Hermann Platzer's Homepage

My biographical information:

Name: Hermann Anton PLATZER
Born: 1960, Schwanenstadt, Austria.

Musical Studies:

1967-77     Studies in violin at Mozarteum in Salzburg
1981-86     Studies in guitar at the Vienna University of Music with Melitta Heinzmann and Walter Würdinger
1984          pedagogical degree in guitar cum laude
1993-95     Seminars with Jos Wilderbeek (Utrecht, NL) on liturgy and liturgical singing
1987          Delegate in 1st World Symposium on Choral Music
                  workshops with Elmer Iseler (CAN), Eric Ericson (SWE), Alberto C. Pinta Fonseca (BRA)
1987-98:    Studies in composition with Claus Ganter and Kurt Schwertsik (incl. choir conducting with H. Reiter, E. Ortner)
1998          Composition diploma
1993          participating in masterclass with Eric Ericson
1991-93     Conducting with Peter Burwik
1990-92     Studies in Church Music at the Vienna Diocesan Conservatory for Church Music
1994          Seminar on liturgical music with Jos Wilderbeek (NL)
from 1995 Studies in lute with Luciano Contini at the Department for Early Music at Vienna Conservatory
1996          Delegate in 4th World Symposium on Choral Music, Sydney, Australia
                 with the premiere of 'Reklame', one of my works for vocal ensemble a cappella;
                 participation in workshops under Frieder Bernius (GER), Moses Hogan (USA) etc.
1999          Delegate in 5th World Symposium on Choral Music, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Varous appearances as lute soloist and continuo player at the Salzburger Festspiele, with the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, the St. Gallen Festival Orchestra, with Concilium Musicum Wien, with Tientos and others.

Profession:

1981-1992: Director of the Choir of the Catholic Students' Community in Vienna
1992-2002: Musical director of the bi-national (Austrian-Slovak) vocal group "MOSAIK".

At present:

Main teacher for the course "New Sacred Song" at the Vienna Diocesan Conservatory for Church Music. Subjects of the programme include:

Ensemble singing
Conducting
Playing the guitar
Arrangement techniques for the "New Sacred Song"

with a strong focus on music for the use in liturgy celebrated in the spirit of the Vat. II.

Musical director of the "Multinational Chamber Choir in Austria" (since 1992).
Working as a freelance arranger and composer (primarily for choirs), mainly in the domains of popular and jazz as well as liturgical music (in the latter field also custom arranging for individual occasions and/or groups).
Frequent appearances as a lutenist.

My hobbies include (amongst others):

recording techniques
photography
cooking (mainly Indian)