Thomas Bieber

orchestra manager

Thomas Bieber studierte Konzertfach Horn und Tonsatz an der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien und beschloss sein Studium mit dem Magister artium am Institut für historische Aufführungspraxis. Von 1983 bis 2014 war Thomas Bieber als Hornist bei den Vereinigten Bühnen Wien tätig. Vielfältige Kammermusiktätigkeit mit dem Ensemble Art of  Brass Vienna, 2002 Gründung der Vienna Horns.

Thomas Bieber ist Leiter dreier Festivals in Niederösterreich – des Klangraum Waidhofen, Klangraum Dobra sowie Klangraum im Herbst.

Seit 2014 ist Thomas Bieber für das Orchestermanagement der Vereinigten Bühnen Wien verantwortlich.

Carsten Paap

Conductor

Carsten Paap studied church music, school music and music education at the University of Music Lübeck, majoring in organ, trombone and choral conducting, and graduated with distinction. He encountered the musical in 1997 at CATS in the Hamburg Operettenhaus, from where he continued in 1999 in Bremen with JEKYLL& HYDE as keyboardist and assistant musical director. In the same position he changed to MOZART! in Hamburg, where TITANIC - DAS MUSICAL and DIRTY DANCING followed. At the same time he conducted SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD on the Cap San Diego as well as ELEGIES FOR ANGELS, PUNKS AND RAGING QUEENS at the Schmidt Theater Hamburg and conducted the Berlin production of TANZ DER VAMPIRE. His work in Vienna includes REBECCA, MUSICAL CHRISTMAS, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, SISTER ACT, THE VISIT OF THE OLD LADY, MOZART!, MARY POPPINS, EVITA, DON CAMILLO & PEPPONE, I AM FROM AUSTRIA, BODYGUARD - THE MUSICAL, MISS SAIGON and THE LADY OF NOTRE DAME as well as musical direction for DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and CATS. He was also Musical Director for the musical productions ANNIE (2012) and INTO THE WOODS(2014), which were created in collaboration with the Lower Austrian Music School Management. In May 2013 he was responsible for the premiere of the chamber opera JOIN! by Franz Koglmann at the Wiener Festwochen, and in September 2017 for the premiere of LIEBE SOPHIE and the EA of Anna Clyne's THIS MIDNIGHT HOUR (Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra). 

Herbert Pichler

Conductor

Herbert Pichler graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. He has been working as an artist in Vienna since 1989 and also teaches at the Institute for Popular Music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He was musical director of MISS SAIGON, BARBARELLA, HAIR, MAMMA MIA! and BODYGUARD (all VBW), the new version of CABARET with Maria Bill (Volkstheater Wien) and the TV show "Ein Saitensprung" with Rainhard Fendrich. He has worked as a conductor on DER BAUER ALS MILLIONÄR (Landestheater Linz), "Musical!- Die Show" (ORF 2007) and I AM FROM AUSTRIA (VBW), among others. Since the first season of the ORF show "Dancing Stars", he has also been the conductor of the Star Orchestra. Other examples of his diverse musical activities include orchestral projects with Thomas Quasthoff, the mdw project CUBE, musical direction of the Nestroy Theatre Prize, collaboration with the Mozarteum Chamber Orchestra and several projects with Herbert Pixner and the Tonkünstler Orchestra. As an arranger and musician, Herbert Pichler has worked on CD productions and TV shows with artists such as Nina Hagen, Marianne Faithful and Chaka Khan, with whom he worked on the opening of the Vienna Festival in 2005, as well as with The Supremes, Harry Belafonte, Patricia Kaas, Placido Domingo, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jos. Carreras, Luciano Pavarotti, Dave Stewart, Jim Steinman, Simply Red, Gloria Gaynor and many musical stars.

Michael Römer

Conductor

After studying in Bremen, Hanover and New York, he worked as a music educator, chamber musician, concert pianist and conductor. This was followed by solo performances with various orchestras and as a partner in chamber music ensembles, as well as recitals with soloists from various state operas; also with a focus on modern music (including collaboration with Karlheinz Stockhausen). As a conductor and répétiteur, he has worked on over 50 different (premiere) performances and premieres in Vienna and abroad. He has also been a guest lecturer at several musical schools and universities. Since the 2000/2001 season, he has been a permanent conductor at the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien, where he has been in charge of the rehearsals of numerous plays as well as the ongoing productions. In addition, he works as a pianist and consultant for many national and international auditions. Currently he is part of the music direction of the VBW. Most recently, he was Musical Director of WE ARE MUSICAL, the opening gala of the Raimund Theater and the concert performances of ELISABETH at Schönbrunn (2019 and 2022). As a supervisor, he oversees versions of ELISABETH, MOZART! and REBECCA in many countries for VBW, among others. In 2022/23, he will follow with the musical direction of Disney's THE HUNCHBACK at the Ronacher.

Péter Bíró

Conductor

Peter Bíró has conducted numerous musical, concert and operetta productions. He graduated from the Academy of Music in Budapest in 2011. From 2008 to 2015 he conducted in various theaters in Hungary (including Budapest Operetta Theater, Budapest National Theater). He conducted Dan Goggin's NON(N)SENS (National Theatre Miskolc and Győr), Rodgers and Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC (National Theatre Miskolc), Kurt Weills/ Bertolt Brecht's DIE DREIGROSCHENOPER (Budapest Operetta Theatre), Jule Stynes/Bob Merrill's SUGAR - MANCHE MÖGEN'S HEISS (Wine Festival Eger), Johann Strauss' DER ZIGEUNERBARON (Wiltz Summer Festival, Luxembourg) as well as WIENER BLUT (Petőfi Theater, Veszprém), Emmerich Kálmán's DIE CSÁRDÁSFÜRSTIN (Pet˝ofi Theater, Sopron) and Franz Lehár's DIE LUSTIGE WITWE (Pet˝ofi Theater, Sopron). Since 2015, he has conducted the New Year's Concerts with the Savaria Symphony Orchestra in Hungary. He made his debut with VBW in the 2015/2016 season with the musical MOZART! and has since also conducted EVITA, SCHIKANEDER, DON CAMILLO & PEPPONE, TNAZ DER VAMPIRE, I AM FROM AUSTRIA, BODYGUARD, CATS and MISS SAIGON. Together with his colleagues, he has been part of the VBW music direction since 2019.