Roland Freisitzer was born on 16th of August 1973 in Vienna. After first musical experiences in Warsaw and Cape Town he began his musical studies in 1987 at the Vienna Conservatoire.
In 1989 he moved to Moscow to start composition studies , first privately with Alfred Schnittke and then at the Moscow State Conservatoire in the class of Prof. Edison Denisov, studies which he interrupted in 1993 due to conducting .
Since 1991 performances of his music, as well as first concerts as conductor, with most major Russian orchestras and many orchestras in Europe . In 1992 he founded and led the first international festival for contemporary music “Moscow Modern” as artistic director. In 1994, with the help of Russian sponsors and the Mayor of the City of Moscow, Mr. Y.Lujkov, he founded “The Moscow Orchestra”, which he led as music director and principal conductor until 1999. Between 1992 and 1997 he was “First Guest Conductor” of the Armenian Philharmonic and Azerbaijan Philharmonic Orchestras.
In 1991 he attended master-classes with Krzysztof Penderecki , Marco Stroppa and Magnus Lindberg . From 1992 -1994 he also studied privately with Avet Terterjan. In 1996 he continued his composition studies at the St.Petersburg State Conservatory in the class of Prof. A.Mnzkanjan, studies which he finished at the Baku State Music Academy in the class of Prof. Faradj Karaev in 1999.
His music has been performed by ensembles , conductors and soloists such as Christine Whittlesey (soprano), Maria Fedotova (flute), Michelle Lee (flute), Robert Aitken (flute), Alexander Wagendristel (flute), Paul Kaiser (oboe), Klaus Lienbacher (oboe) , Staffan Martensson (clarinet), Evgenia Epshtein (violin), Henrik Frendin (viola), Maria Frodl (violoncello), conductors Peter Keuschnig, Igor Dronov, Gottfried Rabl, Michael Finnissy and Christoph Campestrini, Ensemble Kontrapunkte (Vienna), Ensemble “Die Reihe” (Vienna), GAGEEGO ! ensemble (Gothenburg), KammarensembleN (Stockholm), Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, The Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Ensemble 88 (Netherlands), Trio Obscura (Stockholm), “studio new music moscow”, IXION ensemble (London), Niederoestereichisches Tonkuenstlerorchester, ALEA ensemble (Skopie-Macedonia) and Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa.
In 2002, together with Alexander Wagendristel and Thomas Heinisch, he (re)founded “ensemble reconsil vienna” (www.reconsil.com) with which he has since given more than 30 world premieres in Vienna and on tours.
Together with Thomas Heinisch he was responsible for the programming of the last “Lange Nacht der Neuen Klänge” in 2002.
His works have recently been performed at Festivals like Wien Modern and the Dresdner Tage für zeitgemäße Musik. Also his first commission from the famous Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna for a concert in honor of the 80th Birthday of Friedrich Cerha.
In January 2007, ORF (Austrian radio) released a portrait CD dedicated to the music of Roland Freisitzer.
In May 2008 he was one of the featured composers (with Johannes Maria Staud, Olga Neuwirth and Kurt Schwertsik) at “Musik unserer Zeit” in Münster.
Upcoming commissions and works include- “love songs (for Julia)” for viola and ensemble for Julia Purgina and ensemble reconsil, a trio for accordeon, cimbalom and percussion for the KOZMOSZ ensemble, a Dies Irae for choir, brass and percussion and “Über die Unbewohnbarkeit des Paradieses”, a full length opera based on the novel by A. P. Schlöglmeier.
For the work on the opera, Roland Freisitzer was granted the 2009 Austrian State Stipendium for composers.
roland freisitzer (b. 1973)

chronological list of works
all works published exclusively by Apoll Edition Wien
mailto:apoll.edition@nextra.at

1990 evocation mozart 12 min.
music for orchestra
2,2,2,2-2,2,0,0-timp-4 perc-8,6,6,6,4
w.p. 27.10.1991 moscow, grand hall of the conservatoire, tschaikowsky symphony
orchestra, christoph campestrini

1992 piano concerto 24 min.
for piano and orchestra
2,2,2,2-2,2,2,1-timp-3 perc-harp-12,10,8,8,6
w.p. 04.12.1992 moscow, moscow modern, barbara bego, moscow philharmonic orchestra,
rene gulikers

