Thomas Daniel Schlee


Thomas Daniel Schlee is an Austrian composer, arts administrator, and organist.

Life and work

Thomas Daniel Schlee was born in Vienna as the elder of two sons of the Austro-German musicologist, theater scientist and music publisher Alfred Schlee and of Margaret Molner. Therefore already from his early childhood on he has been in close contact with a large number of important personalities of the music of the 20th century. He studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna with Michael Radulescu and Erich Romanovsky. He then earned a PhD in musicology and art history at Vienna University. During 1977-78, Schlee was an auditor in Olivier Messiaen's composition class in Paris and studied privately with composer and organist Jean Langlais. Upon returning to Austria, he also studied with composer Francis Burt.
From 1986 to 1989 Thomas Daniel Schlee was dramatic advisor for music at the Salzburger Landestheater, 1988-90 he taught at the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna and at the Institute for Musicology at the Salzburg University. From 1990 to 1998 he was Music Director at the Linzer Brucknerhaus and Artistic Director of the International Bruckner Festival in Linz. From 1995 on he worked for the Guardini Foundation Berlin and was Scientific Director of the international project “La Cité céleste”, dedicated to Olivier Messiaen. In that position he was responsible for exhibitions, concerts, competitions, monograph, lectures and symposia in 15 European cities. From 1998 to 2001 he was head of the Guardini Foundation, from 2004 to 2011 head of the advisory committee for music. From 1999 to 2003 Schlee was Vice General Manager of the International Beethoven Festival in Bonn. After this he was General Manager of the Carinthischer Sommer from 2004 to 2015 as well as a member of the university committee of the Mozarteum Salzburg.

The composer

As a composer, Schlee has written works in all forms, which have been published by Bärenreiter, Lemoine, Leduc, Universal Edition, Doblinger etc.
He got commissions among others from Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Vienna, Vienna Konzerthausgesellschaft, Süddeutscher Rundfunk, Camerata Salzburg, Ensemble 20. Jahrhundert, Wiener Musiksommer, Mürztaler Werkstatt, Upper Austrian Stiftskonzerte, Mariahilf-Kultur Graz, Cappella Nova Graz, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, International Beethovenfeste Bonn, International Organ Week Nürnberg, Siemens Arts Program, Guardini Foundation Berlin, Theater an der Wien Vienna, University of Music Graz, kunsthaus muerz, Ensemble die reihe, Bachfest Salzburg 2008, Southwest German Philharmonic Konstanz, Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz, Gewandhaus zu Leipzig, International Barocktage Melk, and Musiktage Mondsee. In 1997/1998 Schlee was Composer in Residence of the Vienna Concert Verein.
His music was performed by interpreters like Roger Norrington, Riccardo Chailly, Wladimir Fedossejew, Bertrand de Billy, Placido Domingo, Franz Welser-Möst, Pinchas Steinberg, Dennis Russell Davies, Sándor Végh, Manfred Honeck, Ralf Weikert, Leopold Hager, Christian Simonis, Lothar Zagrosek, Heinz Karl Gruber, Zoltán Kocsis, Philippe Herreweghe, Maurice André, Heinrich Schiff, Ursula Holliger, Ildikó Raimondi, Bernarda Fink, Wolfgang Schulz, Walter Auer, Sharon Bezaly, Michael Martin Kofler, Silvia Careddu, Hansjörg Schellenberger, Marie-Luise Modersohn, Andreas Schablas, Milan Turkovic, Michael Schade, Markus Schäfer, Alexander Krichel, Auryn Quartett, Quatuor Danel, Wiener Streichquartett, Klangforum Wien, Ensemble die reihe, Soloists of Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and many others.

The organist

As an organist Thomas Daniel Schlee performed intensely throughout Europe, was soloist at renowned international festivals, recorded for radio and CDs (Diapason d'Or 10 de répertoire, and the German Record Critics' Award. He also is a jurymember at distinguished competitions.

Major works