Dominik Wagner

Biography

Dominik Emanuel Wagner was born in Vienna in 1997 where he started his musical education at the age of 5, at first as a cellist and later as a double bassist. In 2009 he began his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Josef Niederhammer and Werner Fleischmann. Currently he is studying at the University of Music in Nürnberg with Dorin Marc.

As scholarship holder of the Anne-Sophie Mutter foundation and prize winner of the ECHO Classic award, the double bassist Dominik Wagner is showcasing his instrument from a new perspective on an international basis. He has won prizes at almost all double bass competitions, such as the renowned ARD Music Competition and the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition. In the latter he represented Austria in the finals, where he played Serge Koussevitzky’s double bass concerto with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, the performance of which was broadcasted live throughout Europe on television. As a soloist Dominik has also played with Orchestras such as the BR-Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim in many renowned concert halls such as the Musikverein Wien, Konzerthaus Wien, Konzerthaus Berlin, Herkulessaal München and the Glocke in Bremen. Recently, Dominik has also had success in the United States. He won the International Bradetich Competition gaining the opportunity to record a CD and play a recital in Carnegie Hall. 

Dominik works closely with contemporary composers to broaden the repertoire for the double bass. He has premiered several double bass concertos as well as many solo pieces and chamber music. In addition to his activities as a soloist, Dominik also shows great passion in playing chamber music. Together with clarinettist Vera Karner, he has performed in many concerts and competitions programmes of works for clarinet, double bass and piano. After a number of successful engagements, the trio were awarded the Fanny Mendelssohn Förderpreis, which led to the production of their first CD, Gassenhauer Gassenbauer, with the renowned Label Berlin Classics. As a part of the Great Talent Program of the Wiener Konzerthaus, Dominik was also given the opportunity to perform with great musicians such as Elisabeth Leonskaja and Gerhard Schulz.