THE SCHULZ-CLAN
© 2001
The heart of the Schulz Clan is called Inge, was born in Znaim (Czech Republic) and grew up in the north of Austria.
She discovered her passion for music so early that she could scarcely wait until she was old enough to start her studies at the Bruckner
Conservatory in Linz.
Her teachers noticed quite quickly that she was not only a talented singer, but also an excellent performer.
She quickly established herself as a soprano and received important roles in operas and operettas. A brilliant career seemed to lie
before her, but then something totally unexpected happened. The love of her life crossed her path and, instead of becoming successful
and famous, she married and became the mother of three sons.
But who is the man who interrupted her singing career? None other
than Walther Schulz who is himself a musician and started studying the cello at the age of nine. His great virtuosity has long since
made of him an eminent authority in the classical music scene.
Since 1973 this busy cellist has played with the world-reknown
Viennese Sympony Orchestra, which last year celebrated its hundredth anniversary. Whether it be a premiere of a masterpiece like Anton
Bruckner's Ninth Symphony, Arnold Schoenberg's "Gurre-Lieder", Franz Schmidt's "The Book with the Seven Seals", Richard Strauss' Metamorphoses,
or even the legendary New Year's Concert, Walther Schulz always sets the tone - from the point of view of cello technique.
Out
of the 365 days in the year this busy musician tours the world for 270 with the Symphony Orchestra. Otherwise he spends the rest of
the year looking after the Johann Strauss Orchestra and giving chamber concerts with the Haydn Trio.
It is only too clear that
any offspring of such a talented couple would have to be chips off the old block. Christian, the first-born, was the first to follow
in his father's footsteps and studied cello and conducting at the Wiener Musikhochschule. In 1986, at the age of 19, he gave his debut-performance
as a soloist in the Wiener Musikverein, as his parents looked on with their chests swollen with pride. In 1993 he became a member
of the Viennese Symphony Orchestra and two years later tried his hand as a conductor of various choirs and orchestras. He was so successful
as a conductor that in 1998 he took over the position of lead conductor of the Ambassador Orchestra.
Christian Schulz is now
seen as the rising star of the conductors' galaxy. This year, in addition to the Ambassador Orchestra, he will also be conducting
the Viennese Schubert Ensemble and the Salieri Ensemble.
The no. 2 son in the Schulz family is called Emanuel. His love of classical
music began in his mother's womb and he started learning the violin at the age of 6. He mastered it so thoroughly that for years now
he has been employed as substitute-violinist with the Viennese Symphony Orchestra.
Professor Leopold Hager, the highly respected
conductor who is just as much at home at the Metropolitan Opera in New York as at the State Opera House in Vienna, is teaching Emanuel
the art of conducting. "Like master, like man", as the saying has it, and so it is that the young Emanuel has already conducted symphony
concerts and operas throughout Europe.
As composition was also one of his subjects, Emanual is responsible not only for a number
of film music but also for the song tipped to be a big hit from "Monsters of Joy"; "I forgot my footsoak tonight".
Now one of
course asks oneself what has become of the youngest Schulz? Is he also a musical genius like the rest of his family? Does he perhaps
play 10 different instruments and give concerts all over the world? Not exactly - Alexander certainly enjoys travelling and also works
in other countries sometimes, but not as a musician. Instead of the conductor's baton, he chose the tennis racket and now smashes
balls over the net in a way that makes his opponents quail. Does he at least sing? one asks oneself. "Well, of course," the friendly
youngster answers, "In the shower, so no-one can hear me."