Bartolomey & Bittmann
Progressive strings vienna
"Rarely have you heard strings that surrender to the groove with such relish. BartolomeyBittmann light-footedly bring to the fore those musical virtues not usually associated with classical instruments: Unbridled playfulness and radical rhythm." (Wolfgang Muthspiel)
The two Austrians have been working together as a duo since 2012. Klemens Bittmann has always sought proximity to crossover: His violin studies at the University of Music & Performing Arts Graz were followed by another for jazz violin with Didier Lockwood in Paris.
Cooperations with the accordionist Klaus Paier, the guitarists Alegre Correa and Wolfgang Muthspiel, the trio folksmilch, and in a duo with the woodwind player Georg Gratzer, also determine Bittmann's artistic career, as does teaching at the University of Arts in Graz.
As an arranger, he was responsible for the groundbreaking "Celebrating The Mahavishnu Orchestra" recording of the radio.string.quartet.vienna, released by ACT.
Matthias Bartolomey looks back on a career more firmly anchored in Western art music. A graduate of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the famous Mozarteum in Salzburg, he has performed in the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra.
Since 2010 he has been principal cellist with the Concentus Musicus Wien founded by Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
BartolomeyBittmann is the project of their hearts.
