Austrian accordionist and composer Christian Bakanic was born in 1980 in southern Burgenland and received his first music lessons at the age of seven in Jennersdorf. He has lived in Graz since 1994, graduated from the Dreihackengasse Music High School in 1999 and studied folk music at the Johann Joseph Fux Conservatory in Graz, where he received a diploma as a “teacher of folk instruments”. He also studied classical accordion at the University of Arts in Graz with Prof. Janne Rättyä, Prof. James Crabb and Prof. Geir Draugsvoll.
Christian Bakanic won numerous first prizes at harmonica competitions (among others “Styrian Harmonica Competition Graz Fair”, Austrian competition “Day of the Harmonica”) and was first prize winner at the Austrian national competition “Prima la Musica” (1997 and 1999) in the category classical accordion.
He has given numerous concerts as a soloist and in ensembles (Folksmilch, Beefolk, Trio Infernal, Mala Junta, Marie Spaemann and Christian Bakanic, Temmel & Bakanic, Kahiba, Marina & the Kats, Scurdia, Rusanda Panfili & friends, Plattform K&K Vienna) in Europe, Argentina, China, Iceland, Japan and others. He also collaborates with various musicians from different genres, including Wolfgang Muthspiel, Heinrich von Kalnein, Klaus Johns, Miguel Herz-Kestranek, Josef Pichler, Alex Deutsch, Markus Schirmer, Gwilym Simcock, Wolfgang Puschnig, Jon Sass and Wolfram Berger.
In recent years Christian Bakanic has also been active as a composer. He received a composition commission for the “Grabenfest der ÖBV 2006” as well as various commissions for theater music (including “Bully me”, “Ein Schaf fürs Leben”, “Mein Hundemund” and “Das abgebrochene Drama”). He also wrote compositions in the field of jazz, folk and new music.
Christian Bakanic has already made a name for himself as a jazz musician in Austria. His musical experiences blend subtly in his compositions, combining the complex spontaneity of jazz, the spirited passion of tango nuevo, and the disciplined moment of classical music with multi-layered traditions of European folk music.
The quintessence of Christian Bakanic’s work is constant movement, perpetual exchange and, last but not least, the exciting search for new possibilities. He fuels his creative engine with curiosity and passion while winning over his listeners with authenticity and virtuosity.