1993 buried alive! 8 min.
music for solo flute
w.p. 21.05.1993 london, purcell room, michelle lee
w.p. of revised version 2000, 05.10.2000 baku, kircha, alexander wagendristel

1993 sextet 9 min.
music for flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and violoncello
w.p. 03.08.1993 graz, open music, ensemble 88, rene gulikers

1995 cantus I – in memory of avet terterian 12 min.
music for violin, violoncello, piano and orchestra
2,0,e.hr,1,bs.cl,1-2,1,2,0-2 perc-10,8,6,6,4
w.p. 10.11.1995 moscow, moscow piano trio, the moscow orchestra, roland freisitzer

1996 cantus II 13 min.
music for oboe (or soprano saxophone) and orchestra
0,0,0,0-2,0,0,0-2 perc-harp-5,4,3,3,1 (or 10,8,6,6,4)
w.p. 24.10.1996 moscow, tschaikowsky concert hall, dimitri kotenok, the moscow orchestra,
roland freisitzer

1996 night dances 8 min.
music for small orchestra
0,a.fl,0,e.hr,0,2 bs.cl,2-2,0,1,0-2 perc-harp-0,0,3,4,1
w.p. 22.11.1996 lisbon, cascais palace, orquestra metropolitana de lisboa, roland freisitzer

1998 1st oboe concerto 14 min.
for oboe and 14 musicians
1(a.fl),0,1(bs.cl),1-1,1,1,0-2 perc-pf-1,1,1,1,1
w.p. 29.06.1998 düsseldorf, robert schumann hochschule für musik, dimitri kotenok,
moscow ensemble for contemporary music, roland freisitzer

1999 1st study on planes 4 min.
music for contrabassoon, trombone, percussion and viola
w.p. 08.10.1999, Gothenburg, GAS festival, konserthuset, kammarensembleN

1999 2nd oboe concerto 12 min.
for oboe and 12 musicians
1,0,1,bs.cl,1-0,1,1,0-perc-pf-0,0,1,1,1
w.p. 20.12.1999 vienna, musikverein, klaus lienbacher, ensemble kontrapunkte,
peter keuschnig

1999 horn concerto 13 min.
for horn and orchestra
2(picc),2,2,s.sax,2-2,2,0,1-timp-2 perc-12,10,8,8,6
not yet performed

2000 music for my daughter 10 min.
for 7 musicians
1(a.fl),0,1(bs.cl),0-0,0,0,0-perc-pf-1,0,1,1,0
w.p. 16.09.2000 baku, kircha concert hall, ensemble SoNoR, peter keuschnig

2001 2nd study on planes 12 min.
music for flute and piano
w.p. 08.06.2001, cracow, austrian cultural forum, alea ensemble skopje

2001 viola concerto 15 min.
for viola and 12 musicians
picc,0,0,e.hr,1,0,c.bs-1,0,1,1-2 perc-pf-0,0,0,1,1
w.p. 10.03.2002 gothenburg, konserthuset, henrik frendin, GAGEEGO!, roland freisitzer

2002 3rd study on planes 10 min.
music for clarinet, viola and piano
w.p. 23.04.2002 stockholm, sveriges radio, trio obscura (staffan martensson, henrik frendin,
erik lanninger)

2002 4th study on planes 8 min.
music for 7 (or 8) musicians
1,0,0,bs.cl,0-0,0,0,1(optional)-perc-pf-1,0,0,1,1
w.p. 11.05.2002 brighton, brighton festival, IXION ensemble, michael finnissy

2002 5th study on planes 10 min.
music for 6 musicians
1,0,0,bs.cl,0-0,0,1,0-pf-1,0,0,1,0
w.p. 11.08.2002 ohrid, ohrid summer festival, st. sofia church, ensemble reconsil,
roland freisitzer

2002 1st reconsil trio 9 min.
music for flute, trombone and violin
w.p. 24.09.2002 vienna, alte schmiede, ensemble reconsil (alexander wagendristel, stephan
thurner, ivana pristasova)

