Biography

Tristan Schulze is a versatile freelance composer, cellist, organist, and conductor based in Vienna, Austria.

Originally from Saxony, Germany, Schulze began his musical journey studying the cello in Dresden. He gained deep insights into classical opera and concert repertoires through his experience playing in orchestras. Further enriching his musical knowledge, he studied classical Indian music in Benares, India, before returning to Europe to pursue conducting and composition at the Vienna University of Music. His studies also included educational visits to Senegal, Argentina, and Mexico.

Schulze co-founded the string trio Triology with Daisy Jopling and Aleksey Igudesman, composing most of the ensemble's repertoire. The group has maintained a busy international concert schedule, performing in Japan, Mexico, the United States, Australia, and across Europe. Throughout his career, Schulze has collaborated with notable artists such as Julian Rachlin, Janine Jansen, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Bobby McFerrin, and Hans Zimmer.

Commissioned compositions were written, among others for the Vienna State Opera, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Trigonale, the Theater an der Wien, the Staatstheater Braunschweig, Symphonieorchester Klagenfurt, the Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg and Wolfgang Muthspiel, Mnozil Brass and the Niederösterreichische Tonkünstler, Sonus Brass. Collaboration with Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch has also resulted in a rich film-musical oeuvre, on the one hand as solo cellist for Hollywood films such as Alien (2024), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Inferno (2016), Captain Phillips (2013), Twelve Years A Slave (2013) amongst others. He has also worked as a composer for multiple ORF television productions.

Since 2020, Tristan Schulze has also served as the Chief Conductor of the Wiener Konzertvereinigung.