Birgit Ramsl
Austrian flutist, Birgit Ramsl enjoys a busy career as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. Appointed principal Flute of the orchestra of the Volksoper Wien since 2004, she has since solidified her place as one of the most versatile personalities in the music scene in Austria.
Her repertoire, ranging from Baroque to Contemporary music, led her to be a young winner of numerous national and international competitions. She is „Mozart Prize 2004“ winner (Wiesbaden), won prizes at the International Music Competition „Pacem in Terris“ (Bayreuth, 2001) and at the International Flute Competition
„Jean-Pierre Rampal” (Paris, 2005). Furthermore she has received the First Prize and the special award of the Vienna Symphonic orchestra’s Anton Bruckner society at the Austrian youth music competition “Jugend musiziert” (1996), First Prize and a special award at the renowned Austrian competition “Gradus ad Parnassum” (2000).
Recent highlights include soloist appearances with her orchestra at the Suntory Hall and Seoul Arts Center, solo recitals at the Tokyo Opera City Hall and chamber music concerts with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra in Vienna's prestigious concert halls, the Wiener Konzerthaus and the Musikverein.
Her discography contains i.a. Prokofiev Sonata, Messiaen’s Le Merle Noir on the album „Flute Voyage“ (Gramola 2015), Debussy Sonata with the Trio Partout on the album „Farbenspiel“ (CCR 2010) as well as Brahms Serenade at the chamber album entitled
„Premier Plat“ with the Theophil Ensemble Wien (CCR 2011). In January 2022 her new album "The Bird of Life" with world premiere recordings was released by Naxos (8.579111) for which she has already received great reviews in Europe and abroad.
As a soloist, Birgit has performed all major flute concertos with various orchestras in Europe and Asia such as the Tonkünstler Orchestra Niederösterreich, the Philharmonia Vienna, the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, the Camerata Hamburg, the Tokyo Chamber Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra Baroque Ensemble
(Barockensemble der Wiener Symphoniker), the Hof Symphony Orchestra (Hofer Symphoniker), the Brasov Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hongkong Academy Orchestra.
The flutist worked with such notable conductors and soloists as Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, Ingo Metzmacher, Max Pommer, Neville Marriner, F. Welser-Möst, Julian Rachlin, Francois Leuleux, Menahem Pressler, Gottlieb Wallisch and Stefan Vladar.
She is a much sought-after partner for chamber music and a founding member of the Trio Partout (Flute, Viola & Harp) and a member of the Theophil Ensemble Wien, ensemble xxi. jahrhundert, Salzburg Orchestra Soloists and the Mozart Ensemble of the Volksoper Wien.
Her intense activity as a soloist and chamber musician led her to various well-known festivals all over the world: Salzburger Festspiele, the Festival Mecklenburg- Vorpommern, the Richard Strauss Festival, the Festival Latinoamericano de Música Caracas, the Murten Classics, The Grafenegg Festival, the Carinthian Summer Music Festival, the Lisztfestival Raiding, the Attersee- Klassik Festival, the Millstatt Music Weeks, the Diabelli Summer, the Rheingau Musik Sommer and at the New Music Week Shanghai.
The former Professor for flute at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) and faculty member of the Asian Youth Orchestra in Hongkong follows invitations to give master classes at renowned institutions and festivals around the world. She also serves as a juror at competitions in Austria and abroad.
Since 2018 she is a member of the board of the Austrian Flute Association which connect professional flutists, flute students and amateurs through organizing concerts, workshops, masterclasses, instrument- and music score showcases all around the flute and reorganize and support the Austrian flute society.
Birgit graduated with honors at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (mdw) with Wolfgang Schulz and Barbara Gisler-Haase and completed a Master Class program under András Adorján at the Hochschule of Music and Theater Munich.
She received important influences from Aurèle Nicolet, Emmanuel Pahud, Pierre Yves-Artaud, Jean-Michel Tanguy, Michael Martin Kofler and János Bálint.
The flutist was awarded important grants from the Tokyo Foundation, the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra to which she was invited as Principal Flutist.
The flutist Birgit performs alternatively on a 18k/9k Muramatsu Flute, on a Wooden and a 18k Rose Flute of the brand Powell. She also enjoys her Mancke head joints.
