Martin Mallaun (*1975) “is without a doubt one of the most versatile artists in this country currently working in the field of experimental music. Whether in improvisation, electronic music, baroque lute music, alpine folk music, or contemporary music, the Tyrol-born performer is always searching for new forms of sonic and stylistic expression on the zither.” (music information center austria, www.mica.at).”
In addition to zither studies at the Tyrolean State Conservatory, Martin Mallaun majored in botany at the University of Innsbruck. For the past several years he has been working intensively to expand the zither repertoire. A large number of new pieces, ranging from solo to orchestral works, have been composed for and premiered by him. On this path he has been fortunate to have such companions as zither trio GREIFER, the violinist Barbara Lüneburg, the accordionist Viviane Chassot, and the improvisation trio Tricky Bridges.
Martin Mallaun performs concerts internationally and makes guest appearances at such renowned festivals as the Edinburgh International Festival (UK), Munich Biennale (Germany), and Klangspuren Schwaz (Austria). In addition to his work as a freelance musician, he teaches zither at the Anton Bruckner university and the Tyrol Music School Association. As a botanist he has been researching the effects of climate change on the vegetation of Alpine ecosystems as part of the GLORIA research project since 2001 (www.gloria.ac.at).