Walter Auer

Walter Auer is an internationally sought after soloist and Principal Flutist of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera.

He performs in many parts of the world, in the current season including as a soloist in an extended tour to Japan and Germany with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (world premiere of the orchestra Version of Prokofjew op. 94), the Gala Concert to celebrate K. Penderckis 85th birthday in Krakow with Sinfonietta Cracovia or the Festival “Virtuosi of the Flute” with the Mariinsky Chamber Orchestra in St. Petersburg.

Last year he performed among others as soloist with the Vienna Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel in Mexiko City, with the Orchestra of the Royal Capitol City of Krakow (Poland) during an extended tour to China, or the Symphony Orchestras of Kyoto, Kyushu and Yamagata (Japan) as well as the San Diego Symphony (US).

It is no coincidence that he chose an instrument that is very close to the human voice.
„Singing in the orchestra“ is what he aims to achieve in his playing and what singles out his famous, unique sound.

As a young flutist in his home county Carinthia, he was lucky to have musician’s musician Johannes von Kalckreuth as his first flute teacher and went on to study with Michael M. Kofler at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, with Andreas Blau during his time at the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic and with Aurèle Nicolet in Basel. After studying he was appointed principal flute at Dresden Philharmonic and later with the NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Hanover.

He was very successful on the flute competition circuit, placing or winning in Bonn, Cremona and at the ARD competition in Munich and has been part of the international concert scene ever since. He has recorded CDs for Tudor (Zurich), Paladino (Vienna), Camerata, Nami and Meister Music (Japan) and Supraphon (Czech).

Walter Auer is always on the look out to add new pieces to the flute repertoire, either in arranging works originally for other instruments for the flute (for example the Chopin piano-trio) or in commissioning and premiering contemporary music. He closely collaborated with Luna Alcalay (1926-2012), the grande dame of Austrian contemporary music who dedicated „en passant“ (for flute solo) and „Escapade“ (woodwind-quintet) for him.
In 2018 he inciated and premiered the orchestra version of Prokofjew Sonata op. 94 orchestrated by Andreas N. Tarkmann during an extensive tour with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra to Japan and Europe.

As a very engaging, supportive teacher, Walter Auer presents masterclasses and workshops throughout Europe, the US and Asia. From 2012 to 2018 he taught at the University for Music in Vienna, as guest professor at the Shobi University Tokyo and at Jogakuin University in Kobe.

Walter Auer performs on a 24ct Sankyo flute with a head joint by Werner Tomasi (Vienna).

When performing concerts with his wife Julia, a musicologist and traverso player, Walter also plays Renaissance and Baroque traversos made by Giovanni Tardino and Martin Wenner.

He has three kids; Marianna, Leopold and Anton. They love living in Vienna.