About Grafenegg

Tucked between the Wachau and Vienna lies Schloss Grafenegg. Throughout the year, it plays host to acclaimed concert series that draw both national and international attention. These include the Season Sounds – orchestral concerts that accompany the seasons, with festive highlights at Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Easter. Then there’s Summer Sounds, a summertime series whose repertoire stretches from grand symphonic works to swing, jazz and operetta. And of course, there’s the Grafenegg Festival, where each summer the stars of the classical world come together to offer a rich and varied programme for an eager and cultured audience.

As summer gives way to winter, Grafenegg turns more contemplative — but never falls silent. Grafenegg Advent attracts visitors with a programme for all ages, from the Christkindlmarkt and llama walks to communal biscuit-baking.

Music, however, remains at the heart of it all. Since 2007, Rudolf Buchbinder has served as Grafenegg’s Artistic Director. One of the great pianists of our time, with a career spanning more than 60 years, he has become an icon. His legendary recording of the Beethoven piano concertos speaks for itself. With his experience and musical insight, he has helped turn Grafenegg into what it is today: a beacon of the classical music scene, drawing culture lovers from near and far.

Grafenegg has also enjoyed a close relationship with the Tonkunstler Orchestra of Lower Austria for many years. Alongside its appearances at the Vienna Musikverein and the Festspielhaus St. Pölten, it has found a long-standing home here as Grafenegg's Orchestra-in-Residence for over 50 years. Under the direction of Chief Conductor Yutaka Sado, the orchestra performs a wide-ranging repertoire from the Viennese Classics to 21st-century works. Each year, the orchestra shares its expertise with the next generation of musicians in the Ink Still Wet workshop. In this setting, it serves as a rehearsal and performance orchestra for young composers and conductors. A different Composer-in-Residence leads the workshop every year, which concludes with a final concert.

At its core, Grafenegg is committed to fostering young talent and creating a space where students, educators, musicians and composers can come together. In 2018, this spirit gave rise to the Grafenegg Academy Orchestra, formed of exceptionally gifted young musicians at the start of their careers. Here, learning happens not only in theory but through direct application — ideally in the inspiring ambience that Grafenegg and its performance venues have to offer.

Making Grafenegg truly special are the venues themselves. Chief among them is the Wolkenturm, an open-air stage set in the Schlosspark, and whose acoustics have earned international acclaim. Here, nature and music merge into a concert experience unlike any other. And should the weather take a bad turn, the Auditorium offers a world-class indoor alternative. Soon, music will fill another historic space: the former Reitschule, currently undergoing renovation, will re-open as the Rudolf Buchbinder Hall — a tribute to the festival’s visionary artistic director.

At Grafenegg, pleasure isn’t just for the ears. Culinary enjoyment plays its part too, with award-winning chef Toni Mörwald serving exquisite dishes at the on-site restaurant, and a wine lounge offering fine local vintages from the surrounding region.

Sustainability also plays a central role in Grafenegg’s vision for the future. The site’s designation as a Green Location, certified with the Austrian Ecolabel, reflects a deep commitment to environmentally conscious culture — for today and for generations to come.