestral musicians such as Reinhard Latzko, Wolfgang Boettcher, Franz Bartolomey among others.

Christine is a member (principal and tutti) of several orchestras and chamber music ensembles and has participated in many international concerts.

Christine was selected to be a teacher in a music school to work with young talented cellists.

Laszlo Magyar

Double Bass

Born in Hungary.
Studied at the Liszt Ferenc University of Music in Pecs.
1990 diploma with honors.
1990-1995 Post-study at the Vienna University of Music.
Many chamber music projects (classical, folk music, jazz).

Camilo Obando

Double Bass

He began the study of the double bass at the age of 13 at the Colombian national system of youth orchestras “Batuta”.
In 2013 he continued his double bass studies at the Conservatory of Trento with Maestro Massimiliano Rizzoli and finished in April 2019 his Master of double bass with a score of 110/110 cum laude.
During summer 2020 he won a place to be part of the Angelika- Prokopp- Sommerakademie der Wiener Philharmoniker taking clases with musicians of the Wiener Philharmoniker Orchester and making concerts and colaborations with the Sommerakademie Orchester.
He finished currently a second master degree in Vienna at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien with the maestro Botond Kostyák, and he also finished a Postgraduate at Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien with Christoph Wimmer, first Double Bass of The Wiener Philharmoniker.
He worked as a double bass player in several countries and programs with: ORF Radio-Symphonieorchesters Wien, Orchestra Sinfonica de Colombia, Orchestra Filarmonica della Fenice, Orchestra Haydn di Bolzano e Trento, Orchestra Sommerakademie der Wiener Philarmoniker, Synchron stage Vienna and others.

Angelica Weinberger

Double Bass

Boris Lipov

Flute

Admired for his explosive virtuosity and extraordinary musical sensitivity, the Bulgarian-Austrian flutist Boris N.Lipov is an exceptional soloist and chamber musician.
At the age of 12 he won his first competition and made his first solo appearance with the Plovdiv Philharmonic, where he was called a “musical prodigy”.
At the age of 15 he began his studies at the Music University of Vienna in the class of Prof. W. Schulz, followed by various master classes as well as numerous awards at national and international competitions.
Since then, the successful artist has played on stages such as the Vienna Musikverein, Vienna State Opera, Opera City Hall Tokyo, Shanghai Oriental Art and others.
He had the privilege of working with international artists such as José Carreras, Andrea Bocelli, Seiji Ozawa and others.
In addition to his solo and chamber music activities, Boris N. Lipov has been the first flutist of the Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra and several renowned Viennese ensembles since 1996.

Heinz Kohlbauer

Flute

Heinz Kohlbauer was born in Steyr, Austria.
He studied flute and audio engineering at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and graduated with distinction in both subjects.
A Fulbright Scholarship to study at the University of Miami, further enhanced his education.
He is a founding member of the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra Vienna. Concert tours with this orchestra and several other chamber music ensembles and orchestras have extended over four continents.
Heinz Kohlbauer is an active flute teacher in Vienna and Lower Austria.
Furthermore, he runs his own recording studio Absolute Sound. Postproduction and mastering of several live recordings of the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra Vienna were done in his studio.

