|
The Austrian choral conductor, Johannes Hiemetsberger, took conducting lessons with Johannes Prinz, Erwin Ortner and many other renowned choral conductors. After studying the trumpet with Josef Eidenberger at the Brucknerkonservatorium in Linz for four years (1986-1990), in 1990 he enrolled at the University for Music in Vienna (music pedagogy, choral conducting with Johannes Prinz and Herwig Reiter). Two years later he continued his studies at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (conducting with Georg Mark as well as R. Schwarz and specializing in Early Music).
During his studies he acquired extensive experience not only as a singer but also as a rehearsal assistant with various Viennese choirs. Since 1992 he has passed on this experience at numerous choir workshops and choral conducting seminars both in Austria and abroad. In the summer of 2000, for instance, he has been invited to the „Europa Cantat“ in Nevers/France. Since 1996 he has organized the vocal workshop CANTATA, which takes place at his home community of Kaltenberg every summer.
In 1996 Johannes Hiemetsberger graduated from the University for Music in Vienna with distinction and received the Federal Esteem Award of the Ministry for Education and the Arts. In the same year he was also rewarded with the „Erwin Ortner Foundation“ prize for the promotion of choral music.
Johannes Hiemetsberger is founder (1991) and Artistic Director of Chorus sine nomine, Company of Music and numerous youth chorus initiatives, including Neue Wiener Stimmen 2010-2013 and the Upper Austrian State Youth Chorus (2000-2005). Whilst working with Chorus sine nomine, he has been responsible for the rehearsals with the Viennese Opera Theatre Choir (1997) as well as for the Summer Festival in Klosterneuburg (since 1998). As a conductor, he collaborates regularly with orchestras like the Orchester Wiener Akademie, L'Orfeo Barockorchester, Camerata Salzburg, Wiener Symphoniker brass ensemble and the ensemble die reihe, as well as the NDR-Chor, Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and Sociedad de Coral de Bilbao and others.
Johannes Hiemetsberger and his ensembles have a wide repertory ranging from music of the Renaissance to modern compositions, perform regularly in the Konzerthaus and Musikverein in Vienna, with Musikalische Jugend Österreichs (Jeunesse), the Salzburg Festival Pfingsten Barock, Styriarte, the International Bruckner Festival in Linz, the Wien Modern festival, Milano Musica, the Ravenna Festival and others. This season’s debuts include the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg and the Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore.
In 1998 Johannes Hiemetsberger conducted J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245) at the Festival del Aurora in Crotone, ltaly. Since September 1998 he has taught conducting at the University of Music in Vienna (Department for Sacred Music and Musical Pedagogy) as well as the Diocese Conservatory of Vienna. Among the works for choir and orchestra, which as director of the Chorus sine nomine he has conducted are: Haydn's Creation, W.A. Mozart's Requiem and the Big Mass in C-minor, Georg Frideric Handel's Messiah and J.S. Bach's Johannes-Passion (BWV 245).
Johannes Hiemetsberger has been the artistic director of the Stimmen Festival in Freistadt, Upper Austria, since 2008, and is regularly invited to lead workshops and master-classes worldwide (the Europa Cantat festivals in France and Spain, workshops in the USA, Taiwan, the Philippines, Finnland, Germany and Italy). He teaches choral and ensemble conducting at the University of Fine Arts Vienna, where he also directs several ensembles (Webern Kammerchor 2011-2016, Groove Ensemble 2012-2017, Nrebew Consort since 2016).
In regards to the a-cappella repertoire - Johannes Hiemetsbergers secret love - he is eager to improve his singers range of expression and seeks to bring out the fine nuances of the choir's sound, his favorite instrument.
Johannes Hiemetsberger was awarded the Erwin Ortner Fund Prize as well as the Ferdinand Grossmann Prize. |
