Reinhold Schmölzer

Born: November, 1983

With a commanding presence as a creative force in contemporary jazz, Reini P.-Schmölzer has established himself as a distinguished drummer, composer, arranger and bandleader whose work resonates across Europe’s jazz stages and orchestral platforms.

Born in November 1983 in Radenthein, Austria, Schmölzer began his musical journey with formal training in percussion and ensemble performance, later deepening his jazz studies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, where he studied drums under Howard Curtis III and a Master of Music from Jazz Institute Berlin, where he studied composition & drums with John Hollenbeck and David Friedman.

Schmölzer’s multifaceted career spans live performance, studio recording, and collaborations with leading ensembles such as the Frankfurt Radiobigband, RTV Bigband Slovenija, Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, NDR Bigband Hamburg, Croatian Radiotelevision Jazz Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra (feat. Lau Højen), and numerous others across Europe.

His work seamlessly synthesizes traditional big-band jazz with contemporary compositional techniques, forging a distinctive sonic voice that balances improvisation, ensemble interplay, and innovative orchestration.

In addition, he has shared stage with a wide range of internationally renowned jazz artists from Europe and the United States, including the David Helbock Trio, Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra, Julian Argüelles, Joe Lovano, Michael Abene, Jakob Karlzon, Chris Potter, Jure Pukl and Dave Liebman, among others. As a bandleader/composer, Schmölzer has released two acclaimed albums with his jazz orchestra: Miraculous Loss Of Signal (UNIT Records, 2012) and Aerial Image (UNIT Records, 2016), both celebrated for their inventive arrangements and dynamic ensemble writing. His next Jazz Orchestra album will be released in fall 2026.

His achievements include the DownBeat Student Music Award for his arrangement of Radiohead’s “Lotus Flower” (2012), commissioned by Frankfurt Radiobigband and recorded on his debut album "Miraculous Loss of Signal", the Outstanding Artist Award from the Austrian Federal Chancellery (2017), selection for the 2013 Metropole Orkest Arrangers Workshop (cond. Vince Mendoza, feat. Richard Bona), as well as numerous scholarships and awards for composition as well as drumming.

Since 2019, Schmölzer is a faculty member teaching Jazz Arrangement and Composition at the Gustav Mahler Privatuniversität Klagenfurt. Since 2023, he has further extended his educational work through contributions to JazzComposersPresent.com, the world’s leading online platform for jazz composition education and professional development.

As respected figure in the European jazz community, Schmölzer’s compositions and arrangements have been performed by leading big bands and orchestras, and he continues to expand the boundaries of jazz composition and performance through both his artistic projects and educational work.

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