Tobias M. Hoffmann Musician

Updated: September 6, 2022

Tobias Hoffmann was born in Göppingen (Germany) in 1988 and discovered his passion for music and the saxophone during his high school years. From 2008 until 2010 he studied at the University for Music, Drama and Media in Hannover and from 2010 at the Prins Claus Conservatorium Groningen (Netherlands), where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in June 2013. After that he started his studies of Jazz Composition and Arrangement at the Musik und Kunst Universität der Stadt Wien. At the same time he studied Jazz-Saxophone at the Musik und Kunst Universität Wien and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) with distinction in 2015.

Besides working working his own projects, Tobias Hoffmann is a sought-after sideman, composer and arranger for a wide variety of lineups and styles. From 2014 to 2017 he was conductor of the Vienna Spittelberg Jazz Orchestra, for which he also appeared as composer and arranger. Concert tours have taken him to Russia and several European countries. He has played with musicians such as Bob Mintzer, Joe Gallardo, Alexander von Schlippenbach, Paul Kuhn, Benny Golson.

Between 2005, when he started performing, and 2016, he won a few national and international awards while playing in different formations. Among those were a „second prize at the Jugend Jazzt competition of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, first award (cum laude) at the competition of the International European Music Festival in Neerpelt (Belgium) and first award at the Euroregio Big Band Contest 2013 in Enschede (Netherlands).

On top of that one of his compositions was awarded the second prize at the 3rd International Jazz Composition Contest during the 11th Silesian Jazz Festival in Katowice (Poland) in 2016. Another composition of his was awarded third prize at the JazzComp 2017 in Graz (Austria). In 2019 one of his composition was awarded the second prize at the 8th Esko Linnavalli Sävellyskilpailu 2019 in Helsinki (Finland)

In October 2021, another composition was awarded 2nd prize at the "5th Karel Krautgartner's Composition Contest for the Best Composition for Jazz Orchestra" in Prague (Czech Republic).

Also in October 2021, a composition was awarded 3rd prize at the Bill Conti Big Band Arranging & Composition Competition of the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers in Los Angeles (USA).

His Tobias Hoffmann Nonet was awarded first prize in the "Band" category at the international online competition Made in New York Jazz Competition 2019 by a top-class jury including the judges Lenny White, Randy Brecker and Mike Stern.

Tobias Hoffmann Jazz Orchestra: Conspiracy

Read "Conspiracy" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
October 29, 2022

While listening to Conspiracy, German-born composer-arranger Tobias Hoffmann's second album, the thought arose that “Stan Kenton would have loved this." Like Kenton, Hoffmann is an explorer who approaches music from a cerebral point of view but never overlooks the need to swing and to keep an audience engaged by varying the tone, tempo and color of his orchestrations. Several of Hoffmann's compositions, in fact, would have found a suitable home in the Kenton orchestra's library, as they lay bare the ...

Articles Across the Web

...or were mentioned in an All About Jazz article.

www.tobiashoffmannmusic.com

„His music is incredibly well crafted, with a sense of completeness and depth that demonstrates his knowledge as well as his respect of the tradition of jazz composition. The flow and form of his music feels inevitable without being predictable, taking the listener on a journey with refreshing (and even sometimes surprising) twists and turns along the way“
Ed Partyka
Professor for Jazz Composition and Arrangement at the KUG Conservatory in Graz, Austria
Chief Conductor of the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra
Artistic Director of the Zürich Jazz Orchestra

„This is challenging music and it is well worth one’s time to listen and absorb the creativity […]. I strongly suggest you take the time and really listen to the music of a very talented musician by the name of Tobias Hoffmann.“
Michael Abene
Grammy® winning Producer, Composer, Arranger & Educator

“A high quality album on many levels. A first class ensemble that excels in excellent tutti performance and outstanding soloists, great arrangements and compositions that never disengage the audience. Bravo!”
Chris Walden
Seven-time Grammy® nominated Composer, Arranger & Conductor

"Hoffmann manages to bring back the full glory of a well arranged and splendidly executed classic sound of a large Jazz band, which of course is still an integral part of the Jazz tradition.“
Adam Baruch – The Soundtrack of my Life || 24.1.2020

"His strong postbop writing and arranging and the superior talents of the musicians, who get plenty of room to blow, keep your ears continuously on their happy toes.“
Mel Minter - An Avid Listener’s Observation || 8.2.2020

"The nonet of Tobias Hoffmann has a sound of its own.The compositions express a wide range of moods and atmospheres that are exemplified by highly capable soloists in the band when it is time for them to show their impressive improvisation skills. [...] Repeated listening of ‘Retrospective’ will bring you more and more musical enjoyment. Guaranteed!
WouterTurkenburg || history of jazz in europe || 13.3.2020

