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Johannes was born on November 18, 1975 in Vienna, Austria.
Music has a strong tradition in his family. His grandfather, a composer
and conductor, served as musical director for the Vienna Boys' Choir for 30
years. His grandmother was a professional accompanist, highly sought-after
by musicians in Vienna and abroad.
Johannes received early musical education by his mother, a pianist,
singer, and music teacher at the Vienna University of Music and Performing
Arts. In 1980, aged 4, he became a student of the University - probably
one of its youngest freshmen ever...
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In 1993, he enrolled at the Vienna
Conservatory. He received training in acting, singing and dancing and
appeared in class productions of musical theatre favorites, such as
"A Chorus Line", "Lady In The Dark" and "Singin'
In The Rain". In 1996 he graduated with distinction and
remained for another two years at the Conservatory, attending a workshop
for conductors, while he was working frequently as actor and singer for
Vienna theatres.
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While studying in the musical theatre class, Johannes started writing
songs for his colleagues. They had immediate success and led to a
commission for a full-length show to be produced in his bachelor year.
The result was "Das Dingsbums das
man Liebe nennt" ("The Thing Called Love"), a
savvy operetta for a mostly teenage cast and full orchestra that opened to
an enthusiastic audience and rave reviews on May 22nd, 1996 at the Akzent
Theater in Vienna. Due to the success, it was re-staged in
1997, with some rewrites and additional songs.
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In 1998/99 Johannes worked as resident writer for Kabarett
Simpl, the most renowned Austrian Cabaret. His sketches were performed
in the revues "Zeit der Dummheit" ("Age Of Dumbness") and "Sonne, Sex, Sensationen" ("Sun,
Sex, Sensations").
In summer 1999 he provided the vocal arrangements for the Klagenfurt
staging of "Achtung. Selten." ("Attention.
Rare."), a musical about the famous "Comedian Harmonists",
a 1930s German "boys group" similar to America's Revellers. He
also appeared in the role of Robert Biberti, the group's bass.
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After signing a contract with the St. Poelten Theatre for the 1999/2000
season, Johannes spent an intense year working in Lower Austria's capitol,
performing major roles in several shows, including Papageno in Mozart's
"Magic Flute" and Rolf in "The Sound Of Music" by
Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Throughout 2001, he worked for the theatres of St. Poelten, Baden, and Grein,
where he played "Michael" in the charming "I Do! I
Do!" by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt.
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The following year had him return to Grein's
pittoresque theatre, where his new musical comedy had its first night
on May 2, 2002. "Das Greingold, oder Marder
unter uns" ("Martens Among Us"), was created together
with writer/lyricist Nina Schneider and
produced by scherzo,
an independent theatrical company from Vienna. A very warm
reception by both the audience and the critics rewarded Nina's and
Johannes' happy collaboration.
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In summer 2003 Johannes had the laughs as Thisbe in Shakespeare's
"Midsummer Night's Dream" in an outdoor festival production in
Bad Kissingen, a grand spa in Southern Germany. This was to be
his last engagement as a performer before going to the United States.
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In September 2003 he auditioned as composer for the
BMI
Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop in New York City, and was
selected to become a student member. He collaborated with many most
talented lyricists, such as Alan Gordon, Diana Belkowski, Jim
McNicholas, Steve Routman, Jeff Hughes, and Alison Loeb. In second
year class, Johannes presented songs as composer/lyricist.
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While Johannes lists W.A.Mozart and George Gershwin as his favorite
composers, his music is influenced by a wide range of styles and periods.
His works include three full-length musicals as well as orchestral pieces
and cabaret songs.
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