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Christian Biegai was a German composer born on May 12, 1978, in Berlin. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a pianist and his mother a violinist. From a young age, Biegai showed a keen interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. He later learned to play the violin and the cello, and by the age of 12, he had already composed his first piece of music. Biegai's musical education began at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin, where he studied composition under the tutelage of Hanspeter Kyburz. He later continued his studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, where he studied with Chaya Czernowin and Michael Jarrell. During his time in Vienna, Biegai also attended masterclasses with renowned composers such as Helmut Lachenmann and Wolfgang Rihm. Biegai's early works were heavily influenced by the music of the Second Viennese School, particularly the works of Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg. His compositions were characterized by their complex harmonies, intricate rhythms, and use of extended techniques. Biegai's music was also heavily influenced by his interest in literature and philosophy, and many of his works were inspired by the writings of authors such as Samuel Beckett and Friedrich Nietzsche. One of Biegai's early works, "Drei Stücke für Klavier" (Three Pieces for Piano), was composed in 2001 and premiered at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin. The work is characterized by its use of dissonant harmonies and complex rhythms, and it showcases Biegai's early interest in the music of the Second Viennese School. In 2003, Biegai composed "Studie für Streichquartett" (Study for String Quartet), which was premiered at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. The work is characterized by its use of extended techniques, such as col legno and sul ponticello, and its complex rhythmic patterns. The piece was well-received by audiences and critics alike, and it helped establish Biegai as a promising young composer. Biegai's breakthrough work came in 2005 with the composition of "Lichtung" (Clearing), a chamber opera based on the play "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett. The work was premiered at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna and was later performed at the Salzburg Festival. "Lichtung" is characterized by its sparse instrumentation, with only four performers on stage, and its use of spoken text and singing. The work was praised for its innovative approach to opera and its ability to capture the essence of Beckett's play. In 2007, Biegai composed "Klangspuren" (Sound Traces), a work for orchestra that was premiered at the Berlin Philharmonic. The piece is characterized by its use of complex harmonies and rhythms, as well as its use of extended techniques such as glissandi and microtonal intervals. "Klangspuren" was well-received by audiences and critics alike, and it helped establish Biegai as one of the leading composers of his generation. Biegai's later works continued to explore his interest in literature and philosophy, with many of his compositions being inspired by the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche. In 2010, he composed "Also sprach Zarathustra" (Thus Spoke Zarathustra), a work for orchestra that was inspired by Nietzsche's philosophical treatise of the same name. The piece is characterized by its use of complex harmonies and rhythms, as well as its use of extended techniques such as multiphonics and quarter-tones.

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