ORF, the national Austrian broadcaster has revelead the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest interval act.

Up to 200 million people are expected to tune in next May in order to watch the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest from the Wiener Stadthalle – and hence will be able to watch ORF’s interval act, who will serve as Austria’s musical calling card. The musical responsibility lies in the hands of world class percussionist Martin Grubinger, an Austrian native.

The so-called Interval Act is an entertaining show block and not part of the competition. Martin Grubinger has specially composed  a unique piece for the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, that combines big band and classical music, choral singing and percussion in order to create a harmonious symbiosis. The nine-minute special interval show will be an important part of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest Grand Finale on 23 May and will be featuring  up to 40 instrumentalists and the Arnold Schoenberg Choir, conducted by Erwin Ortner.  Martin Grubinger’s side will be the connecting bridge between the major international event and Austrian music – in its traditional as well as modern incarnation.

Austrian music in all its facets

In addition to the 40 Presentation Postcards, the 2015 Eurovision Interval Act provides the opportunity to present Austria in its diversity and its many facets and features a varied and exciting image of a modern and unconventional Austria.

The 31-year-old Martin Grubinger is an international star percussionist who has showcased his talent and made percussion  presentable throughout the world. Born in Salzburg, he studied at the Bruckner Conservatory in Linz and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg and drew attention to himself as a teenager in international competitions. He attended the Mozart Year 2006, where he performed for an enthusiastic audience of a total of  five percussion concertos in one evening in the traditional Wiener Musikverein. Martin’s Percussive Planet, a spectacular stage show is published by the Deutsche Gramophone, the stage program is constantly evolving artistically.

Martin Grubinger will be a guest at the Spring audience of  Wir sind Kaiser on Friday 20 March aired on ORF Eins  at 20.15 CET.

ORF’s TV Director Ms. Kathrin Zechner:

The Eurovision Song Contest will showcase differerent features and stories about Austria to an audience of 200 million viewers worldwide. From sea to mountain, from costume to avant-garde, from classical to hip hop. The young Salzburg born musician Martin Grubinger is part of this incredible cultural diversity that Austria can offer. I am happy and honored that he will  perform at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest with his explosive and emotional percussion and wind instruments.

Martin Grubinger:

We are honored to be the interval act for the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest Grand Finale  on 23 May. In this show we want to present the fascination and bandwidth Austrian music tradition has to offer.

The closing theme of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 – With wings I have won, I will waft –  will be Martin Grubinger’s message to the participating artists and both to the audience inside the Stadhalle and at home.

Stay tuned to ESCToday for the latest news on Austria and the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.