Wolfgang Matthias Hanninger, saxophone, clarinet, trombone, born 1982 in Altötting, Germany

In 2008 after his curriculum in classical clarinet under guidance of Bettina Faiss at the Richard Strauss Konservatorium München, Wolfgang moved to Lausanne for an education in Jazz saxophone with Robert Bonisolo and George Robert. He graduated from the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne in 2012. Concerts with his band ‘French-Swiss Connection’ led to the finals of competitions such as the Jazzpreis Burghausen (Germany) or the Tremplin Lémanique at the Montreux Jazz Festival. As sideman the fruitful collaboration with the Swiss pianist Jérôme Jeanrenaud was documented in live performances on the Radio Suisse Romande (RSR) and during the final of the Crédit Suisse Jazz Prize.

Important stops on his musical roadmap were Jazzascona, Cully Jazz, the Montreux Jazz festival, the Jazzwoche Burghausen, the Unterfahrt München, Chorus Lausanne, LASALLE College of the arts Singapore, KAUST university Thuwal…

Wolfgang has shared the stage with Paulo Cardoso, Simon Seidl, Mario Gonzi, Luigi Grasso, Robert Bonisolo, Stephen Lands, Jean-François Baud, Dave Blaser, Darrian Douglas, Sarah Lancman, Emese Mühl, Thomas Stabenow, Nick Smart, Wolf Kerschek, Zé Eduardo, Maë Defays, Louis Matute, Manu Hagmann, Matyas Szandai, Paolo Orlandi, Gregor Ftičar, François Lindemann, Christoph Sturzenegger, Jean-Lou Treboux, Charly Vilmart, Jérôme Jeanrenaud, Ornella Ponnaz and many others.

Wolfgang Hanninger’s stage activities vary between engagements in small ensembles, Big Band productions and theatre music. In Switzerland he founded the Villars Big – International Big Band Festival and was directing the Villars Vanguard - Jazz Club, from 2013 till 2019 he was conducting the big band, Villars Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (VVJO). Since September 2022 he is directing the Jazz Orchestra from Munich, Big Blu. In Nobember 2022 he became curator of the monthly jam session (B-Jazz Jam) in his hometown Burghausen. The event happens in the legendary Jazzkeller in the old town.

Wolfgang has been teaching at several different music schools, his longest, permanent activity has been at the international boarding school, Aiglon College. Currently he is working for the seasonal Jazz workshops in Burghausen.

From 2016 the festival Villars Big was collaborating with the Royal Academy of Music London and Nick Smart, 2018 a second partnership followed with the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg and Wolf Kerschek. Villars Big could welcome many splendid guests. Soon both collaborations soon were extended, monthly talents from London and Hamburg were also invited to the Villars Vanguard club.

From London, Wolfgang Hanninger could invite and play for example with Alexander Bone, Olli Martin, Rory Ingham, Tom Barford, Rob Luft, Matt Anderson, Harry Greene, Ildefons Alonso, Wilbur Whitta, Jacky Naylor, Luke Vice-Coles…

From Hamburg came Samantha Wright, Konstantin Reinfeld, Fynn Grossmann, Fabia Mantwill, Sophia Oster, Sofya Chekster, Dominic Harrison, Irakli Korkotashvili, Arvid Maier, Clémence Manachère, Sandro Saez-Eggers…