Ventzislav Kandev

Flute

Ventzislav Kandev erhielt als Achtjähriger in Plovdiv, Bulgarien den ersten Flötenunterricht.
Später studierte er im Musikgymnasium – Matura im Hauptfach Querflöte, dann an der Städtischen Akademie Sofia, sowie an der Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien bei Prof. Barbara Gisler-Haase.
Für seine zahlreichen solistische und kammermusikalische Auftritte hat er bedeutende Preise bei internationalen Wettbewerben erhalten, u.a. Grand Prix beim Internationalen Kammermusikwettbewerb „Musik und Erde“ – Sofia (Bulgarien), Zweiter Preis (bei Nichtvergabe des 1.Preises) beim Internationalen Flötenwettbewerb „ Friederich Kuhlau“ – Uelzen (Deutschland), sowie Sonderpreis für die beste Interpretation des Konzertes für Flöte und Schlagzeug von Andre Jolivet beim Internationalen Schlagzeugensemblewettbewerb IPCL – Luxemburg.
Parallel zu seinem Studium sammelte Ventzislav Kandev Erfahrungen im Orchesterspiel, zunächst als Piccoloflötist beim Sofia Philharmonie Orchester und als Gast Soloflöte beim „Nationalen Radio-Symphonieorchester“ – Sofia. Es folgten Engagements als Substitut im Orchester der Deutschen Oper – Berlin, Soloflöte-Stelle bei der „Philharmonie der Nationen“ – Berlin, Substitutensondervertrag – „Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra“, sowie Konzertreisen mit „Salzburg Orchester Solisten“ – Kammerensemble des „Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg”.
Ventzislav Kandev ist seit 2010 als Flötenlehrer in Jois und Winden am See (Burgenland) tätig.

Heidi Bosch

Oboe

Magdalena Lucia Puschnig

Oboe

Magdalena Lucia Puschnig was born in Vienna.
She started playing the oboe at the music school with Peter Mayrhofer and continued her studies with Prof. Harald Hörth at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where she graduated successfully in 2018.
She has attended numerous masterclasses and is a 1st prize-winner of various competitions.
Magdalena Lucia Puschnig plays regularly with many well-known Viennese orchestras, such as the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Wiener Symphoniker, the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Wiener Staatsoper stage orchestra, and the orchestra of the Volksoper Vienna.

Maša Prebanda

Clarinet

Maša Prebanda was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
She received her first violin lessons at the age of four. It was not until fourteen that she switched to the clarinet and after only one year of clarinet playing, she was accepted into the class of Prof. Sodja (Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra) at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet.
She was a prize winner at the national competition “Temsig”, received a scholarship for gifted students from the city of Ljubljana and the “Rotary Club” Foundation in Ljubljana.
Besides her education at the Conservatory in Ljubljana, she also participated in master classes with Mate Bekavac.
Maša studied clarinet performance with an emphasis on new music and chamber music at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Prof. Ernst Ottensamer and with Prof. Johann Hindler (both members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra). Then she completed a master’s year with Prof. Gerald Pachinger (Vienna Symphony Orchestra).
Special achievements include being a scholarship recipient from the Ministry of Culture of Ljubljana for the entirety of her studies.
Already as a student she gained numerous experiences as an orchestral musician serving a substitute with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, in the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Volksoper, in the Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra, in the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, with the Vienna Virtuosi, with members of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under the direction of world-famous conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Christoph Eschenbach and Uroš Lajovic.
She has been playing with the Schloss Schönbrunn Orchestra for the past seven years. She tours regularly with them, among others, in South Africa, China, Dubai and throughout Scandinavia.

Tobias Fichtinger

Clarinet

Tobias Fichtinger was born in Stockerau and started playing the clarinet at the age of eight.
Currently, he is completing his master’s degree at the Music and Arts University of Vienna with Mag. Reinhard Wieser.
His musical education includes master classes with Kurt Franz Schmid, Caroline Hartig, Milan Turkovic and others.
Aside from the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra, he plays as a substitute with the Wiener Symphoniker, the RSO Vienna, and the Wiener Konzertverein.
In addition, he teaches clarinet students at an adult education center in Vienna.

Benjamin Schachinger

Clarinet

Benjamin Schachinger graduated his studies (clarinet, music education and chamber music) at mdw Wien with highest honors and was instructed by Ernst Ottensamer, Johann Hindler, Christoph Zimper and Gottfried Pokorny (chamber music).
Substitute activities in the Vienna state opera, Vienna Volksoper, RSO Vienna, Tonkünstler Orchestra, Bruckner Orchestra Linz and many more.
In addition, he is a founding member of the woodwind quintet “qWINDett”, the “Spohr Trio Wien” and the quartet “Foische Wiener Schrammeln”.
Among other prizes and scholarships Benjamin Schachinger was awarded the “SYLFF Grant from the Tokyo Foundation“ and the “Dr. Josef Ratzenböck-scholarship of upper austria”.
Since 2019 he is teaching at the Franz Schmidt-music school in Perchtoldsdorf.

