Vienna Arts united
FRIENDS
The Philharmonic Brass
“They come together in perfect harmony, which I find both relaxing and fulfilling. The sound they produce is consistently rich and round, even in the loudest passages. This is a testament to their cultural sophistication, as they seamlessly transition from pianissimo to fortissimo with a refined sound. This experience is invaluable, and I hope it continues to educate and delight audiences.”
Riccardo Muti
The Philharmonic Brass was founded on the vision of uniting the diversity and excellence of European brass artistry within a single ensemble. Internationally renowned soloists from leading orchestras form a 20-member formation that combines the transparency of chamber music with the power and brilliance of a symphonic brass sound. Tailor-made arrangements and original compositions allow the ensemble to fully explore its exceptional technical virtuosity, stylistic versatility and rich tonal spectrum.
The artistic profile of The Philharmonic Brass has been significantly shaped through collaborations with distinguished conductors such as Riccardo Muti and Tugan Sokhiev. Their musical guidance has influenced the ensemble’s distinctive sound and artistic direction. Concert tours have taken The Philharmonic Brass to prestigious concert halls and major festivals across Europe and Asia, where the ensemble has been celebrated for its virtuosity, precision and vibrant musical energy.
Ensemble Wien-Berlin
In 1983, a small music festival in the south of Lower Saxony invited five first wind players of the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic to make music together, from which the Ensemble Wien-Berlin emerged.
In the founding year, the musicians undertook their first major tour and established their reputation as an internationally outstanding wind quintet within a very short time. The Ensemble Wien-Berlin is a guest in the most renowned concert halls and can be seen at festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, the Mozartwoche Salzburg, the Wiener Festwochen, the Lucerne Festival and the Rheingau Music Festival. His repertoire includes almost all works for wind quintet, with a clear accent on the music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Century; among others, it baptised contemporary pieces by Wolfgang Rihm or Brett Deans, which were dedicated to the ensemble. An extensive discography documents the work of the ensemble over many years: most recently, the two LIVE recordings from the Vienna Konzerthaus were published by FONTEC.
Over time, the Ensemble Wien-Berlin experienced recasts. In addition, the musicians have always kept it open to expanding the regular cast depending on the chosen literature. Their partners include Maurizio Pollini, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Alexander Lonquich, Simon Rattle and Lars Vogt.
Sebastian Bru
Cellist Sebastian Bru, born in Vienna in 1987 into an Argentine-Austrian family of musicians, received his first musical training at the age of eight from his father, Ricardo Bru. He later studied with Josef Podhoransky in Bratislava and Robert Nagy at the Konservatorium Wien Privatuniversität, further refining his artistry in masterclasses with Clemens Hagen, David Geringas, Steven Isserlis, and Heinrich Schiff.
After winning a highly competitive audition, he joined the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (Vienna Philharmonic) in 2006. In the 2010/11 season he served as Principal Cellist of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, and since 2016 he has held the position of Principal Cellist of the Vienna Philharmonic.
As a soloist, Bru has appeared internationally with orchestras including the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional of Buenos Aires. He is also regularly invited to perform with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Dresden, and the Munich Philharmonic.
A passionate chamber musician, he collaborates with artists such as Rudolf Buchbinder, Rainer Honeck, and Stefan Stroissnig, with whom he released the recital album a deux on Sony Classical in 2019.
Sebastian Bru performs on the Guadagnini violoncello “ex Zweygberg”, generously provided by the Austrian National Bank.
Karl-Heinz Schütz
Karl-Heinz Schütz is Principal Flutist of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. He studied with Eva Amsler, Aurèle Nicolet, and Philippe Bernold, completing his studies with distinction at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon (CNSM Lyon) in 2000.
During his studies, he already gained international recognition by winning the Carl Nielsen International Flute Competition (1998) and the International Flute Competition in Kraków (1999), marking the beginning of his international career.
Since then, Karl-Heinz Schütz has appeared worldwide as a soloist with renowned conductors including Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Neville Marriner, and Fabio Luisi, performing with leading orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
An acclaimed chamber musician, he regularly appears at major international festivals including the Salzburg Festival. Since 2005, he has served as Professor at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna (MUK) and gives masterclasses internationally.
Numerous recordings document his wide-ranging repertoire from Bach to Boulez. He is a member of Ensemble Wien-Berlin and the Wiener Ringensemble.
Albena Danailova
Albena Danailova is Concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Born in Sofia, the violinist studied at the University of Music and Theatre in Rostock and in Hamburg with Petru Munteanu, and attended masterclasses with distinguished artists including Ida Haendel and Herman Krebbers. After completing her studies, she joined the Bavarian State Orchestra, where she became Principal of the First Violins and subsequently First Concertmaster. In the 2003/04 season, she also served as Concertmaster of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Since September 2008, she has held the position of Concertmaster of the Vienna State Opera Orchestra.
A prizewinner at numerous international competitions and a semi-finalist at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, she performs worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician. She has appeared with orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, collaborating with conductors including Seiji Ozawa, Georges Prêtre, and Andris Nelsons.
Since 2020, she has been Professor at the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. She performs on the Stradivarius “Ex-Haemmerle,” kindly provided by the Austrian National Bank.
Philharmonic Generations Vienna
Philharmonic Generations Vienna was founded in autumn 2018 by Fritz Pfeiffer, former principal horn of the Vienna Philharmonic, who today also appears as a conductor. A formative influence on Pfeiffer’s artistic vision was his collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, whom he regarded as both mentor and role model. Bernstein’s commitment to an open society and his unique ability to transcend cultural boundaries ultimately inspired the creation of the orchestra.
Guided by the motto “Building Bridges – Through Music,” Philharmonic Generations Vienna brings together former members of the Vienna Philharmonic with exceptionally talented young musicians. This collaboration unites experience with new artistic perspectives, ensuring that the rich Viennese musical tradition is both preserved and continuously renewed.
The orchestra’s repertoire embraces the great works of the Viennese tradition alongside contemporary compositions. Since 2019, the ensemble has regularly presented the Chinese New Year Concert in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein, celebrating the cultural friendship between China and Austria.
Beyond its performances in Austria, Philharmonic Generations Vienna is also active internationally. Through dedicated projects, the orchestra collaborates with young musicians from various countries, working intensively on selected repertoire that is later presented in concerts and tours. In this way, the ensemble serves as a platform for musical dialogue, intercultural exchange, and the vibrant continuation of Vienna’s distinguished musical heritage.
Ad cor
Unusual and long forgotten, the baryton possesses a uniquely beautiful and almost magical sound. With six gut strings and frets, similar to a viola da gamba, and an additional set of sympathetic strings at the back, the instrument is exceptional both visually and sonically.
Between the Baroque and Classical eras, it found one of its greatest admirers in Prince Nikolaus Esterházy, who played it himself and performed regularly with his court musicians.
Joseph Haydn became its most important composer, writing more than 120 trios for baryton, viola and cello, as well as other works. Andreas Lidl and Luigi Tomasini also contributed significant repertoire for the Prince’s favorite instrument. Most works were written between 1765 and 1775 and have been preserved in music archives.
Maddalena Del Gobbo, soloist recording with Deutsche Grammophon, performs this repertoire together with two members of the Vienna Philharmonic: Tamás Varga, Principal Cellist, and Robert Bauerstatter.