Alexander Wagendristel

Alexander Wagendristel was born in 1965 in Vienna, Austria, where he also studied flute (with Werner Tripp) and composition (with Erich Urbanner). He graduated from both studies with distinction. He also attended a flute masterclass with Aurèle Nicolet and the Darmstadt summer courses in 1988. Since 1987, he is a member of the ”Vereinigte Bühnen Wien“ Orchestra. His over 200 works of all genres from chamber to music theater have earned prizes at several competitions and received awards from the Austrian Ministry of Culture, the City of Vienna, and others. His music has been performed in Austria, Europe and abroad at festivals like Wien Modern, steirischer herbst, Bridges, hörgänge etc, by renowned ensembles such as Ensemble Kontrapunkte, die reihe, ensemble XXI. jahrhundert, Ensemble LUX, Kreisler String Trio, Alea Contemporary Music Ensemble (Skopje), Studio for New Music Ensemble (Moscow), SoNoR Ensemble (Baku) and many more.

In 1995, his first opera „Der Narr“ was premiered to much critical and public acclaim at the Schönbrunn Palace Theater, Vienna and in 2001, his piano concerto „TYPHON“ was chosen by the Austrian ISCM section for a performance in the Vienna Konzerthaus. The same work was also included in the 2007 ISCM World Music Festival in Hongkong. In 2010, he was commissioned to compose the music for the Austrian pavillon at the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai.

2020 saw the very successful world premiere of his chamber opera „Ewiger Frieden“ in Vienna, and in 2021 his string quartet “tête-á-bête” earned the special prize of the INÖK in the competition “Kompositionspreis 2020/21”.

Other performances of his music include festivals and concerts at various places throughout Europe and abroad. From 1988 to 1992 he was a member of the improvisation group “Things of NowNow” together with drummer/composer Lukas Ligeti. Further collaborations include visual artist Anna Mitterer (short film “Sonate”, 2008; short film "Queen of the Air“, 2019) and electronic musician/DJane Susanne Kirchmayr aka Electric Indigo.

Wagendristel is also a sought-after arranger who has worked in many genres. Among many others he has delivered transcriptions and arrangements for Vienna Horns, Art of Brass Vienna, Wiener Symphoniker, Ensemble Kontrapunkte, Webern Kammerchor, Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, Jazzfest Wien and cellist Friedrich Kleinhapl.

In 2002, together with Roland Freisitzer and Thomas Heinisch, he founded the Vienna-based New Music ensemble „reconsil“, which has premiered over 200 new works since.