• 4 Aug - 17 Aug, 2005

• 25 Jul - 6 Aug, 2007

• 13 Aug - 24 Aug, 2009

“Thunderous applause and ovations resulted in a charming encore that brought a sensational concert to a relaxed end.” 

- Zhejiang Online/China, August 2007

Alexander Vavtar - piano

Eva Steinschaden (violin) and Alexander Vavtar (piano) founded the duo :nota bene: in 1996. "nota bene" means "take note" or "note well". It could also quite simply mean "good note". Eva Steinschaden and Alexander Vavtar make music for fine ears from good notes. So: nota bene! Take note: there is new chamber music from Salzburg to listen to.

Engaged in instrumental teaching since the completion of their musical studies at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, they have specialised in the music of the Viennese Classical school, devoting attention also to modern and in particular contemporary music.

In 1998, they made their CD debut with works by Mozart, Schubert, Granados, Webern and Pärt. This was followed in 2000 by the second CD, with works by Mozart, Ravel, Schnittke and Kardeis, in 2004 by the third CD, with works by Bresgen, Lutoslawski, Penderecki, Kurtág, Vereno and Nussbichler, and in 2006 by the fourth CD, with works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his son Franz Xaver Mozart. (All CDs are available on the Viennese "Extraplatte" label.).

In 1999, the duo was the only Austrian ensemble to be accepted for the master class held by the Trio di Trieste. Since then, they have collaborated with the world-famous musicians of the Trio di Trieste at the Scuola Superiore di Musica da Camera in Trieste.

Over the years, the duo :nota bene: has given the first performance of many works, by distinguished composers including Cesar Bresgen, Charles Camilleri, Laurence Traiger, Helmut Neumann, Klemens Vereno and Ludwig Nussbichler.

Since its inception, the duo :nota bene: has given some 300 recitals in Austria, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Denmark, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Tunisia, Turkey, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Mexico, USA, Belize, Japan, China and New Zealand.

Invitations to perform have been extended by prestigious concert organisers such as the Salzburg Festival (opening celebrations), International Mozarteum Foundation/Salzburg, "stART" Festival/Salzburg, ASPEKTE/Salzburg, Composers' Forum in Mittersill/Austria, Austrian Jeunesse Musicale, Schubert Society/Vienna, Mozart Society in Wiesbaden/Germany, Deutsches Theater/Berlin, "Little Maarnach Festival"/Luxembourg, International Festival Rousse/Bulgaria, Sala Bulgaria in Sofia/Bulgaria, Ateneul Român Bucharest/Romania, Teatru Manoel in Valletta/Malta, Festival Culturel International d’Assilah/Morocco, Mozart Society in Kagoshima/Japan, Shanghai Concert Hall/China, Festival Cultural de Zacatecas/Mexico and the Festival "Joven es Acción" in Querétaro/Mexico.

Eva Steinschaden received her first violin tuition at the age of four from her father, Bruno Steinschaden. Later she studied under Helmut Zehetmair and Ruggiero Ricci at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, gaining her teacher's diploma in 1988 and her performer's diploma in 1989.

She attended master classes with various teachers, including Shmuel Ashkenazy, Ljerko Spiller, Thomas Brandis, Renato Zanettovich and Enrico Bronzi, and was a frequent first prize-winner in competitions such as "Jugend Musiziert" (Young Musicians).

She leads the Leopold Mozart Chamber Orchestra, is a member of various chamber ensembles, and was for some years a regular extra with the Mozarteum Orchestra in Salzburg. She has travelled widely as a performer, throughout Europe as well as to Japan, South America and the USA, and has made numerous recordings for television, radio and on CD.

Eva Steinschaden is in great demand as a judge for competitions.

Eva Steinschaden has taught violin at the Musikum Salzburg since 1988, and has held a teaching post for violin at the Mozarteum University since 1992. She is a teacher at the annual "Austrian Masterclasses" for chamber music in Schloss Zell an der Pram in Austria.

Alexander Vavtar 

Alexander Vavtar had his first piano tuition at the age of six, with Gottfried Jaufenthaler at the Tyrol Landeskonservatorium in Innsbruck. He went on to study piano and choral conducting with Gereon Kleiner at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, and graduated in 1996.

He took part in numerous master classes, with teachers including Brian Lamport, Bernard Ringeisen, Dario de Rosa and Maurin Jones, and gained prizes in several competitions such as "Jugend Musiziert" (Young Musicians).

Alexander Vavtar has performed at home and abroad as a soloist and in chamber concerts, including concerts with the Salzburg Leopold Mozart Chamber Orchestra, the Sinfonietta St. Johann and the Wilten Male Voice Choir Innsbruck.

He has taught piano at the Musikum Salzburg since 1994, and since 1996 he has been a teacher at the annual "Austrian Masterclasses" for chamber music in Schloss Zell an der Pram in Austria.

Reviews

“ In the second Aspekte concert, Risa Schuchter, Detlef Mielke and Alexander Vavtar gave an outstanding performance of Friedrich Cerha's Trio for Violin, Violoncello and Piano (2005), which was greeted with enthusiastic and well-earned applause。”

- DrehPunktKultur – Salzburg's internet arts news/Austria, March 2008

“Thunderous applause and ovations resulted in a charming encore that brought a sensational concert to a relaxed end.”

- Zhejiang Online/China, August 2007

“Ludwig Laher's reading in the Brucknerhaus in Linz championed Franz Xaver Mozart, son of the great Amadeus, and offered an informal and informative discussion with piquant nuances. The duo :nota bene: and tenor Peter Sonn contributed an exquisite selection of music。” 

- Kronen Zeitung/Austria, December 2006

“The duo : nota bene: – violinist Eva Steinschaden and pianist Alexander Vavtar – recently brought out a highly interesting CD of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his son Franz Xaver Mozart.
Franz Xaver Mozart's sonata op 15 is tuneful, witty music, far superior to many contemporary compositions. This CD, under the Viennese label "Extraplatte", is outstanding for the excellent performance, in which the Steinway D concert grand blends beautifully with the wonderful tone of the replica Amati violin. The CD will be a valuable addition to any collection of classical music, both artistically and as broadening the repertoire.”

- Hörerlebnis/Germany, December 2006