MDW ARTIST PORTRAIT VIDEOS

The MDW - UNIVERSITY OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS VIENNA commissioned the Drehstrom Filmproduktion to produce several artist portrait videos of musicians from the university. In interviews they talk about themselves, their instruments and approaches to music. They also show their skills and play some works from their repertoire.

Spanish saxophonist Martín Castro Tubio is a rising star on the international music scene. He completed his musical studies at the Conservatori Superior de Música de les Illes Balears and at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, where he currently lives.

Castro Tubio has given over 100 concerts worldwide, including performances at the Vienna Musikverein, the Vienna Konzerthaus, and the Prince Mahidol Hall in Thailand. As a soloist, he has performed with renowned orchestras such as the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba. He is a founding member of the PSAIKO Quartet and has won numerous competitions, including the Leonard Bernstein Institute Competition and the 23rd Osaka International Music Competition.

Since 2023, he has taught saxophone at the Musikum Hof in Salzburg and is committed to promoting new music through collaborations with contemporary composers. In the video, which was produced in 2022, the musician talks about his instrument and his approach to music and plays the finale from Alfred Desenclos' "Prélude, Cadence et Finale".

Viennese pianist Mitra Kotte is one of the most promising talents on the Austrian classical music scene. At a young age, she won numerous international competitions, including the MozARTe Competition in Aachen and the Zhuhai International Mozart Competition in China. She completed her studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the Korea National University of Arts in Seoul. She is currently continuing her studies with Till Fellner in Graz.

Kotte's concert career includes appearances at renowned venues such as the Vienna Musikverein, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Zurich Tonhalle, and the Brucknerfest Linz. As a "Featured Artist" of the 2022/23 Jeunesse season, she thrilled audiences with performances including Schumann's Piano Concerto at the Musikverein. Her commitment to works by female composers of the 19th and 20th centuries, which she presents in programs such as "Herstory," is particularly noteworthy.

In the video, the artist talks about her career so far and how she works on musical pieces. She plays Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata in F minor, Op. 57, 1. Allegro assai and by Isaac Albéniz El Albaicín from Iberia Suite.

Chilean double bassist Carlos Aguilar Vargas is one of the most promising talents on the international classical music scene. He began his musical studies at the age of nine with Prof. Víctor Fuentealba in Chile.

In 2014, he continued his studies at the Conservatory of the University of Magallanes and in 2019 was accepted into the class of Prof. Alois Posch at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. That same year, he made his debut as a soloist at the Vienna Musikverein. From 2021 to 2023, he was a scholarship holder of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Academy and performed under renowned conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, and Daniel Barenboim. Since June 2023, he has been engaged as Second Principal Double Bass with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

In the video, Carlos Aguilar Vargas talks about his experiences with the Vienna Philharmonic and plays Reinhold Glière's Intermezzo Op.9 No.1.

The Career Center of the mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna – supports students and graduates (up to five years after graduation) in entering professional life through individualized advice, practical workshops, and tailored information. It also offers performance opportunities, a digital toolbox for career questions, and platforms such as "mdw Artists" and the "Ö1 Talent Exchange" to raise awareness of young talent.

A special highlight are the professionally produced videos of selected graduates, who present their artistic careers, experiences, and projects. These portraits serve as inspiration for students and contribute to better networking and public awareness of mdw graduates.