Martin Grubinger

»Incomparable« (Wiener Zeitung) »A master of breathtaking high speed« (New York Times) »… vital primal force and artistic finesse« (Die Welt) Born in Salzburg in 1983, percussionist Martin Grubinger studied at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz and the Salzburg Mozarteum. From a young age, he attracted attention at international competitions. Soon he was performing throughout Europe in recitals and concerts with major orchestras, such as the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, the Dresden Philharmonic, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. He achieved sensational success at festivals in Baden-Baden, Bregenz, Salzburg, and Schleswig-Holstein. 2006    Presents his much-acclaimed major project »The Percussive Planet« for the first time at the Beethovenfest Bonn, featuring works by 12 composers from all continents. He performs six concerts at the Vienna Musikverein, including two composed especially for him. 2007    Receives the Leonard Bernstein Award at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. World premiere of Avner Dorman's Frozen in Time. For the 2007/08 season, Martin Grubinger is nominated by the Wiener Konzerthaus for the renowned concert series »Rising Stars«, in which he performs as a soloist in some of the world's most famous concert halls: Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Megaron in Athens, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Kölner Philharmonie, and Carnegie Hall in New York. 2008    Artist-in-residence at the Leipzig Gewandhaus in the 2008/09 season; he gives several recitals and concerts there and conducts a major educational project. Performances of Rolf Wallin's Das war schön! in Riga and Trier, as well as at the festivals in Schleswig-Holstein and Trondheim. 2009    Festival appearances in Salzburg and Schleswig-Holstein. Further performances of Wallin's Das war schön! with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and the Dresden Philharmonic. Gives the world premiere of the Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, written for him by Friedrich Cerha, with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg under the direction of Ivor Bolton. 2010    Further performances of Avner Dorman's Frozen in Time in Colombia and on a tour with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Andris Nelsons with appearances in Weimar and at the festivals in Lucerne, Rheingau, and Grafenegg. Performances with, among others, the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra under Peter Eötvös (Bruno Hartl's Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra), the Hamburg Philharmonic under Pietari Inkinen, the Munich Philharmonic under James Gaffigan, and the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. »The Percussive Planet« in Cologne, Hamburg, and Munich. Numerous other concerts and recitals (also with his father) as well as many masterclasses and workshops. Signs an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. His first recording for the yellow label is released in October: »Drums 'n' Chant«. In it, he plays along to the Gregorian chants of the monks of the Benedictine Abbey of Münsterschwarzach and presents the incredible diversity of his dynamic percussion. A live recording of his acclaimed project »The Percussive Planet« is released as a second publication on DVD in 2011. Is awarded the Würth Prize by Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland. In its justification, the jury praises his »instrumental perfection«, »radiant stage presence«, and his playing bordering on »magic«. It also emphasizes his commitment »to a humanistic society and against anti-Semitism and right-wing extremism«; it further states that he implements this concern »in his courses and workshops with young people and brings together very heterogeneous groups to make music together«. 2011    Further performances of Cerha's concerto are planned with the Gewandhausorchester under the direction of Chailly and the Vienna Philharmonic under Ozawa; Wallin's Das war schön! with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in its hometown and on an extensive tour through Austria and Germany; appearances at the festivals in Salzburg and Istanbul; concerts with the Dresden Philharmonic and the NDR Symphony Orchestra (Corigliano's The Conjurer), the Orchestra of the Beethovenhalle Bonn, the Symphony Orchestras of Nuremberg and Kansas City (Dorman's Frozen in Time), the hr-Sinfonieorchester, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, the Camerata Salzburg, the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, the Bruckner Orchestra Linz, and the Young German Philharmonic; »The Percussive Planet« in Munich; numerous recitals in Germany and Austria (including several joint appearances with his father); in May, Grubinger participates in the Aids benefit concert in Munich. 9/2010