Saturday 3 April 1976

ERICH KLEINSCHUSTER

Born: January 23rd, 1930, Graz (Austria)
Died: September 12th, 2018, Graz (Austria)
Nationality: Austrian

In due course, the short impression below will be replaced with a more extensive career overview


BIOGRAPHY

Erich Kleinschuster studied for the bar and even wrote a thesis; moreover, he also completed piano and trombone courses at the conservatory. As a trombonist, he played in the orchestras of Johannes Fehring, Friedrich Gulda, Kenny Clarke, and Peter Herbolzheimer. In 1966, he founded a jazz sextet. In 1969, he was the founder of the jazz department at the Vienna Conservatory. From 1971 to 1981, Kleinschuster was Head of Entertainment at ORF, the Austrian broadcaster and moreover led the ORF Big Band until its dissolution in 1981. Between 1981 and 1996, he was a professor at the Music University in Graz, teaching improvisation. From 1998 onwards, he has been one of the organizers of a festival called the Grazer Jazz Sommer.

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

During his days as Head of Entertainment at ORF, Kleinschuster twice conducted an Austrian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest: ‘Falter im Wind’ by the Milestones in 1972 and ‘My Little World’ by Waterloo & Robinson in 1976. Both songs finished in fifth place. In the intervening years, Austria did not participate in the festival.

EUROVISION INVOLVEMENT YEAR BY YEAR

Country – Austria
Song title – “Falter im Wind”
Rendition – Milestones (Günther Grosslercher / Christian Kolonovits / Beatrix Neundlinger / Norbert Niedermayer)
Lyrics – Heinz Unger
Composition – Manuel Rigoni / Richard Schönherz
Studio arrangement – Richard Schönherz
Live orchestration – Richard Schönherz
Conductor – Erich Kleinschuster
Score – 5th place (100 votes)

Country – Austria
Song title – “My Little World”
Rendition – Waterloo & Robinson 
(Hans Kreuzmayr / Sep Krassnitzer)
Lyrics – Gerard Heinz
Composition – Gerhard Heinz
Studio arrangement – Christian Kolonovits
Live orchestration – Richard Oesterreicher
Conductor – Erich Kleinschuster
Score – 5th place (80 votes)

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