Bio-Graf-ical stuff

The fascination of the guitar lies in its versatility. From fragile sounds of an acoustic guitar to powerful sound cascades with electronic devices and amplification.

O. K. I am not a purist - the guitar is like the real life: complex and a challange.

I like challenges !

The facts:

born in Austria/EU

High school (BORG Wr. Neustadt) with an emphasis on music

1986-1992: Studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna: Guitar Performance and Instrumental Pedagogy with Prof. Walter Würdinger

1990: Bachelor of Music ("Staatliche Lehrbefähigung")

Diploma Thesis "Teaching Concepts for the Electric Guitar²

1993: Diploma: Summa Cum Laude; Degree: Master of Arts

1993: Music award from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research

Scholarship award from the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna
Scholarship award from the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research

1993/94: Postgraduate studies in jazz theory, arrangement, flm music, and jazz guitar at the Berklee College of Music in Boston/USA (with the friendly support of austro mechana/SKE); "Summa Cum Laude"

April/Juni 1994: Scholarship Awards from the USC, L.A and the USF, Miami

1995: Assistant Lecturer at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA for Studio/Jazz Guitar und Sight Reading

Since 1996: Free-lancing composer, arranger, producer, gitarrist, and author of several music theory and pedagogy publications.

1997: Guest lecture ("Pedagogy and Improvisation") at the Conference of International Association of Jazz Educators in Chicago/USA

1997: Participant at the computer music festival eXstatic in Melbourne, Australia

1998: Theodor-Körner-Award for Composition

1999: Composition Award of Lower Austria

February 2000: Prize-holder of the Jeunesse Austria music competition "Find It"

July 2001: Commissioned composition for the Göttinger Symphonie Orchester (Germany)

October 2001: Invitation to the Festival Musica Danubiana 2001 in Slowenia

November 2001: Invitation to the Korean Electro Acoustic Music Society Computer Music Festival 2001 in Seoul

March 2002: New ensemble: Richard Graf Trio with Jon Sass and Richard Filz

May 2002: World premiere "Differences" in Göttingen, Germany

June 2002 Commissioned composition for the Wiener Glasharmonika Duo

Dec. 2002: CD auf der flucht (Video and Music art)

May 2003 Invitation to the Int. Art Symposium "Nine Dragon Heads" 2003

2003: Composition grant by the Bundeskanzleramt, commissioned composition for the Weber Trio Vienna

Sept 2003: New CD "reine gegenwart" by the Vienna Glasharmonika Duo (ORF-Production) containing "Sekunden zur Ewigkeit" (Richard Graf)

January 2004: Vienna Symphinic Orchestra composition grant, commissioned composition for the ensemble Vienna Five

February 2004: New publication: beat it LATIN

March 2004 France-Tour

September 2004: New publication: World Music Christmas

October 2004: Invitation to intersonanzen - festival of contemporary music in Potsdam

Workshop/lecture at the Hochschule für Künste, Bremen

Membership:

Board member of the Association of Composers of Lower Austria (Interessengemeinschaft NÖ Komponisten - INÖK), www.inoek.at

International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE)

Austrian Composers Society (ÖKB),

Publications:

"Pedagogical Aspects of Teaching and Learning Jazz Improvisation" (IAJE Publications, Manhatten, USA)

"The Chord Scale Theory and Jazz Harmony" (Advance Music, ISBN 3-89221-056-X)

Solo-CD: "RICH ART - Contemporary Classical Guitar" (RA Records)

Editor of "Guitar Guide" (Universal Edition)

Author and editor of "World Music - Ireland" (Universal Edition)

Author and editor of "World Music - Cuba" (Universal Edition)

Author and editor of "Guitar for 2" (Universal Edition)

Author and editor of "beat it - guitar percussion & groove ensemble" (Universal Edition)

Author and editor of Guitar for 2, vol. 2 (Universal Edition)

Author and editor of beat it - Guitar Percussion LATIN und
beat it - Groove Ensemble LATIN (both Universal Edition)

Author and editor of World Music Christmas (Universal Edition)

Compositions:

Several commissioned compositions: chamber music, music for choir, computermusic, music for theater, compositions und arrangements for broadcast; many jazz compositionen and arrangements.


Activities:

Since 1990 numerous performances at the Vienna National Opera ("Wiener Volksoper") and the Vienna National Theater ("Burgtheater").

Performances with the "Orchestra of Lower Austria²

Studio musician and arranger

Performances in the USA and Europe

Since 1995 lecturer of many workshops, seminars,...

Director of the RICH ART Ensemble, member of the NewTon Ensemble, engagements with the Ensemble 20. Jahrhundert, the "Neue Oper Wien", and with the Radio Symphonie Orchestra Vienna

Head of the CD label RICH ART Records

Works in the field of multimedia/computer music:
1997: Participant at the computer music festival eXstatic in Melbourne, Australia

January 1999: Video "auf der flucht" - Kunststücke/ORF;

Computeranimation "Dancing Baby" - prize-winner at the CeBit 1999 in Hannover

More Infos:

http://www.jazzharmony.net