Exceptional concert

Linz Music School: Dracula’s house and court music

Katharina Stemberger and stepfather Kurt Schwertsik: the actress also dropped by the Linz music school.

(Bild: Farbwerk, Liz Blur)

Kurt Schwertsik, one of the greatest contemporary composers, has recently joined the Linz Music School. "I work with pupils and teachers here," he says in the talk. Because he knows best how to play his works himself. The grand finale: the concert "Dracula's House and Court Music" on Tuesday at Linz Central. 

"Somehow a lot is coming together at the moment," says Kurt Schwertsik (89), one of Austria's most important composers. He works on his (tonal) compositions every day - or comes to Linz.

"My wish was that I could work directly with the teachers and students," he says in the "Krone" talk. And that's why Schwertsik is currently attending lessons at the Linz Music School. Incidentally, he is married to actress Christa Schwertsik and is therefore the stepfather of SOKO Linz detective Katharina Stemberger.

The composer collaborates on the concert
They work together on the performance of pieces of music composed by Schwertsik. "They sometimes say: please play this faster or slower," says Schwertsik, who takes great pleasure in being directly involved in the creation of a unique concert. 

On Tuesday, October 22, "Dracula's House and Court Music", a concert evening of the Linz Music School, will take place at Central (7 pm).

Kurt Schwertsik (right) with music school director Christian Denkmaier, who is also a musician.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus/Markus Wenzel)

Arranger of "Willkommen Österreich" band also on board
The title refers to a work by Schwertsik that he composed in the 1960s. "But I don't like vampires that much," he smiles during the talk. The entire program consists of works performed either by teaching musicians from the music school or by student or teacher ensembles.

Hans-Georg Gutternigg, who makes the arrangements for the band "Willkommen Österreich" (formerly Russkaja), is also involved. He is a tuba teacher in Linz. Among the pieces - the program lasts about an hour - is the setting of Christine Nöstlinger's poem "Iba di gaunz oaman Fraun". Admission to the concert at Central is free."