Mathias Rüegg | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1952-12-08)8 December 1952 (age 72) Zurich, Switzerland |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Composer,bandleader,director |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Website | http://www.vao.at/v2/display.php?id=63 |
Mathias Rüegg (born 8 December 1952)[1] is a European musician, composer, and bandleader best known as founder and director of theVienna Art Orchestra from 1977 to 2010.
Born inZurich, Switzerland, son of linguist Robert Rüegg,[2] Mathias Rüegg began playingjazz in secondary school. Trained as a schoolteacher, he taught for a while inspecial-needs schools. From 1973 to 1975 he attended the Musikhochschule inGraz, Austria, studying classical composition and jazz piano. InVienna he performed in a nightclub as a solo jazz pianist, joined later by saxophonistWolfgang Puschnig. The duo formed the core of an ensemble that in 1977 became theVienna Art Orchestra.[1]
Rüegg's distinctive, often humorous compositions have drawn on a range of influences, from traditional folk music to classics. He has also led the VAO to explore thebig band repertory of American jazz composers such asDuke Ellington. Besides the traditional big-band complement, his orchestrations have prominently featured such instruments as the tuba, piccolo, bass clarinet, alphorn, exotic percussion, and wordless vocals. Rüegg has composed hundreds of pieces for the Vienna Art Orchestra, other Europeanbig bands, and classical orchestras, as well astheatre music andfilm music. Since 1994 he has composed several works for soloist andchamber orchestra.
Besides managing the VAO, Rüegg has conducted workshops in Europe, worked as artistic director for music festivals, and headed multimedia and music-related projects. From 1983 to 1987 he directed the Vienna Art Choir. In 1991, he produced the filmMozart's Balls, commissioned by theBBC for the 1991 Mozart Year.
Rüegg founded the Porgy & Bess music club in Vienna and the Hans Koller Prize for Austrian jazz.
In 2011, in New York he composed the music for the new show of theBig Apple Circus.
In 2013, he arranged for and played piano for singerLia Pale from Wels,Upper Austria.
With theVienna Art Orchestra
With others
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