Christoph Berner

Christoph Berner is considered one of the leading pianists from Austria. Critics praise especially his enormous stylistic spectrum and musical versatility. Born in Vienna he studied at the University of Music of his hometown with Imola Joo, Hans Graf and Hans Petermandl, graduating in 1997 summa cum laude. From 1993-95 he studied with Maria Tipo in Fiesole (Italy)

He was engaged as a soloist with orchestras like the Moscow Tchaikowsky Orchestra, the Orchestra National du Capitole de Toulouse, the Dresden Philharmonie, the Phiharmonie Bergen and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra under conductors like Neeme Järvi, Michel Plasson, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Vladimir Fedosejev and Thomas Zehetmair.

Among his chamber music partners are violinists Leila Schayegh, cellists Marko Ylönen and Roel Dieltins, clarinetist Laura Ruiz Ferreres and the Alban Berg Ensemble, Vienna.

The close cooperation with tenor Werner Güra – the duo are often guests at festivals like the Schubertiade Schwarzenberg, the Rheingau Music Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, the Kissinger Sommer, the Dias da musica, Lisbon – is also documented by a number of critically acclaimed recordings for harmonia mundi.

Furthermore, Christoph Berner performed together with singers, such as Marlis Petersen, Anne Sofie von Otter, Anke Vondung, Bernarda Fink, Genia Kühmeier, Markus Werba, Markus Eiche and Florian Boesch.

Since 2014 he has been professor of Lied interpretation and chamber music at the Zurich university of arts.

Updated: 29/09/2023