In 2009 he took charge of the “Turkmen-Austrian Symphony Orchestra Galkynys” as artistic director and conductor. At the same time he became first guest conductor of the National Philharmmonic Orchestra of Turkmenistan. Since 2002 he is tutor for orchestral conducting at the “Institute for European Studies” in Vienna.
Wolfgang Harrer was born in Vienna in 1953 and started playing the piano at the age of six. When he began to study conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Wolfgang Harrer was taught by the legendary Hans Swarowsky. After a break he received refinements from Otmar Suitner, who at the time was the chief conductor and artistic director of the Berlin State Opera and conductor in Bayreuth. In the winter of 1991, Wolfgang Harrer assisted the chief conductor and artistic director Hans Wallat for two months with the German Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf.
He has performed as a guest with many orchestras including the Chinese Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Budapest State Opera, the National Chamber Orchestra of Azerbaijan, the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Macedonia and various opera houses. His repertoire ranges from baroque to modern avantgarde music, and he does not wish to specialize on any particular style or period. As he is Viennese, he gives great importance to the Strauß family’s music and its tasteful interpretation.
He has performed with famous soloists such as Lucia Aliberti, Vesselina Kasarova or Neil Shicoff. On the other hand Wolfgang Harrer enjoys supporting young musicians, be they instrumentalists, singers or conductors. He has recorded CDs with Eldar Saparayev, a Kazakh cellist, and Olivia De Prato, an Austrian Italian violinist, and has assisted many young singers in making concert appearances. Wolfgang Harrer founded a course and competition for the purpose of supporting young conductors.