2003 saxophone quartet 10 min.
w.p. 17.01.2003 vienna, vienna saxophone quartet

2003 conny’s song 1 8 min.
music for small orchestra
1,1,1,0-0,0,1,1-2 perc-pf-3,0,2,2,1
w.p. 24.03.2003 skopje, philharmonic hall, chamber orchestra of the macedonian
philharmonic orchestra, roland freisitzer

2003 blue 7 min.
music for soprano saxophone and harp
w.p. 23.04.2003 vienna, alte schmiede, markus holzer and ulrike mattanovich

2003 basset clarinet concerto 11 min.
for basset clarinet, winds and percussion
1,1,e.hr,1,bs.cl,bar.sax,1,c.bs-2,1,1,0-2 perc
w.p. 16.02.2004 vienna, musikverein, staffan martensson, ensemble kontrapunkte,
peter keuschnig

2004 6th study on planes 8 min.
music for piccolo and trombone
w.p. 30.11.2004 vienna, stadtinitiative, alexander wagendristel, stephan thurner

2004 trio for flute, bass clarinet and piano 7 min.
w.p. 19.01.2005 vienna, palais wittgenstein, ensemble reconsil

2005 for k. 8 min.
2 slow dances for violoncello and 6 musicians
1(picc),0,0,ten.sax,0-0,1,1,0-piano-1,0,0,0,0
w.p. 11.06.2005 vienna, stadtinitiative, christoph unterberger, ensemble reconsil,
roland freisitzer

2005 music for 6 musicians 10 min.
1,0,0,0-0,0,1,0-perc-pf-0,0,1,0,1
w.p. 30.09.2005 dresden, dresdner tage für zeitgemäße musik, studio neue musik moskau,
igor dronov

2005 für peter keuschnig 10 min.
music for small orchestra
1,1,1,bs.cl,0-1,2,1,0-perc-harp-0,0,1,2,1
w.p. 14.11.2005 vienna, musikverein, wien modern, ensemble kontrapunkte, peter keuschnig

2005 ein abschied – in memoriam klaus johns 3 Min.
music for 6 musicians
0,a.fl,0,0,bs.cl,0,-0,0,1,0-pf-1,0,0,1,0
w.p. 23.10.2005 graz, ensemble reconsil, roland freisitzer

2005 foreplay 11 min.
music for solo violoncello
w.p. 11.06.2006 vienna, wotruba church, maria frodl

2005 red 16 min.
music for piano and 13 musicians
1,1,1,1(c.bs)-1,1,1,0-perc-1,1,1,1,1
w.p. 30.01.2006 vienna, musikverein, rainer keuschnig, ensemble kontrapunkte,
peter keuschnig

2006 flute quartet 12 min.
music for flute, violin, viola and violoncello
w.p. 24.02.2006 moscow, studio neue musik moskau

2006 red II 16 min.
music for piano and orchestra
1,1,1,1(c.bs)-1,1,1,0-2 perc-8,8,6,6,4
w.p. 20.10.2006 baku, state philharmonic orchestra of azerbaijan, rena rzaeva,
roland freisitzer

2006 music for flute and 5 musicians 11 min.
0,0,1,0-0,0,1,0-1,0,1,1,0
w.p. 01.06.2006 vienna, arnold schönberg center, alexander wagendristel,
ensemble reconsil, roland freisitzer

2007 conny’s song 2 8 min.
music for flute and orchestra
2,1,2,1-2,0,0,1-2 perc-harp-8,0,6,6,4
not yet performed

2007 music for violin, harp and chamber orchestra 14 min.
1,1,0,bs.cl,s.sax,1-2,0,1,0-0,0,1,2,1
w.p. 21.05.2007 vienna, konzerthaus, evgenia epshtein, anna verkholantseva,
reconsil sinfonietta, roland freisitzer

2007 music for horn and 11 musicians 11 min.
1,0,1,bs.cl,0-0,1,1,0-perc-harp-1,0,1,1,1
not yet performed
(CD production 01.09.2007 vienna, nury guarnaschelly, ensemble die reihe, gottfried rabl)

