About Christian Vranek
When Adriana Ku?erová makes her debut at the at the ‘Salzburg Festival 2006’ an aim of Christian Vranek is fulfilled: a former scholarship holder reaches the step on the big stage. Vranek builds up side by side with the emeritus rector of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Prof. Frischenschlager, an international sponsor's pool for the International Summer Academy Vienna - Prague - Budapest. The aim of this initiative is to give support to 300 top musicians, especially from Central Eastern Europe. Ku?erocvá was one of the participants – still today she has engagements among others at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Opéra National de Paris, the Munic State Opera and the Glyndebourne Festival.
Jung and Experimentally
For the first time Christian Vranek arouses in 1994 with a new concept for the concert cycle 'les nouveaux jeunes' public attention. He presents as a cultural instructor of the National Union of Students at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna young high-talented musicians with music of the 20th century in special locations like the Viennese Secession or the Austrian Museum of Applied Arts / Contemporary Art (MAK). The special concept of ‘les nouveaux jeunes’ bases on special relationships between the music program and the exhibitions. Lectures and guidances by the artists accompany art evenings like 'from freedom and form ' or ' Schostakowitsch and Africa' and stimulate the interest of the audience for art of the 20th century. Art is presented by Christian Vranek as an open dialogue.
Maybe it is the unconventional, almost natural way to handle art why Christian Vranek tries to integrate the artistic side as well as the audience into the concepts of his works. Besides, it is a matter on both sides of waking up interest, of unfolding passions and of stimulating communication.
First steps
Christian Vranek is born in 1971 in Vienna. At the age of 6 years he starts to play violin, later piano, he studies composition, sings in a choir, writes scenarios and studies intensely the concert, theatre and opera business. As a soloist, as a member of choir and leader in an orchestra he makes a lot of experiences during his college days. Especially to play in an orchestra teaches Christian Vranek, what it means to create success together.
From 1989 Christian Vranek studies science of music and theory of drama at the University of Vienna. Mozart, Mahler, Schönberg, Schostakowitsch, the age of the expressionism, the Comedia dell' arte, but also film and television build the top priorities of his studies. Vranek finishes the studies with ’honouring’ and writes his diploma thesis about Gustav Mahler´s Piano Quartet fragment in a minor, which Mahler composed as a Student 1876 in Vienna.
The art of the management
Personalities of the international cultural scene like Karsten Witt, Franz Sattelecker, Dieter Bogner, Konrad Paul Liessmann, Franz Otto Hofecker, Klaus Bachler and Peter Baum are among others Vranek´s teachers at the institute of cultural management at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Here Vranek starts to study in 1994 and receives much theoretical and practical know how for his work. In the concert row 'les nouveaux jeunes' Vranek processes successfully many of these impulses as a cultural instructor of the National Union of Students at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. In 1995 Christian Vranek works also as an finance instructor for the National Union of Students. A year later, in 1996, he is asked by the rector of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Michael Frischenschlager, to organize the international symposium ‘The future of the music universities in the 21st century’.
A new festival hall, a new capital, a big challenge
In 1997 Christian Vranek becomes a PR manager at the new festival hall in St. Pölten, close Vienna. For Vranek this is a completely new challenge which requires a lot of pioneer's minds. Two months before the opening of the new house Vranek startes to work with the aim, to inspire the people in the local region for art. St. Pölten is a small town with 50.000 inhabitants, 60 kilometers far from Vienna. The festival hall has a capacity of more than 1000 visitors. With a communication concept which bases on the mediation of art, and the ambitious support of the media the festival hall finds acceptance and positions itself successfully. Christian Vranek fights for moderate ticket prices, because everyone should have the possibility to watch the performances at the new festival hall.
Especially the dance-program with performances of the Marta Graham Dance Company, the Rambert a dance Company or the Cullberg Balet are very popular. The performances of the Piccolo Teatro di Milano of Giorgio Strehler´s ‘Arlecchino' counts to the personally most fulfilling moments of Vranek´s time in St.Pölten. Meetings with artists like Robert Wilson, Bobby McFerrin, Hanna Schygulla or Bruno Ganz remain as unforgotten.
Cooperation of art and economy
In 2001 Christian Vranek creates the symposium 'Art and Economy' at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Vranek has already intensely dealt in the institute of cultural management and in the festival hall St. Pölten with this topic. More than 150 companies follow the invitation to Vienna. During three days experts from the areas of art, science & economy develop very clear guidelines for the cooperation between the University and private business sector.
Cultural cooperation in Central Eastern Europe
As a Management-Consultant Christian Vranek adapts some of the results of the symposium for the International Summer Academy Vienna - Prague - Budapest of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. The reorganisation and financial consolidation of the institution is in the centre of his activities. But Vranek also initiates together with Prof. Frischenschlager the concert cycle ‘Musical Adventure Central Europe’ with concerts in Prague, Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna and Kraców. Thus sponsors from this cities and countries can be also won increasingly as scholarship founders for the International Summer Academy Vienna - Prague - Budapest. Exactly here the interdisciplinary thinking of Vranek comes particularly to development. Scenarios, which combine the philosophy of the summer academy and the company strategies of the sponsors are created. From 2001 to 2004 the income from public and private conveyor money is doubled. Step by step more young artists can be supported, and also the interest by the public and the media increases.
Activities at three levels
Since 2004 Christian Vranek works independently in the cultural business. Program planning, advisory, carrying out and conceptual works in the cultural management, as well as educational teaching missions and artistic projects build the three pilars of his activities. Christian Vranek works among others for the ‘Institute new Impulses’, the ‘Ignaz of Pleyel year 2007’, the ‘International Fritz Kreisler Competion for violin’ and the Odeon theatre in Vienna where he formes 2008 the much-noticed Austrian première of the baroque opera ALCIONE in the areas of PR & marketing.
In the Mozart- year 2006 Christian Vranek creates the photo cycle ’Mozart in Vienna – selected scenes of his life’. In the photographs of Philipp Horak the audience could see less known scenes from Mozart's life. Vranek directes this photo cycle from the letters of Mozart. The photo cycle should stimulate a contemporary adoption of Mozart. Up to now the photo cycle has been shown as an exhibition in Vienna, Dakar, Hanoi and Cairo.
Since 2005 Christian Vranek teaches at the ebam Academy and transmits his knowledge and know how to students in the areas of Sponsorship, Fundraising and digital media. In 2007 Christian Vranek is invited to teach at the Sakai Academy of Cairo Cultural Marketing & Fundraising, too. Because of the resonance of his lecture in 2007 Christian Vranek gets the invitation to teach Cultural Marketing at the American University in Cairo in February 2009.
Culture Creates Values
Artistic competence, efficient marketing and communication combined with professional management are Christian Vranek's credo to realize art & cultural projects successfully.
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