Markus Richter
Comes from Wels and is trained in singing, music theory and acting. He played the title role in ‘Joseph’, and appeared in ‘Anatevka” (Theater an der Wien), ‘Elvis’ and ‘Momo’ (Stadttheater Klagenfurt), ‘Der Glöckner von Notre Dame’ (on tour), ‘Der kleine Horrorladen’, ‘Ich, Marlene’, ‘Im Wiessen Rößl’, ‘Best of Song Contest’, ‘The Sound of Christmas’, ‘Annie’, ‘Tanz der Vampire’, ‘Love Letters’, ‘Du bist in Ordnung Charlie Brown’, and ‘Boeing Boeing’. He is musical director at the ‘Theater 82er Haus’ and directed the musicals, ‘Blutsbrüder’ and ‘Zuständ’ wie im alten Rom’. Since 2004 he has been singing with Tony Jagitsch and his orchestra, where he took on the musical direction of the Vienna Swing Sisters. In 2005 he conceived the concert-show ‘A Tribute to the Andrews Sisters’- the basis for the revue ‘Rum & Coca Cola’.
Wolfgang Lesky
Born in Styria, Wolfgang played at the Wiener Volkstheater, under the direction of Emmy Werner for two years. Peter Wolsdorff persuaded him to take on some interesting roles at the now Landesttheater St. Pölten, where he has played many leading roles in over thirty pieces including Leicester in ‘Maria Stuart’, Muffel in Nestroy’s ‘Frühere Verhältnisse’, the ‘Son’ in Handke’s ‘Wunschloses Unglück’, Helmer from Ibsen’s ‘Nora’ and many more.
Lesky returned to the Landestheater St. Pölten under Reinhard Hauser as an actor and director. His directing talents had been proven in Vienna earlier, when he sidestepped into musical theatre, landing hits with the ensemble of LEO, the ‘Letze Erfreuliche Operntheater’ and the productions, ‘Oh du Peruanerin’ and ‘Leo im Kriminal’.
He has directed, and written, appeared at the Wiener Festwochen as ‘Eingebildeter Kranker”, and has played many leading roles over a number of years at the ‘Scala Wien’ and in Mödling, under Bruno Max. He is well known as a Shakespearean actor in roles such as Prospero in ‘Der Sturm’, Graf Orsino in ‘Was Ihr Wollt’, as well as in Calderon’s ‘Das Leben ein Traum’ as Astolf and as Arzt in ‘Woyzek’. Off stage he has worked as a speaker for radio and television commercials, moderated the classic night on Radio Ö 1 and held acting seminars.
Bernd Leichtfried
Born in Amstetten, the musical pedagogue studied piano, violin and singing at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna.
He has worked as a teacher and répétiteur at the Performing Arts Studio Vienna, the Vienna Musical School and the Kindermusical Company Vienna among others and taught at the Jazz, Folk, Klezmer Summer Course of Artes Iuventutis.
Engagements: Raimundtheater Wien, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, Ensembletheater, Theater Akzent, Theater des Augenblicks, Theater Center Forum and the Freilichtbühne Wunsiedl. He has been musical director or pianist for numerous operetta and musical productions such as: ‘ Der Bettelstudent’, ‘ Zigeunerbaron’, ‘’Opernball’, ‘ Gräfin Mariza’, ‘ Eine Nacht in Venedig’, ‘ Pariser Leben’, ‘’Wiener Blut’, ‘ Land des Lächelns’, ‘ La Cenerentola’, ‘ Lucky Stiff’, ‘ Fame’, ‘’Godspell’, ‘ Rent’, ‘ Wild Party”, ‘ Kiss Me Kate” and ‘ Jesus Christ Superstar’. He has also accompanied many musical colleagues in solo evenings and works on the MS-Europa cruise ship as concert and bar pianist.
Martin Treml
Born in Vienna, his musical education began at the age of ten with the piano. At sixteen he started studying contra-bass under Carl Sayer continuing later under Prof. Rudolf Hansen and Heinrich Werkl. His repertoire extends from New Orleans Jazz to Modern Swing and he has become a permanent feature on the Austrian jazz scene.
