Biography

Maria Nauen was born in 1971 in Vladivostok, Russia. She studied violin, viola, composition, chamber music, and conducting at the Far-East Pedagogical Institute of Arts and the Far-East Academy of Arts in her hometown.

Since 1980 she has been in the violin class of Prof. Zinaida Bespalova (Central Music School No.1, Vladivostok), after which she completed her bachelor's degree in pedagogy and concert studies with honours at the Vladivostok Music College from 1986-1990 in class of Prof. Zinovy Fishov. In 1995 she completed her Master's degree at the Pedagogical Institute of Music and Arts in the class of Prof. Felix Kalman and in 1996-1997 she began her doctoral studies.

Maria Nauen has worked as a violinist principal and Artistic Director of the Chamber Orchestra “Gloria” (Khabarovsk, Russia), first violin at the Far-East Symphony Orchestra (Khabarovsk, Russia), Pacific Ocean Symphony Orchestra (Vladivostok, Russia), Seoul Romance Orchestra (Seoul, Korea).

From 2004 to 2006 Maria Nauen lived in Austria (Linz), where she played in the Bruckner Orchestra and the Linzer Konzertverein Orchestra. She also played as concertmaster and soloist in the JKU Linz University Orchestra.

In the years 2007 - 2023, she lived in Beijing (China) and worked as a Violin-, Viola-, String ensemble, and Orchestra teacher at the German Embassy School in Beijing. Many of her students became great professional musicians.

As chief conductor and artistic director, Maria Nauen founded the Beijing International Chamber Orchestra in 2007 and led it until 2023. She performed in more than 100 different concert programs as a conductor in China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Maria Nauen supported charity for many years and organised benefits and charity concerts for children with special needs, foster homes, orphanages, and migrant schools. She many charity concerts she organised and performed to support victims of natural disasters (Fukuoka and Sichuan earthquakes) and donated great amounts of currencies to the Red Cross.

Maria Nauen is the author of a few books: “Skeletons from the Frau Nauen’s Closet”, and two books for children “Adventure in the Kingdom of Music” parts 1 and 2.

Her compositions have been performed in Russia, China, and Austria. The list of her compositions includes pieces for symphony and chamber orchestra and works for duets, trios, and quartets. Maria Nauen is a member of the Austrian Composers Society, the Society for Contemporary Music Composers, and the Upper Austria Composers Society.

Now Maria Nauen lives and works in Austria and continues her creative activities in the fields of music compositions, literature, and orchestral performances.