Stefan Donner
Biography Stefan Donner
Stefan Donner
+earned degrees from the University of Music Vienna (with highest honors) where he studied organ, piano, and conducting. He also received a Master's degree in organ performance from the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Additionally, Stefan has participated in master classes with Olivier Latry, Joris Verdin, and Edoardo Bellotti. He notably received a 2014-15 Fulbright Scholarship to study organ and harpsichord at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.
Stefan is the recipient of various awards, including First Prize in the 2010 Franz-Schmidt-Organ Competition (Austria) and Third Prize in the 2011 Dublin International Organ Competition. Besides various radio and television recordings, Stefan has recorded CDs on the 1741 Dacci organ of St. Salvator in Vienna and on the 1862 Buckow organ in the musical instruments collection of the Vienna Museum of Technology. In 2018 a CD recording with organ works by Austrian composers from the 20th and 21 st century on the Rieger-Organ at Schlosskapelle Schönbrunn was released. These albums notably document his artistic proficiency as a concert organist.
Stefan has performed extensively in Europe, Turkey, Israel, Kazakhstan, Russia (Kaliningrad Cathedral and Moscow International Performing Arts Center), Canada, the USA (St. Patrick's Cathedral NYC, Grace Cathedral San Francisco, Mechanics Hall Worcester und Methuen Memorial Music Hall) and Australia. In 2017 he was invited to lecture on J. S. Bach's organ Trio Sonatas at the Wtadystaw Zelenski Secondary School of Music in Krakow, Poland. In August 2024 he also gave an organ masterclass at the Conservatory of Almaty in Kazakhstan.
Donner's previously held positions include Interim Director of Music and Organist at Klosterneuburg Abbey from 2020 to 2021. Beside his busy concert schedule, Mr Donner currently teaches organ, piano and music theory at Franz Schmidt-Musikschule Perchtoldsdorf amongst others and works as an accompanist.
