Alexander Maria Wagner Pianist and Composer
ALEXANDER MARIA WAGNER (b. 1995) studied composition and piano with Tristan Murail, Franz Hummel, and Kenneth Hesketh, as well as piano with Pavel Gililov and Theodor Breu at the Mozarteum University Salzburg and the Royal College of Music in London.
His concert activities have taken him not only across Germany (including performances at the Herkulessaal and Gasteig in Munich, the Beethoven House and Beethovenfest in Bonn, and the Regentenbau in Bad Kissingen, among others) but also to Austria, Italy, France, the Czech Republic, England, Romania, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, and the USA. Renowned radio and television broadcasters such as BR, WDR, Deutschlandradio Kultur, 3Sat, and ORF have featured him in portrait broadcasts. In 2018, he made his debut with the Jena Philharmonic performing Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto; shortly before that, his recording of Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra was released. In the 2025/26 season, Wagner will tour several venues performing Bach’s Goldberg Variationsas well as his own piano compositions Rhapsotüde and Miniaturen über Mohn.
At the age of only 14, he composed his First Symphony Kraftwerk, which was recorded by the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2017, the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra recorded his Second Symphony, which was subsequently chosen by the English National Ballet School in London for a new choreography. In 2023, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (OE1) also aired this widely acclaimed orchestral work. For many of his compositions (Triptychon, Rosendorn, Käfer töten), Wagner writes his own texts. He also maintains a long-standing artistic collaboration with author Helen Brecht (Arias without Curtains, Dream of a Machine, among others). He is currently working on a string quartet, the choral work Octocorallia for choir and Japanese sound objects, and a new opera. His works are published by Universal Edition Vienna.
From the Press
“He takes a step into the air – and it holds. How can one describe this music, which captivates from the very first moment? His music possesses a compelling quality. Not structurally insistent or dogged, but compelling in its pursuit of the strange paths of deeply felt poetry.”
Hans-Jürgen Fink (Kultur-Port)
Hans-Jürgen Fink (Kultur-Port)
“The Second Symphony is a ‘masterpiece’, composed with a sure and solid technical hand. He knows the tricks of the trade – how to transform orchestral colors seemingly effortlessly into beautiful melodies. This music is crafted with great compositional finesse.”
Aart van der Wal (OpusKlassiek)
Aart van der Wal (OpusKlassiek)
“He came to me with impressive abilities and has since developed a bold and lyrical compositional style, laced with sharp-edged and dark humor. His work is marked by remarkable dramatic quality and an acute awareness of theatrical craft. Especially among his recent works, I have encountered powerful and poignant compositions. I am convinced he is one of the few young composers truly worthy of attention.”
Kenneth Hesketh (Composer)
Kenneth Hesketh (Composer)
“In the finale of the album Käfer töten, the moment belonged to Graham F. Valentine – well known from Marthaler productions – with his cutting vocal power. Dressed accordingly, the clownish performer delivered Wagner’s Käfer töten with riveting presence and a kind of humor carved in stone. Wagner finds his own unmistakable voice, with compelling rhythmic force, emotionally charged language, and touching melodies.”
Gottfried Franz Kasparek (Der Neue Merker)
Gottfried Franz Kasparek (Der Neue Merker)
“From the first to the last bar, Alexander Maria Wagner astonishes with the unfiltered directness of his playing and the clear, self-assured decisiveness of his expression. He performs with tremendous energy and temperament, shaping everything with striking and finished clarity. He masters the numerous pianistic and musical challenges with such overwhelming brilliance, it’s as if they didn’t exist at all.”
Ingo Harden (Fono Forum)
Ingo Harden (Fono Forum)
“Alexander M. Wagner is a highly gifted pianist and composer. His natural and imaginative relationship with the piano and with music is harmoniously combined with intelligence and healthy ambition. One can confidently predict a major artistic career for him. I consider this young musician an outstanding talent, truly deserving of support in every way.”
Pavel Gililov (Pianist)
Pavel Gililov (Pianist)
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