SVEN BIRCH, Pianist and conductor He was born in Denmark in 1960, and trained to be a pianist in Aarhus, Denmark, finishing his studies with a diploma as a soloist. Many prizes won at competitions enabled him to attend further studies in Vienna with Prof. A. Jenner. He also attended masterclasses with renowned pianists such as Tatjana Nicolajewa, Conrad Hansen, John Lill, Leonid Brumberg and Peter Feuchtwanger. As a soloist, accompanist, conductor and chamber musician Mr. Birch has a busy concert schedule with concert tours through Europe, Asia and both North and South America. Sven Birch is teaching piano at the Anton Bruckner - University Linz where he is head of the piano department. From 1996-2004 he also taught at the Mozarteum Salzburg.  He is a member of 'Ensemble Nord' in Copenhagen and the George Crumb Trio. He is often invited to run courses and workshops and has done numerous CD-, TV and radio recordings. Sven Birch is composer and editor of a series of Piano music with Universal Edition Wien, Zimmermann Frankfurt and Edition Peters. He studied conducting with GMD Janos Fuerst and was his assistant in "Aalborg Symfoniorkester" (DK). Mr. Birch is conducting a lot of concerts and projects and he is the conductor and artistic director of chamber orchestra "Danube 2135".