JAN MÜLLER-WIELAND is one of the most productive composers of his generation. A highly personal curiosity and an intimate, thoroughly knowledgeable relationship with musical tradition permeate his entire oeuvre. Music as a performing art of both passionate and quiet, but always vital sonic experiences form the centre of his creativity.

His versatile catalogue of works is notable for fifteen full-length music-theatrical works, 26 vocal works and 42 chamber compositions. These are joined by numerous orchestral works (including four large symphonies) and concertos for first-class international orchestras, ensembles and soloists.

In 1991 Müller-Wieland was a Composer/Conductor Fellow of the Leonard Bernstein Foundation of the Tanglewood Music Center near Boston (USA). He had previously studied at the Academy of Music in Lübeck (with Friedhelm Döhl) and in Cologne and Rome (with Hans Werner Henze). In 1992 Henze opened the Munich Biennial for International New Music Theatre with Jan Müller-Wieland, then just 26 years old. The comic opera DAS GASTSPIEL (based on Wedekind’s “Der Kammersänger”, production: Claus Guth) scored a sensational success and has been performed numerous times since then.

During that same year Müller-Wieland made his debut as composer/conductor at the Hamburg State Opera with the chamber opera KAIN (production: Claus Guth, Artistic Director: Peter Ruzicka). The cantata SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE for soloists, choir and large orchestra was composed in 1993 at the Villa Massimo in Rome, where the composer also wrote his frequently performed Cello Concerto for Jens-Peter Maintz in 1994. There followed in 1995 the chamber opera DIE NACHTIGALL UND DIE ROSE and in 1996 an extended String Octet for the Panocha and Prazak String Quartets lasting half the length of a programme. 1997 saw the world premiere of the music theatrical work KOMÖDIE OHNE TITEL for the Deutsche Staatsoper Unter den Linden. In 1998 a large opera based on Peter Weiss received its world premiere: DIE VERSICHERUNG. In 1999 there followed the world premiere of DAS MÄRCHEN DER 672. NACHT (Vienna Chamber Opera), in 2000 TÄNZERIN (Expo – Hannover), in 2001 the Violin Concerto BALLAD OF ARIEL (Berlin Konzerthaus, Daniel Hope) and the opera NATHANS TOD (based on George Tabori). 2002 saw the premiere of BEETHOVENS EGMONT-OUVERTÜRE (Gstaad, Menuhin Festival) as well as the Percussion Concerto LUFTSTÜCK (for Peter Sadlo); in 2003 the Piano Trio SCHLAFLIED for the Amsterdam Concertgebouw (Beaux Arts Trio) received its world premiere. 2004 saw the world premiere of the music theatrical work DIE IRRE ODER NÄCHTLICHER FISCHFANG (Bonn Opera, production: Werner Schroeter), and in 2005 the comic opera DER HELD DER WESTLICHEN WELT (Cologne Opera, production: Karoline Gruber, director: Markus Stenz). IM KRIEG – HOCHHAUSLIED (Berlin, Scharoun-Ensemble, Claudia Barainsky) received its world premiere in 2006. 2007 saw the premiere of DER KLEINE RING (Regensburg Children’s Opera) and in 2008 music theatrical scenes in connection with Ligeti entitled AVENTURE FAUST (Munich). The love drama FANNY UND SCHRAUBE was premiered in Berlin in 2009 and the melodrama DER KNACKS received its premiere by the Ensemble-Resonanz under Roger Willemsen in 2010. In 2011 the chamber opera DER FREISCHUSS was premiered in Berlin. 2012 saw the world premiere of the THIRD STRING QUARTET by the Joachim Quartet. 2013: Double Concerto for two pianos entitled ZÄRTLICHE KRÄFTE performed by the Grau/Schumacher Piano Duo, Nuremberg, cond: Marcus Bosch. 2014 saw two major world premieres: the drama KÖNIG DER NACHT (Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, cond: Thomas Hengelbrock, speaker: Klaus Maria Brandauer) and EGMONTS FREIHEIT ODER BÖHMEN LIEGT AM MEER for soloists, choir, organ and large orchestra (Munich Philharmonic, cond.: Jan Müller-Wieland, soprano: Claudia Barainsky, speaker: Klaus Maria Brandauer). 2016: FÜNF STÜCKE UM JESUS for soprano and five baroque instruments (cond.: Christine Schornsheim, Munich), DER HEIMKEHRER for tenor and piano (Tenor: Frieder Lang), CAPRICCETTI (2nd cycle) for piano (UA 2017: Jan-Philip Schulze).

Works being planned and in progress: DER STURM (Zürich, Klaus Maria Brandauer), DER WELTVERBESSERER (based on Thomas Bernhard), HIOB ! – NACH JOSEPH ROTH (opera), MARIA-SZENEN (with Johanna Wokalek), FOURTH STRING QUARTET, Concert Drama for electronics, contrabasson/bassoon and large orchestra (NDR-Hannover, cond.: Andrew Manze, soloist: Malte Refardt), ESSENBECK SARABANDE for cello and piano (based on Luchino Visconti’s THE DAMNED).