On the occasion of Anton Bruckner’s 200th birthday in September 2024, we welcome the Atalante Quartett in concert at the Austrian Embassy. The musicians pay tribute to the great Austrian composer with their program 1824 - Bruckner’s Schubert.
Throughout his life, Anton Bruckner admired Franz Schubert as a person, his music and especially his vocal works. For this reason, the Atalante Quartett will perform the only string quartet ever composed by Anton Bruckner, as well as Schubert’s Quartet No. 14, “Death and the Maiden”, without a doubt one of the most influential works of chamber music, composed exactly 200 years ago.
Founded in 2014, the Atalante Quartett focuses on historically informed performances, where the interpretation should be as close as possible to the composer’s original intentions. The artists cherish the tradition of quartet playing. They find great joy in making music together, in inspiring, challenging and encouraging one another. They are members of the Bruckner Orchester Linz.
PROGRAM
Anton Bruckner | String Quartet in C minor, WAB 111
Franz Schubert | String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, Death and the Maiden, D 810
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Julia Kürner | Violin
Born in Wels, Austria, Julia began playing the violin at the age of five. In 2002, she joined Prof. Ulla Schulz at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna for introductory coursework, followed by studies with Prof. Gerhard Schulz (Alban Berg Quartet) and Professor Lieke Te Winkel (concert master of the Tonkünstler Orchester of Lower Austria). She continued her study of chamber music with Professor Johannes Meissl (Artis Quartet), who has been an important source of artistic inspiration for her. Later, Hatto Beyerle (founding member of the Alban Berg Quartet) influenced her way of musical thinking and expression. The artist is an experienced soloist as well as a chamber music performer, she was a member of the WahlKüren Quartet for 11 years, and has been a longstanding concert master. Julia enjoys the role of section leader in various orchestras on national and international level as well as working with students, and is also the founder and artistic director of the Upper Austrian Mozartensemble. Since 2018, she has been the artistic director of the new Festival “Im Rampenlicht”. Julia has performed with a number of renowned Austrian orchestras, such as the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Tonkünstler Orchestra of Lower Austria. Since 2012 she has held the position of 1st violin and is a permanent member of the Bruckner Orchester Linz.
Elisabeth Eber | Violin
Born in Vienna, Elisabeth received her first lessons with J. Polatschek and Veronika Schulz. In 2017, she studied with professor J. Pospichal at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, and studied chamber music with Prof. J. Meissl before receiving a masters degree in 2019. Elisabeth completed further coursework with G. Shaham, T. Becker-Bender, C. Altenburger, D. Gaede, R. Pasquier and J. Hell. Her musical understanding has also been expanded through her performances in various chamber music formations. She has performed with the Festivalorchestra of Schleswig Holstein, the Tonküstler Orchestra of Lower Austria, and the Bühnenorchester of the Vienna State Opera House. Elisabeth is also part of the Upper Austrian Mozartensemble and has been a permanent member of the Bruckner Orchester Linz since 2017.
Thomas Koslowsky | Viola
Born in Düsseldorf, Germany, Thomas moved to Linz in 1985, where he received his grammar school education at the Musikgymnasium Stifterstraße under the mentorship of Balduin Sulzer. He also performed in several concerts with the Mozartchor and Franz Welser-Möst. He continued his violin and viola studies with Martha Bröderer and Prof. Josef Sabaini at the Bruckner Conservatory Linz, and did additional coursework in percussion and jazz. Thomas went on to study at the Mozarteum in Salzburg with Thomas Riebl and Veronika Hagen. In 2003, he was a finalist at the 10th International Johannes Brahms Competition in Pörtschach, Austria, in the category ‘viola solo’. He played in the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra conducted by Franz Welser-Möst and Claudio Abbado. From 2004 to 2012, Thomas was part of the Ambassador String Quartet, and he is a founding member of the Ensemble Quin Tête-à-Tête, which has 2 CD productions (“Bon Appetit” in 2010, “Frisch Gestrichen” in 2013). In 2022, he was part of the Bayreuther Festspiel Orchestra. Since 2003 Thomas has been a permanent member of the Bruckner Orchester Linz, and is currently also a permanent member of the Upper Austrian Mozartensemble and the ensemble Harmonices mundi.
Lisa Kürner | Cello
Born in 1989 in Wels, Austria, Lisa received her first cello lessons with Elisabeth Ragl at the age of seven. She later went on to study cello with Heidi Litschauer and Enrico Bronzi at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg. In the fall of 2011, Lisa went to Vienna to complete her studies with Reinhard Latzko at the University of Music and Performing Arts, where she graduated with distinction in 2014. From 2000 until 2011, Lisa was a member of the WahlKüren Quartet. During those years she was influenced by Hatto Beyerle and Johannes Meissl. Afterwards, Lisa played for one year in the Simply Quartet, before forming the Atalante Quartett in 2014. Lisa holds multiple prizes from “Prima la musica” and has been a successful participant in international competitions such as Antonio Janigro held in Porec, Croatia, and the International Cello Competition in Liezen, Austria. In 2011, she was the duo partner of Heinrich Schiff at the Brucknerhaus in Linz for his birthday concert. Since 2017 Lisa has been a music teacher at the Landesmusikschulwerk in Upper Austria and is also section leader of the Upper Austrian Mozartensemble and of the Festival Orchestra in St. Gallen. Further sources of orchestral experience have come from being a part of projects such as Spira Mirabilis in Fromigine, Italy, as well as being a substitute for both the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Bruckner Orchester Linz.
Image © Reinhard Winkler
Event in cooperation with OÖ KulturEXPO Anton Bruckner 2024 and Sparkasse Neuhofen.