Academy
Artistic direction
Matthias Schorn
Roots in alpine folk and brass music still characterize the work of the passionate musician Matthias Schorn today. Roots in alpine folk and brass music still characterize the work of the passionate musician Matthias Schorn today.
His position as principal clarinettist of the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic offers him the permanent opportunity to work with the best singers, soloists and conductors of our time. As a festival founder (“PalmKlang”), ensemble founder (“Faltenradio”) and resident artist (Artist in Residence at the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 2013, artistic director of the Festspielfrühling Rügen 2018, artist portrait of BASF Ludwigshafen 2018, Woodmaster at the Woodstock der Blasmusik 2019, etc.), he regularly comes up with new, sensational dramaturgical concepts. Matthias Schorn also teaches at the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna, holds master classes worldwide and works as a columnist for various specialist journals.
Genre-breaking collaborations with Thomas Gansch, Bob Mintzer, Georg Breinschmid, Shantel, Willi Resetarits, Sky du Mont, Krzysztof Dobrek, Armin Müller-Stahl, Karlheinz Hackl, Peter Simonischek, Konstantin Wecker, Julia Stemberger of the NDR Big Band, Gansch&Roses, the Strottern, the Tanzgeigern, the New York Gypsy All Stars or the Musicbanda Franui are evidence of his irrepressible thirst for new, creative experiences and encounters!
In the Triestingtal valley in Lower Austria, Matthias Schorn runs his “Haltestelle für Kunst aus allen Richtungen” (stop for art from all directions) in the abandoned former Altenmarkt-Thenneberg train station as a cabaret with an adjoining recording studio, a small café and pilgrims’ accommodation.
Simon Ertl
Event organizer, managing director and artistic director of the Woodstock Academy. Simon Ertl is known to many as the founder of festivals and concerts: Woodstock der Blasmusik, Klassik am Dom, Elwood Music Festival, Brass Palmas, Winter-Woodstock der Blasmusik, Woodstock in Concert – these are just a few of his many projects.
Born in Upper Austria in 1981, Simon Ertl discovered his love of brass band music as a child and started out as a trumpet player in the local band in St. Martin im Innkreis when he was at primary school. Between 2001 and 2009, the Innviertel native studied trumpet under Prof. Carole Dawn Reinhart, Mag. Josef Bammer and Prof. Josef Pomberger at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and worked as a substitute in the following orchestras: Volksoper Vienna, Stage Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, Bruckner Orchestra Linz, Tonkünstler Orchestra Lower Austria and many more.
While still a student, he founded the music agency graustein*artists and realized projects with international artists. In addition to his musical activities as a member of ensembles such as MaChlast, the Woodstock Allstar Band, the Innviertler Tanzlmusi and the Original Woodstock Musikanten, Simon Ertl has made a name for himself above all as an event organizer.
He has been responsible for the “Woodstock der Blasmusik” brass music festival since 2011 as well as for the “Klassik am Dom” concert series directly at the Mariendom in Linz. His company’s events include the “Elwood Music Festival”, the brass music tour “Brass Palmas”, the winter event “Winter-Woodstock der Blasmusik” and the concert series “Woodstock in Concert”. Simon Ertl also founded a music publishing company in 2020 and is the managing director of several companies.
Interview with Matthias Schorn
When my long-time companion Simon Ertl asked me to take over the artistic direction of the newly created “Woodstock Academy”, I didn’t hesitate for a second. Back in 2010, I was part of a small group of “crazy people” who, when inventing the “Woodstock of Brass Music” festival, asked themselves whether (brass) music could function as the lowest common denominator and unifying, holistic element for people of all ages, regardless of their political, geographical or religious background.
So why not try to deepen this idea and develop it further?
Yes. Absolutely.
… because I am convinced that it is important and right in 2021, in the middle of a pandemic – while complying with all legal requirements – to offer as many people as possible the opportunity to join our guiding principle: TOGETHER.EDUCATE.
… because I believe that learning can never take place “one-dimensionally”, but can only happen “from each other” and based on this basic idea we have selected lecturers who live exactly this conviction: learning from lecturer to participant, learning from participant to lecturer, learning from lecturer to lecturer, learning from participant to participant, etc.
… because I have tried with dedication and humility to incorporate all my positive (and negative) experiences as a lecturer (and participant) on dozens of courses into the preparation of the “Woodstock Academy” and thus our new course and booking concept could be developed.
… because this “modular system” makes it possible for participants and instructors alike to have a completely individual, artistic-pedagogical course schedule and at the same time guarantees fair pricing through 100% transparency.
… because my ideas and suggestions were taken seriously by every single member of the organizational team around Simon Ertl and implemented with the greatest possible care to achieve a common goal: to give the participants of the “Woodstock Academy” an unforgettable human and musical week.
… because I was able to see the premises and the ideal conditions for the “Woodstock Academy” in the heart of Tyrol for myself.
and last but not least:
… because I am convinced that only when we supply every note we play with “sufficient loving air” can living music be created. Just as we as humans need air to breathe in order to (survive), the sounds we produce need air in order to come to life.
With this in mind, I firmly believe in the “Woodstock Academy” and look forward to every loving, lively note. To everything that comes. Because that’s how life works.
Matthias Schorn, artistic director of the Woodstock Academy in April 2021
