Dominik Wagner

Born in Vienna in 1997, Dominik began his musical education at the age of 5, initially as a cellist and later as a double bassist starting in 2007. His musical development was significantly influenced by his 4 years in the Vienna Boys' Concert Choir (2007-2011). From 2009 to 2015, he received instruction at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, followed by studies with Prof. Dorin Marc at the University of Music Nuremberg from 2015 to 2022. Since 2023, he has been part of the Professional Studies Program at the Kronberg Academy.

As a fellow of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, ECHO and Opus Klassik award winner, double bassist Dominik Wagner showcases his instrument in new dimensions on the international stage.

He has received awards at nearly all double bass competitions, with notable distinctions at the prestigious ARD Music Competition, the Eurovision Young Musicians Competition, and the International Bradetich Competition.

As a soloist, Dominik has performed with orchestras such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Salzburg, and the German Chamber Philharmonic Bremen in concert halls including the Musikverein Wien, Konzerthaus Wien, Konzerthaus Berlin, Herkulessaal Munich, Gasteig Munich, Carnegie Hall New York, and the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.

An essential part of his career involves expanding the repertoire for the double bass, leading to numerous premieres of double bass concertos, chamber music with double bass, and solo double bass literature. Wagner is also known for his multitude of arrangements, encompassing works by composers such as Bach, Liszt, Dvorak, Gershwin, and Piazzolla.

In 2021, his first solo CD, "Giovanni Bottesini - Revolution of Bass," was released with the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn on the Berlin Classics label. Since then, two more CDs have been released on the same label: "Chapters - A Double Bass Story," featuring duo repertoire with Lauma Skride, and "Double Bass Rhapsody," featuring his own arrangements for solo double bass and double bass ensemble.

In addition to his solo activities, Dominik is a passionate chamber musician, collaborating with musicians such as the Emerson String Quartet, Danish String Quartet, Isabel Faust, Tabea Zimmermann, Gerhard Schultz, and Elisabeth Leonskaja. He aims to expand the repertoire and create new ensembles with fresh repertoire. This has led to collaborations such as the duo with jazz double bassist Georg Breinschmid and the clarinet trio with Vera Karner and Aurelia Visovan, with the latter winning the Fanny Mendelssohn Sponsorship Award.

Wagner is also a sought-after educator. Since 2023, he has been a professor at the University of Music Würzburg, and he regularly conducts masterclasses in Europe and the USA at institutions such as the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, the Juilliard School in New York, and the University of North Texas.