"Hoffmann excavates sounds with both rigor and freedom, and the instrumentation feels just right for every take. Rating:A –.“
Jazztrail.net || 30.3.2020

"Retrospective offers the best of all worlds, offering the power, excitement and authority of a large jazz band while allowing each of the nine participants to improvise within their own fields."
JazzJournal.co.uk || 08.01.2021

"Everything here is played with dynamism and virtuosity; this album would make a welcome addition to any jazz collection."
cdhotlist.com || 08/2021

"Retrospective versucht nicht, das Rad neu zu erfinden, bereitet aber als Neuauflage ebendessen große Freude [...]. Die Abwechslung zwischen straight-ahead swingenden Bop-Tunes [...] und Funkigerem gelingt Hoffmann durch eine geschickte Aneinanderreihung seiner Kompositionen auf ganzer Albumlänge und sorgt für 66 hochkarätige Jazz-Minuten ohne Genrediskussion.“
Xavier Plus || SKUG Musikkultur || 17.2.2020

"Und so sind zehn Kompositionen von Hoffmann entstanden, die vom Besonderen geprägt sind. Doch nicht allein die Kompositionen sind es, die glänzen, auch die Arrangements sind von beispielhafter Eleganz und leidenschaftlichem Feuer, und ebenso ist der Freiraum für die jeweiligen Solisten besonders hervorzuheben, den diese enthusiastisch nutzen.“
Wolfgang Giese || musikansich.de || 24.2.2020

"Diesen fulminanten Klang erleben wir auch in „Happenstances“ [...], auch wenn hier keine Big Band, sondern ein Nonett zu hören ist
Ferdinand Dupuis - Panther || Jazzhalo.be|| 12.3.2020

"Zehn durchkomponierte und perfekt arrangierte Stücke, die, wenn sie auch in verschiedenen Temperamenten auftreten, homogen ineinander übergehen, bieten 66 Minuten hochklassigen Bigband-Jazz mit großem Sound, ohne daß das dafür zusammengestellte Nonet eine Bigband im eigentlichen Sinne ist. [...]Ein brillantes Album, das unser Prädikat, den Musenkuß verdient.“
Frank Becker || Musenblätter.de || 18.3.2020

"Ich bin beeindruckt von Tobias Hoffmanns hervorragender Umsetzung des kompositorischen Konzepts in seiner Musik. Ich stelle hier seine Ideen in den Vordergrund. Es gibt keine Effekthascherei, es gibt eine Autorenmusik, in der die Improvisation eine bestimmte Rolle spielt. [...] Das Ergebnis klingt perfekt!“
Jacek Brun || Jazz-Fun.de || 20.3.2020

"Das Album macht richtig Spaß und man meint beim Zuhören die Spielfreude, mit der die Musiker aufgenommen haben, zu spüren. Es ist auch immer wieder faszinierend zu hören, mit welcher Leichtigkeit die Stücke trotz der Komplexität der Arrangements erklingen, wenn sie von Könnern an ihren Instrumenten gespielt werden.“
Thomas Kottke || musicampus.de || 29.06.2020

"[...] ein satter, ganz und gar nicht retrogewandter Gesamtsound, schmissige Bläsersätze, treibende Beats, eine starke Rhythmusgruppe mit Feeling fürs Balladeske - und dazu ideale Katapulte, die Hoffmann seinen Solisten baut und die sie, allesamt hervorragende Musiker, lustvoll und kreativ zu nutzen verstehen.“
JAZZ ‚N‘ MORE Magazin Schweiz|| 04/2020

"Das Besondere ist die Vielfältigkeit der CD, mal Hard-Bop, Swing, ein bisschen Free Jazz und Big-Band-ähnlicher Sound. Die CD hat auch eine wunderbare Dynamik; man kann den Schwung des Nonetts gut hören, aber auch die Solos der einzelnen Solisten. [...] Die Ensemble-Passagen sind genau abgestimmt auf die Solos, damit wird dem Solo eine große Nachdrücklichkeit gegeben. Der Solist geht hier nicht im Ensemble unter. Die Musik kreiert Bilder beim Zuhören, hat vielseitige Farben. Genau das macht sehr gute Jazzmusik aus. Ich kann euch die CD sehr ans Herz legen."
Alex Schick || www.jazzreporter.com || 14.9.2020

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Primary Instrument

Composer / conductor

Location

Vienna

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

I am teaching saxophone, composition, arrangement and music theory. I have been teaching various levels of students for 6 years at a music academy in Vienna, Austria. I am teaching in person lessons, online lessons and I teach both individual students and small groups. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail and we talk about what your needs as a student are and what I can do for you.
Mail: [email protected]