Program
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Rondo Alla Turca (arr. Markel)
Leonard Bernstein
"Somewhere" from West Side Story (arr. Markel)
Richard Peaslee
Arrows of Time
Giacomo Puccini
"Che gelida manina" from La Bohème (arr. Ferro)
Georges Bizet
Carmen Fantasy (arr. Elkjer)
Ricardo Mollá Albero
Fantasia Concertante
Nino Rota
"Parla piú piano" from The Godfather (arr. Wise)
Biographies
With his solo playing described as being “beautifully controlled with a vocal sound”, Italian trombonist Peter Steiner is recognized across the world as “a new trombone star within his generation”, “playing with total control”. His performances with some of the world’s most prestigious ensembles and solo recitals across the globe have helped form him into the artist that he is today.
At the age of 23, Steiner was appointed Trombonist of the Vienna State Opera and Vienna Philharmonic for the 2016-2017 season. Prior to that engagement he served as Principal Trombonist with the Colorado Symphony for the 2014-2015 season. He has performed as guest trombonist with the Munich Philharmonic, Staatskapelle Dresden, New York Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
In January 2017 his debut album UNITED was released under the HELLOSTAGE Label, in collaboration with Hsiao-Ling Lin (piano) and Silver Ainomäe (cello). Following the official release, he toured the US extensively on a three week CD Release tour, giving 19 recitals at some of the most prestigious conservatories and universities in the US. In collaboration with the InnStrumenti (Austria), Steiner gave the world premiere of Eric Ewazen’s Visions of Light (Chamber Orchestra Version) in the fall of 2016. He has been featured as soloist with guest recitals during the 2016 and 2017 International Trombone Festival. Other solo performances have taken him to North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. On the international competition front, he is the second prize winner of the 2015 SliderAsia Tenor Trombone Competition in Hong Kong. In 2014, he was a finalist in three competitions held by the International Trombone Association, including the Lewis van Haney-Tenor Trombone Orchestral Excerpt Competition, the Frank Smith-Tenor Trombone Competition and the Robert Marsteller-Tenor Trombone Competition.
Steiner began his studies at the Music Conservatory in his hometown of Bolzano, Italy before continuing his study at The Mozarteum of Salzburg (Austria). In 2016 he graduated from The Juilliard School in New York City with a Performance Diploma. His major teachers and influences include Joseph Alessi, Warren Deck, Nitzan Haroz, and Dany Bonvin. Steiner is a Performing Artist for the Thein Instrument Company and performs on his signature model “Bel Canto”.
Constanze Hochwartner received her first piano lessons at the young age of three, before being accepted into a class for gifted students in 2005 at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria. After graduating from high school, she switched her focus from piano to organ and started her studies in concert performance for organ with Univ. Prof. Ulrich Walther. Simultaneously, she studied instrumental and vocal pedagogy with an additional focus on piano and graduated in the Fall of 2017. In October 2017 she started her Master's degree studying with Karin Tafeit (organ) at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. She has also been mentored by Univ. Prof. Gunther Rost.
Constanze has given solo performances around the globe, including organ concerts in Europe, the United States and South America. She performed as a soloist in the Graz Cathedral in 2015 and 2016 and at the “Grazer Orgelfrühling” 2016 in the Herz Jesu-Kirche in Graz. In June 2017 she gave a recital in the parish church of St. Xaver in Leoben and concerts with the brass ensemble of the University of Music and Performing Arts.
In 2017, Constanze began collaborating with trombonist Peter Steiner and formed the Duo Steiner-Hochwartner. For their debut 2017/2018 season the Duo maintained an ambitious international performance schedule, including an 8-week USA tour (40 concerts), a concert at the Wartburg Festival (Eisenach,Germany), and a series of concerts in Europe (Switzerland, Italy, and Austria). The 2018/2019 season highlights include a 3-month World Tour with both solo organ recitals and performances with the Duo in South America, Asia, Europe and the United States. Other upcoming performances with the Duo during the 2018-2019 season include a tour in Japan and two additional USA tours. Constanze’s debut album Sapphire, in collaboration with Peter Steiner, will be released in 2019.