"Classic Winds" • International Saxophone and Clarinet Competition and Festival

Andreas Ottensamer

Andreas Ottensamer

Andreas Ottensamer —

Andreas Ottensamer was born on April 4, 1989, in Vienna, Austria. His parents were musicians, and they instilled in him the love of music. When he turned 4, he started learning to play the piano. In 1999, as a student of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, he started playing another musical instrument — violoncello with Wolfgang Herzer as his tutor. In 2003, Ottensamer decided to change his instrument to clarinet, which he eventually studied under Johann Hindlerin.

Andreas Ottensamer first performed in the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera (as a substitute clarinet) and the Vienna Philharmonic. He was also a member of the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester. Later on, the musician got into Harvard but left the university in 2009 to become a student of the Orchestra Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic. He currently holds the position of the principal clarinettist of the Berlin Philharmonic.

During his career, Andreas Ottensamer has performed as a chamber musician with Murray Perahia, Sol Gabetta, Yo-Yo Ma, José Gallardo, and many others. As a soloist and chamber musician, he gives concerts all over the world with such orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, Yannick Nezét-Séguin, Andris Nelsons, etc. He has won numerous competitions for clarinet, piano, and cello. Ottensamer is now the artistic director of the Bürgenstock Festival in Switzerland. 

In 2005, Andreas, together with his father Ernst and brother Daniel (both principal clarinettists of the Vienna Philharmonic) founded a clarinet trio The Clarinotts. They released a record in 2016. They tour in Europe, Asia, and America as well as perform at international music festivals.

In 2013, Andreas became the first clarinettist to release an exclusive album through Deutsche Grammophon — “Portraits - The Clarinet Album”. In 2017, Decca Classics released Ottensamer’s other album called “New Era”.

In 2017 and 2018, Andreas Ottensamer received such titles as “Junge Wilde” with the Konzerthaus Dortmund, “Menuhin Heritage Artist” with the Gstaad Festival, and “Artist in Residence” with the Kammerakademie Potsdam and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

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