Prof. Klaus Christa
In 1999, Klaus Christa founded the chamber music series Musik in der Pforte, which, alongside the Schubertiade, has become one of the most important chamber music projects in the Lake Constance region.
With Musik in der Pforte, he has set lasting impulses in the musical life of Vorarlberg and has inspired a wide audience with the treasures of Western chamber music. His passion drives him to develop innovative program concepts, through which Musik in der Pforte has succeeded in continuously expanding its audience for this repertoire. His concert formats are marked by strong thematic content and often incorporate elements from other genres such as spoken word, theater, and literature.
Author
Klaus Christa's deep commitment to chamber music culminated in his book and accompanying CD about Joseph Haydn, which drew considerable attention from critics and audiences alike. Valerio Benz of DRS2 wrote, “A delightful reading experience”, and Dagmar Munck of SWR2 commented, “Reading it warmed my heart.” This engagement with Haydn led to the creation of the piece "Haydn – The Music Within Me – A Concert-Theatre", co-produced with the Vienna Schubert Theater. It represents a new hybrid format between puppet theater and concert performance.
Chamber Musician and Educator
Christa's most influential mentor and teacher was Hatto Beyerle, with whom he studied in Vienna and Hanover. Other key artistic influences included Gérard Caussé, Klaus Maetzl, and Walter Levin.
Since 1995, Klaus Christa has served as Professor of Viola and Chamber Music at the Vorarlberg State Conservatory, where he passionately supports and nurtures young musicians. He is a founding member of the Epos:Quartet, alongside Christine Busch and Verena Sommer (violins), and François Poly (cello).
As a chamber musician, he has performed with Alexander Swete, Karl Leister, Norbert Täubl, Rainer Honeck, Priya Mitchell, Wolfgang Emmanuel Schmidt, Claudio Bohórquez, and the Vertavo String Quartet. Klaus Christa is also a leading interpreter of contemporary music, having worked closely with composers such as Sofia Gubaidulina and George Crumb. He plays a viola made by William Robert Scott in 2009.
Bochabela String Orchestra
Beyond his extensive work as a chamber musician, Klaus Christa is deeply committed to the Mangaung String Programme in South Africa. For many years, he has shared his experience as artistic director of the Bochabela String Orchestra.
With this orchestra, he has undertaken several European tours, performing in venues such as the Tonhalle Zürich, MuTh in Vienna, Radialsystem in Berlin, Mozarteum Salzburg, and the Christuskirche in Hanover.