Contemporary Viennese improvisation at its finest
The history of Vienna, the city of music, has brought together three top musicians. Moving between classical ideals, jazz grooves, and many original compositions, all three musicians have produced music with a deep and authentic quality, possessing an excessive level of virtuosity.
The ultimate chamber music born from improvisation! When it comes to finding a good trumpet partner, Georg Breinschmidt's motto is "To Gansch or not to Gansch"!
And if you are missing a violinist as the third member of your trio, of course you choose Schmidt over Schmiedl. If you really want to groove, the Trinity is the best music. The foundation of the ultimate combo is born from great ideas that make you forget about genre boundaries.
The joy of making music translates directly into expression, and of course humor is an essential element, but best of all, it's all based on the grace of the individual musicians.
According to them, Rossini's William Tell Overture shows the possibilities of jazz that go far beyond the boundaries of classical music. However, the three artists go beyond Rossini and draw on all the works that have colored the history of music, creating improvised music that can only be experienced in that moment with a sparkle on stage. Moreover, Blein, Schmidt & Gansch play as if it were natural, without any sense of the complexity of the performance technique.
It would take a dangerous word to describe it, but if I may say so, the entertainment created by these friends of crime and music is addictive and dangerously addictive!
Georg Breinschmid, Kontrabass
A specialist in the double bass, he is an outstanding composer and lyricist, working between all styles. He is also one of the greatest contemporary composers and lyricists. He studied classical music at the Vienna Philharmonic and elsewhere, and although he is based in jazz, he is deeply involved in a completely unconventional repertoire, but he also has a wide range of genres, from Viennese song to classical music, from Dadaism to cabaret music. His creative fertility is expressed in the kaleidoscopic 2-CD set "Double Brain" and in a variety of stage programs, ranging from the highest classical music to absurd wordplay.
Born in Vienna in 1973. Studied double bass at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. While studying there, he played in Vienna's famous orchestras and was active as a chamber musician. At the same time, he began working as a jazz musician. From 1994 to 1996, he was a member of the Tonkünstler Orchestra, and from 1996 to 1998, he was a member of the Vienna Philharmonic.
He soon decided to turn his back on his orchestral career to concentrate on jazz. By 1999, he had established himself as one of the most versatile and accomplished musicians in the world of jazz. He has performed with Archie Shepp, Charlie Mariano, Birelli Lagrene, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Vienna Art Orchestra, Trilogy, Megablast, Harry Sokal, and others. Since 2005, he has also emerged as a composer.
Benjamin Schmidt, Violin
The Vienna-born violinist Benjamin Schmidt, who has been called the second coming of Kreisler, has a repertoire of over 75 concertos, and has achieved success not only in classical music but also in jazz, leading the music scene with his extraordinary artistry. He has built a close relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic and has appeared as a soloist at the Salzburg Festival and concerts at Schönbrunn Palace.
He has released over 50 albums and received many awards, including the Echo Music Prize. He won the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition in 1992, where he also received the Mozart Prize, Beethoven Prize and the Audience Prize. He is a professor at the Mozarteum Salzburg and was a member of the jury at the Munich International Music Competition and the jury president at the Leopold Mozart International Violin Competition. He regularly collaborates with renowned conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Riccardo Chailly, Yuri Temirkanov and Hannu Lint, as well as with the Vienna Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
The instrument used is a 1718 Stradivarius “ex-Viotti” on loan from the Austrian National Bank.
Thomas Gansch, Trompete
Thomas Gansch is not only one of the most versatile trumpet players of his generation, but also a true entertainer, always ready with a joke but never losing sight of the music.
Born in Sankt Pölten in 1975, he learned the trumpet from his father, Johann Gansch. At the age of 15, he moved to Vienna to study trumpet at the University of Music and Performing Arts. In 1992, while still a student, he formed the Mnozil Brass with some fellow students at the age of just 19.
After six years of classical studies, he decided to graduate in 1997 and turn to his beloved jazz. From 1998 to 2006 he played with the legendary Vienna Art Orchestra, which he still describes as his "real" student years.
In addition to countless collaborations with musicians around the world and performing in over 50 countries, he composes for various ensembles in addition to the Mnotzil Brass.