Martin Treml has toured in Egypt, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland. He is a member of Plattner & Plattners Jazz Corporation, the Barrelhouse Jazz Band, the Christian Plattner Quartet, the Swobodas Swing Trio, the Excelsior Ballroom Orchestra and the Fatty George Memorial Jazz Band and for many years has been the accompanist for the Oscar Klein Jazz Show.
He continues to accompany numerous international stars including Howard Alden, John Allred, Charlie Antolini, Jeff Clayton, Eddie ‘Lockjaw’ Davis, Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Al ‘Fats’ Edwards, Jim Galloway, Bill Grah, Lee Harper, Red Holloway, Jon Hendricks, Oscar Klein, Butch Miles, Danny Moss, Joe Newman, Ken Peplowski, Bill Ramsey, Hans Salomon, Randy Sandke, Ralph Sutton, Lew Tabackin, Warren Vaché, Bob Wilber and more.
Herwig Wagner
Born in Amstetten, Lower Austria he spent his youth in Ulmerfeld-Hausmening. After training as an office administrator he fulfilled his military service as a drummer in the Gardemusik in Vienna.
He has worked as a musician with various artists including Nina Proll, Andy Lee Lang, José Carreras, Gloria Estefan, Andy Baum, The Drifters, The Coasters, George Harrison, Peter Kraus, Mat Mad Schuh, Wolfgang Puschnig, Stella Jones, Sandra Pires, Bill Ramsey, Louie Austen and Dr. Soul, in the studio and in concert.
He has toured Europe with concerts and played in theatre and musical productions at Theater an der Wien and the Vienna Metropol among others. Since 2000 he has worked as a free-lance producer and composer in his own studio.
He has appeared many times on television in Austria and abroad and was responsible for the musical concepts of films and theatre pieces, for instance with Sonja Kirchberger. He has also composed commissioned works for Lower Austria, the Austrian Wirtschaftskammer and the Bavarian State Opera for the Ballett Labor and ‘Ballet und Wildnis’ (2004). He composed and performed the beach volleyball song for Klagenfurt and the Olympic games in Athens, 2004. He was musical director at the Lower Austrian Landesausstellung 2005 at Heldenberg (Lauter Helden/Kreisgraben) and the Landesaustellung 2007 in Waidhofen (Feuer und Erde).
Herbert Swoboda
born in Vienna in 1966, he began his musical training at the age of ten, completing his studies at the Vienna Music Academy in 1986. In 1994 he graduated with honours from the Vienna Konservatorium in the subjects Jazz Piano (second instrument clarinet) and Jazz Education. Since 1991 he is working as a freelance musician.
As a pianist, he and the guitar player Martin Spitzer founded the successful group „Jazzklusiv“, meanwhile established as the house band at Vienna’s „Jazzland“, performing with several international jazz musicians. As a clarinet player, he is the leader of the „Swobodas Swing Trio“ and the „Herbert Swoboda Quintett“. Besides, he is a member of the „Fatty George Memorial Band“, which played a much-noticed concert with Joe Zawinul at the „Jazzfest Wien“. His harmonious sensitivity as a pianist and his smooth virtuosity on the clarinet make him a popular musician of the Viennese jazz scene. Festival appearances and guest performances led him to China and to many European countries.
Performed with: Howard Alden, Harry Allen, John Allred, Bill Berry, Dave Boeddinghaus, Jeff Clayton, Kenny Davern, Jim Galloway, Banu Gibson, Bill Grah, Marty Grosz, Gene Harris, Red Holloway, Greetje Kauffeld, Oscar Klein, Claire Martin, George Masso, Danny Moss, Ken Peplowski, Ed Polcer, Spike Robinson, Randy Sandke, Lew Tabackin, Allen Vaché, Warren Vaché, Benny Waters, Bob Wilber, Joe Zawinul and others.
Festivals: Jazzfest Wien, Salzburger Jazzherbst, Erdinger Jazztage, Jazz over Villach, Musikfestival Gföhl, Hofer Jazztage, Internationales Dixielandfestival Dresden, Jazzfestival Ascona.