MARIA GSTÄTTNER-HECKEL
She graduated from her bassoon performance and instrumental pedagogy (IGP) studies at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna – MDW) in 2005 with distinctions, and obtained a Doctor of Arts (Dr.art.) in 2016 at Kunstuniversität Graz (University of Music and Performing Arts Graz). 2015-2017 she concluded a 2-year Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in cultural management at the MDW.
She won a position at the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra were she played for two years in the Graz Opera House. Out of her interest for interdisciplinary work and chamber music she left the orchestral position and moved to Vienna to work as freelance musician. She became part of ensembles working in areas between classical and contemporary such as Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Phace and Studio Dan, sonic Fiction Orchestra. At the same time she continued project based orchestral work with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Radio Symphonic Orchestra Vienna (RSO) and the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra touring Asia, the North America and Europe. As ensemble leader she started a project focusing on improvisation and world music called LAVA with musicians Aziz Sahmaoui (Zawinul Syndicate) and Stefan Heckel (jazz pianist/accordionist) and produced two albums (Lava 2010, Dew Drops 2013). She started to work in interdisciplinary projects with theatre (Burgtheater Wien, Volkstheater Wien), painting, dance and poetry. Her focus on the use of the bassoon in various art disciplines led to her Artistic Research Doctorate at Kunstuniversität Graz which she concluded in 2016 on the theme of “Bassoon Performance”. Maria is an expert in the use of bassoon in free improvisation.
Her compositions and lecture perfomances are performed at renowned festivals and venues such as Wien Modern, Styriarte, Cultural Museum Chicago, Orpheus Institut Ghent, HfMT Köln, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Klangspuren Schwaz and Musikverein Wien by herselves, orchestras and ensembles such as the Wiener Symphoniker and Ensemble Kontrapunkte.