Sebastian Efler

Sebastian Efler is an Austrian percussionist born in Basel, Switzerland in 1990. He began to study piano at the age of six. Later he studied piano and organ at the Vienna Conservatory of Music with Professor Michael Gailit. In 2006, he started his percussion studies with Professor Josef Gumpinger, timpanist of the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra (RSO). After graduation at the Musikgymnasium Wien (Vienna Musical Gymnasium), Sebastian continued his percussion studies at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst (Music University of Vienna) with professors Miachel Vladar, Josef Gumpinger, Thomas Lechner and Anton Mittermayr, the leading timpanists of Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and Vienna Symphony Orchestra. In June 2016 Sebastian was graduated from Music University of Vienna with greatest distinction.

Since 2010 Sebastian has played regularly as guest player in professional orchestras, such as the Eisenstadt Haydn-Philharmonic Orchestra (Adam Fischer), the Concentus Musicus of Vienna (Nikolaus Harnoncourt), the Tonkünstler Orchester Niederösterreich (Yutaka Sado) and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. From 2011 to 2016, Sebastian worked as timpanist in the Sinfonietta Baden, performing Baroque, Classical and Romantic orchestra repertory, but also contemporary symphonic works.

As a Percussion and Marimba Soloist Sebastian received several awards at international competitions. In 2011 Sebastian won First Prize at the Prima La Musica contest (contemporary music category). He won the Young Special Talent price, and the Prize for the best interpretation of the Belgian composition (SABAM Prize) in the International Universal Marimba Competition in Belgium 2013. In the same year he won the Second Prize in the highest age category of the PAS Percussion Festival and Competition in Italy (Section Marimba). In 2014 he won the 1st prize in the renown International Marimba Festival Competition in Germany.

Starting 2013 Sebastian Efler performed as Marimba and Percussion Soloist as well as faculty in several Percussion Festivals all over the world, mostly in Austria, Germany, Poland, Spain, Italy, Taiwan and America.

2016-2017 Sebastian Efler was the Co-Principal Timpanist at the Hyogo Performing Arts Center Orchestra in Japan under the baton of maestro Yutaka Sado.

Sebastian Efler becomes the Timpani Principal of the National Symphony orchestra in September 2017.

Furthermore he joined the internationally renowned chamber orchestra Taiwan Connection (Hu Nai Yuan) and was invited as guest timpanist for the Festival Taipei Music Academic Festival TMAF (Jimmy Lin).

Sebastian Efler is an active percussion teacher in and around Taipei.

From 2018 Sebastian is regularly giving master classes in several music universities in Taipei such as the National Taipei University of Education, University of Taipei, the National Taiwan University of Arts (NTUA) and the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA).

From 2020 Sebastian is member of the percussion faculty in WuLing Senior High School.