Christian Muthspiel
Born in Judenburg, Austria, in 1962; at the age of 6 piano lessons, of 11 additional trombone lessons. Studies at the Musikhochschule Graz (Trombone classical and jazz), all studies broken off “in time”; 1987/88 scholarship at the School of Fine Arts in Banff/Canada.

As trombonist, pianist, composer, and conductor, Christian Muthspiel is internationally active in the areas both of jazz/improvised music and of new and classical music. Numerous invitations to perform, produce, and conduct in many important musical centers of the world and compositions commissioned by renowned orchestras, ensembles and soloists prove the innovative cross-over quality of his work. The field of activity and possible cooperations with interpreters of his musical inventions reaches therefore from small jazzbands to symphony orchestras and electronic multi-media operas.

Besides many guest appearances as a conductor he regularly worked in long-term cycles with the Munich Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra “recreation” Graz, Camerata Salzburg, Festival Orchestra Ludwigsburg and ensemble “die reihe”,

In addition to numerous compositions for his jazz ensembles and bands Muthspiel´s long list of commissioned works includes several concerts for solo instruments and orchestra as well as ensemble pieces, works for voices, choir, music theatre and ballet. Amongst many others, he received commissions from ARD, Musikverein Vienna, Staatsoper Hannover, Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna, the Siemens Arts Program, Philharmonie Essen, Ruhrtriennale Festival, Kurt-Weill-Foundation, Klangforum Vienna and Brucknerhaus Linz.

Muthspiel´s compositions where performed by soloists such as Angelika Kirchschlager, Gautier Capuçon, Håkan Hardenberger, Benjamin Schmid and Clemens Hagen.

Since 2017 all signations and jingles of Radio Ö1 are composed and produced by Christian Muthspiel.

In 2019 he founded ORJAZZTRA VIENNA, a 18 piece jazz orchestra, which is his current and major jazz project he conducts and composes for.

Amongst the jazz bands he led are: Duo with Steve Swallow, quartet with Swallow, Matthieu Michel and Franck Tortiller, „Yodel Group“, amongst others with Bobby Previte and Jerome Harris, and large jazz ensembles like „Motley Mothertongue“ and „Octet Ost“, with Tomasz Stanko and Wladimir Tarasov.

Muthspiel was a regular member of the “Vienna Art Orchestra” from 1994 to 2004.

So far, he has recorded 20 Jazz CDs under his own name and in collaboration with his brother and guitar player Wolfgang for the labels Universal Music, ACT and material records.

In 2007 Christian Muthspiel was awarded the Hans Koller Preis as „Musician of the Year”, in 2006 the Austrian Award for Outstanding Achievements in Music as well as the Award for Outstanding Achievements in Music in Lower Austria and, together with Wolfgang Muthspiel, the prestigious German Jazz award “Jazzpott”.

Having started in 2006, a series of up to now 20 exhibitions presenting Muthspiel’s work as a painter, which he kept concealed for a long time, has been taking place at several galleries and museums.