Born at Vöcklabruck in 1966, Wolfgang Suppan studied composition with Dieter Kaufmann and Michael Jarrell at the Vienna music university, besides additional courses in Paris (Ircam), Salzburg and Berlin.

Since 1996 he teaches compositional technique and composition at the Vienna music university. Suppan has received a number of prizes and awards, including the Akademie Schloss Solitude/Stuttgart grant 1998/99, the governmental grant for composers 2001, the Anton Bruckner grant 2002, the SKE publicity award 2003, the DAAD grant/Berlin 2008.

His compositions have been performed e.g. at the Salzburg festival, Wien modern, Donaueschinger musiktage and Zagreb music Biennial by interpreters such as Hagen Quartett, Klangforum Wien, ensemble Surplus Freiburg, ensemble l’itinéraire Paris, ensemble intégrales or SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg.

Suppan’s occupation with issues like “nature and technology“ – leading him e.g. to combine computer-aided forms of composition (cao) with Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s philosophical cosmos (Idyll I-IV) – provides essential impulses for his work as a composer.

biography for download

at the Music University in Vienna with Dietmar Schermann (harmony / counterpoint), Tamas Ungvary (electronic music) and furthermore with Dieter Kaufmann and Michael Jarrell (composition). Graduation as Magister Artium. Courses with George Crumb (summer academy Salzburg), Klaus Huber (workshop in Schieleiten/Styria) und Brian Ferneyhough (Royaumont / Paris). Stage d'informatique musicale at IRCAM / Paris.

Collaboration among others with soloists und ensembles like the ensemble SurPlus Freiburg, ensemble l'Itinéraire (Paris), Klangforum Wien, ensemble Intégrales, ensemble die Reihe (Vienna), Neue Vokalsolisten Stuttgart, Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain (Lyon), Wiener Kammerorchester, SWR Sinfonieorchester Freiburg, Hagen Quartett, Sylvie Lacroix and Ernesto Molinari.

Commisions and performances among others at the bludenzer tage zeitgemäßer musik / Austria, Hörgänge / Vienna, Wien Modern, Musikprotokoll / Graz, Voix Nouvelle / Paris, Musik Biennale / Zagreb, Grabenfesttage / Vienna, Brucknerhaus / Linz (portrait concert), Konzerthaus Berlin, Inventionen / Berlin, Donaueschinger Musiktage, Festival Ultraschall / Berlin.

Salzburg Festival, ORF (austrian broadcasting station) und Jeunesse / Austria (portrait concerts). Cooperations with the author Christine Huber (A), the director Beverly Blankenship (USA), the choreographer Rose Breuss (A) and the filmaker Kerry Laitala (USA). Performances as musician (electronics / keyboard / piano) in several formations.Since 2008 togehter with Franz Hautzinger (trompet) and Berndt Thurner (percussion) involved in an outstanding trio-project.

1996-2002 assistant teacher at the der Music University in Vienna (area of activity: analysis about music in the 20th/21st century) At the very place, since 1998 teacher for harmony /counterpoint and composition. 1998 participation on the project „Klangnetze“ (new music intervention at schools). Guest professor for composition at the „Musikpalette“ 2000 (summer workshop) / Austria.

1997 artistic director of the „Kulturspektakel“ at the Stadtinitiative Vienna. 2000 promoter of the concert series „Neue Musik aus der Nähe“ at the Polycollege Stöbergasse in Vienna (ISCM/Section Austria, togehter with Gérman Toro-Perez).

• Grant of the upper-austrian government
• Grant of the Alban-Berg-Society (1992)
• Prize winner of the „Casablanca Kompositionswettbewerb“ / Musikprotokoll Graz (1994)
• Honor grant from the ministery of sience, research and art
• Theodor-Körner-Grant (1995)
• Grant of the Academy Schloss Solitude / Stuttgart (1998-99)
• Advancement award for Music from the City of Vienna (2000)
• Governmental grant for Composition (2001)
• Anton-Bruckner-Grant (2002)
• SKE Publicity Award (2003)
• DAAD Grant / Artists-in-Berlin Programme (2008)

[...] Wolfgang Suppan wrote for the SWR-Sinfonieorchester the piece “Phase“,… areas and fragments from subtil concentrate destillate. A almost clean, perfect well-timed music [...]

Die Zeit (Volker Hagedorn)