The Christoph Pepe Auer Group contains two ensembles. On one hand, there is the duo called Living Room, which has a unique instrumentation with the instruments bass clarinet and hang. On the other side, there is the Christoph Pepe Auer Quartet which music and compositions are inspired by the New York Scene. With this Ensemble Auer got the prestigious "Hans Koller Prize".

Band Members

Christoph Pepe Auer (Saxophone / Bass Clarinet)

Manu Delago (Hang)

Martin Reiter (Piano)

Matthias Pichler (Bass)

Peter Kronreif (Drums)

Christoph Pepe Auer (Saxophone / Bass Clarinet)

He is a cosmopolitan musician and composer who is born in Tyrol and living in Vienna, Stockholm and New York. His Music is based on Jazz, but is also influenced by Contemporary, Classical, African and Folk Music. By pushing the instruments Bass Clarinet and Saxophone to the limits he discovered new techniques, for that he is also known for. He achieved playing his music at the famous Jazz Club ¡°The Jazz Standard¡± in New York and getting the prestigious "Hans Koller Prize"and a big amount of other scholarships and awards.

Manu Delago (Hang)

Born in Tyrol, Delago leads a diverse life. He played drums at the age of two; started harmonica courses at six and piano at ten. During his studies at music school and in State College of Music in Tyrol, Manu majored in drums and Swiss Hang. In 2007, he moved to London and received his master degree. He was reputed as the best Hang player of the day in the world and his albums has been issued across all continents.

Martin Reiter (Piano)

Born in 1978 in Vienna, he studied jazz-piano in Linz, Vienna, Dan Hague and New York with masters like Rob van Kreeveld, Fred Hersch and Bill Charlap. Over the last couple of years he created his first Jazz album - Hans Koller Preis 2005. His debut album "Chez es Saada" drew wide attention in Europe. His second CD release "Alma"(2007) attracted worldwide attention from Brazil to Senegal, from Switzerland to Asia. Lately he has been successfully working as an arranger and composer for Universal Edition, the Upper Austrian Jazz Orchestra, the Lungau Big Band, the Robert Bachner Big Band or the Vienna Jazz Composers Ensemble et al.

Peter Kronreif (Drums)

Born in 1982 in Salzburg, he began playing the drums at the age of 10. After one semester at the Kunst-Universitat-Graz he changed to the Anton-Bruckner Privatuniversität in Linz, taking lessons with Doug Hammond, Joris Dudli and Jeff Bedreaux. This is where he met Matthias Pichler. The two musicians formed the best Austrian rhythm group for jazz. During his first stay in New York in 2003 he established contacts with some American jazz celebrities. Peter participates successfully in various groups and projects. Collaborations, among others, are with Martin Reiter, Phil Nykrin, Julia Fischer and Harry Sokal.

Matthias Pichler (Bass)

Born 1981 in Rum (Austria), Matthias began playing the trumpet at the age of 10. Aged 15 he started to study bass at the Tiroler Landeskonservatorium. In 2000 he changed to the Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität Linz taking lessons with Adelhard Roidinger. That's where he caught the attention of Harry Sokal, who invited him to join his Trio. Since then he has become indispensable in Austria's jazz scene as sideman of Peter O Mara, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Herwig Gradischnig or Martin Reiter. 2005 he received the HANS KOLLER AWARD NYC -scholarship and one year later the HANS KOLLER AWARD for sideman of the year.