2007 3rd oboe concerto 12 min.
for oboe and ensemble
1(picc,a.fl),0,0,bs.cl,a.sax,0-0,1,1,0-1,1,1,2,0
w.p. 07.10.2007 vienna, konzerthaus, paul kaiser, ensemble reconsil, roland freisitzer

2007 nocturne I…à la recherche d’une mélodie oubliée 11 min.
for english horn, bass clarinet and contrabassoon
w.p. 29.01.2008 vienna, triple tongue (paul kaiser, alexander neubauer, robert buschek)

2008 nocturne II…à la recherche d’une mélodie oubliée 10 min.
for flute and violoncello
w.p. 15.03.2008 moscow, maria fedotova and pyotr kondrashin

2008 yellow 10 min.
music for orchestra
picc,1,1,e.hr,1,bs.cl,1,c.bs-2,2,1,0-2 perc-harp-0,0,4,6,4
w.p. 25.06.2008 klagenfurt, wörthersee classics festival, budapest philharmonic orchestra,
alexei kornienko

2008 songlines – music for harp and ensemble 11 min.
1,0,0,s.sax,0-0,0,0,0-perc-1,0,0,0,1
w.p. 27.09.2008 moscow, moscow forum festival, anna verkholantseva, ensemble die reihe,
roland freisitzer

2008 cantus III – in memoriam david foster wallace 14 min.
music for guitar and chamber orchestra
0,0,0,0-0,0,0,0-perc-1,0,4,4,2
w.p. 22.10.2008 münster, reinbert evers, st. christopherus chamber orchestra, donatus katkus

2008 butterfly stories – hommage to william t. vollmann 15 min.
music for flute, bassoon (contrabassoon) and ensemble
0,1,0,bs.cl,bar.sax,0-0,1,1,0-1,0,1,1,1
w.p. 03.12.2008 vienna, maria fedotova, robert buschek, ensemble reconsil, roland freisitzer

2008 music for christine whittlesey 12 min.
for soprano and 14 musicians
1,0,e.hr,0,bs.cl,a.sax,0,c.bs-0,1,1,1-perc-pf-0,0,1,2,1
w.p. 26.01.2009 vienna, musikverein, christine whittlesey, ensemble kontrapunkte,
peter keuschnig

i.p. dies irae 12 min.
music for soprano, solo tuba, male choir and orchestra
0,1,e.hr,1,bs.cl,2,c.bs-2,2,3,0-2 perc-0,0,4,6,4
w.p. 03.05.2009

i.p. music for julia 10 min.
for accordeon, cimbalom and percussion
w.p. 29.08.2009 kloster wolkenroda (thüringen), ensemble KOZMOSZ

i.p. nocturne III…á la recherche d'un melodie oubliee 11 min.
music for viola, violoncello and contrabass
w.p. 2009/2010 trio lux

i.p. love songs (for julia) 14 min.
music for viola and ensemble
0,a.fl,0,e.hr,0,bs.cl,1-0,0,1,0-perc-pf-0,0,0,2,1
w.p. season 2009/2010, vienna, arnold schönberg center, julia purgina, ensemble reconsil
roland freisitzer

i.p. variations on a theme by joseph haydn 7 min.
music for 6 musicians
oboe, trombone, percussion, viola, violoncello and contrabass
w.p. autumn 2009, moscow, conservatory, studio new music, igor dronov

i.p. “Über die Unbewohnbarkeit des Paradieses” 90-110 min.
opera after the novel by a. p. schloeglmeier (libretto by a. p. schloeglmeier)
7-9 vocalists and 1 female viola player on stage
2(picc),2(e.hr),2(bs.cl),a.sax,2(c.bs)-2,1,2,1-timp-2 perc-pf-8,8,6,6,4

transcriptions of works by other composers

i.p. Lyrische Symphonie (Alexander Zemlinsky) 40 min.
for ensemble (or chamber orchestra)
2(picc,a.fl),1,2(bs.cl),1-2,1,1,0-pf-2 perc-1,1,1,1,1 (or 6,6,4,4,2)

i.p. Sonata for Violin and Piano (Leos Janacek) 12 min.
for violin and orchestra
2(picc,a.fl),1,e.hr,2,bs.cl,1,c.bs-2,2,2,1-harp-3 perc-10,8,6,6,4