Anna Jurecka

Bassoon

I’ve always loved music! I started playing the recorder when I was four – then the piano.
The bassoon wasn’t love at first sight, but it was at the second.
My music teacher has always put the instrument in the classroom and waited (hoped?) for me to ask if I could try it out. After several years the time had come and I could no longer put this majestic instrument down.
After graduating from high school, I moved from Hungary to Vienna to study bassoon at the music university. Then I completed my masterˋs degree with excellence with David Seidel.
In addition to my teaching work in the music school, I play in various orchestras, but since my Hungarian heart beats for operetts, I prefer to play in this genre. Éljen

Matthew Smith

Bassoon

Matthew Smith is a native austrian freelancing bassoonist, working for Viennas classical and contemporary orchestra scene since the beginning of his studies at the MDW University with Vienna Symphonic Solobassoonist Richard Galler in 2005.
He also taught Contrabassoon at the Arts University of Graz from 2016-2019.

Michael Wachter

Horn

Michael Wachter grew up in St. Georgen im Attergau and received his first horn lessons at the age of 10 from Erhard Zehetner in Kremsmünster, where he also attended the Stiftsgymnasium.
Following his bachelor’s degree with Klaus Zajer, he completed the master’s program with Gerhard Kulmer at the Vienna Conservatory.
Private lessons with Wolfgang Tomböck, Lars Michael Stransky and Franz Söllner rounded out his training.
Michael Wachter won among others prizes in Prima la musica, the Fidelio competition, and Gradus ad Parnassum.
He is a substitute at the Vienna Philharmonic, the Wiener Symphoniker, the Volksoper Vienna, the stage orchestra of the Wiener Staatsoper, and the Lower Austrian Tonkünstler.
Numerous concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, the Vienna Classics, the Strauss Capelle, the Strauss Festival Orchestra among others have taken him around the world.
Michael Wachter has been teaching at the Music School Laxenburg since 2008.

Benedikt Volz

Horn

Benedikt Volz was born 1998, in Vienna.
He began his first horn lessons at the age of six.
From 2007 – 2013, he participated in the Austrian youth music competition “Prima La Musica”, winning multiple first federal prizes. During these years he was also a member of the children’s choir at the Vienna Volksoper.
He has experience with the Weinviertler Festival, the Summerfestival Salzburg, the Seefestspiele Mörbisch, and many more Summerfestivals.
Until June 2017, he received his education at the Vienna Music Gymnasium.
He participated in projects with the Vienna and Lower Austria Youth Symphony Orchestrasand attended several master classes in Austria and Germany with Prof. Hinterholzer, Prof. Jöbstl, and Prof. Höltzl. International Tours with the Young Waldorf Philharmonic, Orchestra Divertimento Viennese, Ensemble Neue Streicher, Schönbrunn Palace Orchestra and others took him to Europe, Skandinavia and China.
Between 2015 and 2022, he was a member of the Angelika Prokopp Summer Academy of the Vienna Philharmonic in Salzburg.
Since 2018, he has been studying horn performance at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Thomas Jöbstl.
He has substitution experience in the stage orchestra and the orchestra of the Volks- and Staatsoper Vienna, as well as the Baden City Theater.

Nevena Sunajac

Horn

Nevena Sunajac was born in Belgrade/Serbia and she took her first horn lessons at the age of twelve.
In 2007, she began studying at the Conservatory Vienna Private University. She completed her bachelor’s degree with honors and is continuing her master’s studies at the Conservatory Vienna Private University and at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz.
She is a laureate of various competitions in Serbia.
She has been a substitute in the RSO Vienna and has performed in various renowned orchestras such as the Wiener Symphoniker, Vienna Chamber Orchester, Tonkünstler Kammerorchester, Haydn Philharmonic, Neue Oper Wien, Stadttheater Baden, Vereinigte Bühnen Wien.

