Maximilian Wolfgang Schwarz (*1997, Vienna) is one of the most versatile percussionists of his generation. The award-winning multi-percussionist and drummer has performed on international stages for many years, appearing as a soloist and guest artist with renowned ensembles such as Elbtonal Percussion, of which he has been a permanent member since 2026.
Alongside selected works of contemporary classical music, his solo repertoire primarily consists of his own compositions. Max Schwarz cultivates a hybrid compositional style that combines classical approaches from different eras and cultures with his own serial concepts and electronic production. His avant-garde works are published by Edition Svitzer (Copenhagen). As a drummer, he blends driving grooves, elements of world music and complex polyrhythms with live electronics. This distinctive musical language also shapes his work as a member of maTrigal.
Max Schwarz is currently pursuing the postgraduate programme Excellence in Performance in classical percussion with Prof. Alexej Gerassimez at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich. Since 2025, he has also been active as an educator, leading a rhythm workshop at the Musiktage Seefeld Summer Academy and giving a masterclass at the Central Conservatory of Music Beijing, where he developed and performed his own compositions together with the students in a final concert. In recent years, he has toured throughout Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain and China.
“Oscillations / Fractures” is his new multi-percussion solo programme. Each piece is an exploration of rhythm, sound and structure. The compositions, which are as dynamic as they are introspective, invite a dialogue between acoustic and electronic elements. Schwarz draws on a wide spectrum of influences – from contemporary classical music and elements of global musical cultures to experimental electronic music.