1953
Born on 16 August in Graz
1972 – 79
Studies: composition (with Gösta Neuwirth, Ivan Eröd and others), piano (with Doris Wolf)and music pedagogy at the Musikhochschule in Graz
since 1978
Teaching at the Musikhochschule in Graz (counterpoint, contemporary composition techniques, analysis, introduction to microtonal music)
1981 – 83
Postgraduate study with Friedrich Cerha at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna
1980/88/90
Attends the Darmstadt Summer Courses
1991
Participation in the "Stage d’Informatique Musicale pour Compositeurs" at IRCAM, Paris
1992 –93
Fellowship for the Salzburg Festival
1992
Sandoz Prize
1995
Young Composers' Grant of the Federal Ministry for Science, Research and Culture
7 Aug 1996
World Première (concertante) of the chamber opera Nacht (Night) at the Bregenz Festival
7 Aug 1998
Stage Première of Nacht at the Bregenz Festival
18 Nov 1996
Ernst Krenek Prize of the City of Vienna for the chamber opera Nacht
1999
Selected composer in the Next Generation series at the Salzburg Festival
1999/2000
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) fellowship
2000
International Rostrum of Composers Prize for Violin Concerto
14 Aug 2003
World Première of Die schöne Wunde (chamber opera), commissioned by Bregenz Festival and NetzZeit Wien in Bregenz (Klangforum Wien, Sylvain Cambreling)
19 Oct 2003
World Première of Natures mortes (for large orchestra), commissioned by Donaueschinger Musiktage, (SWR SO Baden-Baden and Freiburg, Sylvain Cambreling)
March 2004
Festival composer at "ars musica" in Brusels
16 June 2004
City of Vienna Prize for Music
9 July 2004
World Première of Concerto for cello and orchstra commissioned by Musica Viva Munich (SO des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Vykintas Baltakas)
August 2004
Lecturer at the Darmstadt Summer Courses
2005
German CD Critic Prize for the CD String Quartets No. 1 and 2 recorded by Kairos Quartett
25 April 2005
Andrzej Dobrowolski Composition Award, presented by the Province of Styria/Austria in Graz
3 July 2005
World Première of Ritual for 12 big drums and 3 wind orchestras, commissioned by Klangspuren Schwaz in cooperation with Tiroler Landesausstellung and Alpinarium Galtür
since 2005
University Lecturer at the Music Academy of the City of Basel, Switzerland
Autumn 2005
Featured Composer at Klangspuren Festival Schwaz / Austria
4 Dec 2005
World Premiere of Sieben Klangräume for soloists, chorus and orchestra commissioned by Stiftung Mozarteum, Salzburg/A (Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Ivor Bolton)
March 2006
Festival Composer at Borealis Festival in Bergen / Norway
23 Mar 2006
World Première of Poème for large orchestra, commissioned by Cleveland Orchestra / Franz Welser-Möst (Cleveland Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst)
22 Oct 2006
World Première of Hyperion. Concerto for Lighting and Orchestra, Donaueschinger Musiktage (SWR SO Baden-Baden and Freiburg, Rupert Huber, lighting: rosalie)
13 May 2007
World Première of Bruchstück for large orchestra, commissioned by Munich Philharmonic in Munich (Munich Philharmonic, Markus Stenz)
07 Nov 2007
World Première of Konzert für Klavier und Orchester, Wien Modern, in Vienna, RSO Wien, c. Martyn Brabbins, Thomas Parcher, pn
12 Nov 2007
World Première of REMIX for ensemble, Wien Modern, in Vienna, Klangforum Wien, c. Enno Poppe
28 Nov 2007
Award of the Großer Österreichischer Staatspreis of the Republic of Austria
03.05.2008
Première of Concerto for Baritone Saxophone and Orchestra WDR SO Cologne, c. Emilio Pomàrico, Marcus Weiss, Sax.
09.06.2008
Première of Melancholia (Opera), Opéra National de Paris, Klangforum Wien, c. Emilio Pomàrico.

Publications: papers on the works of Luigi Nono, Ivan Wyschnegradsky,
Alois Hába and Pierre Boulez.

The composer lives and works in Basel / Switzerland.

Universal Edition