Jörg Schafferer

Trumpet

Jörg Schafferer was born in Vienna in 1972.
He received his first musical education from his father.
At the age of 14, Jörg Schafferer began to study preliminary at the Conservatory Vienna (MUK) with Prof. Schwameis. After that, he studied trumpet with Prof. Karl Steininger and completed his studies with distinction in 1997.
Jörg Schafferer has substituted in many orchestras: Wiener Symphoniker, NÖ Tonkünstler, Volksoper Vienna, VSOP, Ensemble die Reihe, and many others.
On several tours, he has travelled to Scandinavia, Japan, Russia, China, Brazil, USA, Canada, and others.
From 2000-2010, he played at the Kammeroper Vienna.
Since 1998, he has been performing with the Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra.

Josef Hofbauer

Trumpet

Josef Hofbauer was born in Vienna and studied the trumpet with Carole Dawn Reinhart at the Vienna Music University. In 1990, he received his performance degree.
With a wide interest in music styles, he started his own jazz band while still busy with his classical education. Later he continued his studies with the legendary Maurice André.
In 1986, he made his solo debut in the famous Wiener Musikverein.
Concert tours have taken him to most European countries, as well as North Africa, Korea, Japan, China, Brazil, and the United States.
As a soloist, he has fourteen CDs to his credit in various musical styles. Several renowned Austrian composers have written concertos for him.
In 2008, he founded his own band (www.jh5.at) which goes along with him on tours from Monaco to Shanghai.

Christof Zellhofer

Trumpet

Christof Zellhofer studied Trumpet in Vienna and Malmö.
He is currently freelancing in Vienna, playing with all of the great Viennese symphony and opera orchestras, including the orchestra of the Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna Philharmonic, Wiener Symphoniker, orchestra of the Volksoper Vienna, Tonkünstlerorchester Niederösterreich, and the ORF – Radio Symphony Orchestra.
He has played under the baton of international conductors like Riccardo Muti, Franz Welser-Möst, Zubin Metha, Georges Pretre, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Neville Marriner, and many others.
Additionally, you can hear him as soloist and chamber music partner in classical music as well as in the field of jazz, pop, and improvised music.

Filip Rozic

Trombone

His musical career began with Bruno Sulzbacher, where he received his first lessons on the tenor horn at the age of 8.
At 14, he switched to the tenor trombone in the music branch of the Stiftsgymnasium Admont with Siegmund Andraschek. This was followed by the preparatory course at the Anton Bruckner Private University Linz with Johann Reiter.
In addition to the Musikgymnasium Dreihackengasse in Graz, he attended the Johann Joseph Fux Conservatory, where he was taught by Wolfgang Tischhart.
Filip is currently studying at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Otmar Gaiswinkler.
During his ongoing education, he has participated in numerous orchestral projects, such as the Operetta Orchestra Vienna, the SSO and the COOV, which also enabled him to visit countries such as China, the Balkans, Scandinavia, and Japan on tours.

Michael Böhm

Trombone

Svetlosar Dimitrov

Percussion

Daniel Piedl

Percussion

Daniel Piedl was born in Hungary and studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz / Oberschützen under Prof. Martin Kerschbaum.
He plays in numerous ensembles such as the Wiener Symphoniker, Kristjan Järvi’s Absolute Ensemble, La Stagione Frankfurt, Solamente Naturali Bratislava, Il Giardino Armonico, Prisma Vienna, Vienna Johann Strauss Orchestra, Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich, Julian Rachlin & Friends, Concentus Musicus Wien, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Wiener Konzertverein, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Barocca de Sevilla, Strauss Festival Orchestra, Ensemble Kontrapunkte, Solistes Européens Luxembourg, Wiener Kammerphilharmonie, Symphony Orchestra Vorarlberg, Symphony Orchestra of the Volksoper Vienna, Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra, Vienna Mozart Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, Vienna Classical Players, stage orchestra of the Wiener Staatsoper, etc.
Numerous tours at home and abroad.
Since 2011, he has been a full member of the orchestra at the Stadttheater Baden.

Emma Frauenholz

Percussion

Pavel Singer

Piano

Dessislava Atanassova

Piano