Maiwald Hierdeis Duo

The two jazz musicians Wolfgang Maiwald and Florian Hierdeis, both active in the Dutch jazz scene, formed as a duo in 2006. They had already played together at many jazz jam sessions in and around Amsterdam including the session at the Old Quarter in the center of Amsterdam where Wolfgang has been the session leader for more than four years. Playing together was so much fun that they decided to form a duo. This formation, consisting of two instruments that are both capable of accompanying and playing solo at the same time, is very unconventional and highly challenges the musician’s performance and interactive skills.

Wolfgang Maiwald

Wolfgang Maiwald was born in 1965 in Germany and began playing the piano at the age of fourteen as an autodidact. He starts writing his own songs and plays in local bands and in 1984 studies music at the University of Oldenburg. With two other musicians he founds a recording studio in 1987 under the name InMusic where he records his first maxi single with the funk band RED. In 1989 he wins first price for best solo artist at the jazz contest “Jugend Jazzt Niedersachsen”.

In 1990 Wolfgang moves to Holland to study jazz piano at the Amsterdam School Of Arts, Hilversum Conservatory. He graduates “cum laude” for both teaching and performing in 1995. Ever-since Wolfgang is playing performances and concerts in different styles and formations in the Netherlands and abroad. He shared the stage with famous Dutch and International jazz musicians such as Ferdinand Povel, Cameron Brown, Rick Margitza, Joe Lovano, Rob Madna, Jesse van Ruller, Benjamin Herman, Jan Menu, Bart van Lier, Deborah Carter and others.

Florian Hierdeis

Florian Hierdeis was born on 1977 in Augsburg (Germany) and started playing the guitar at the age of 10. 1990 he started having classical guitar lessons with Buddy Brudzinski. At the age of 18 he got in contact with the music of Django Reinhardts and fell in love with jazz. In 1998 Florian started at the "Berufsfachschule für Musik in Krumbach” (Bavaria) and had lessons by Torsten de Winkel, Mini Schulz, Marcus Bodenseh and Stefan Barcsay. In 2000 he switched to the “Conservatorium of Amsterdam“ where he graduated as “Bachelor of Music”. His teachers were, Jesse van Ruller, Maarten van der Grinten, Martijn van Iterson and Martien Oster.

Florian followed masterclasses with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Nelson Faria, Pat Martino, Mike Stern and others?and played with?Maarten v/d Grinten, Jan Menu, Joe Ambrosia, Bryan Leinwand, Clarence Becton, and many others. Since 2002 he is a guitar teacher at the “Jongerencentrum Volta” (www.jcvolta.nl) in Amsterdam and he will start teaching at the jazz school DJAM in fall 2007.