Music in the Woods 2026 Showcase: Where Talent, Industry and Community Met

On 19 September 2026, the Bühnenwirtshaus Juster in Gutenbrunn became a performing place for young talent, established music professionals and regional partners. The Music in the Woods 2026 Showcase presented the results of five intensive days dedicated to songwriting, music production, film scoring and game audio.

Thirty young musicians from across Austria were selected from around 120 applicants and received full scholarships covering the programme, accommodation and meals. During the evening, they shared what they had developed together: singer-songwriters and instrumentalists performed their music, producers presented new work, participants showed their video-scoring projects for the LA Challenge, and a DJ set brought the showcase to a lively close.

Throughout the media music workshop in Austria, the participants were supported by experienced mentors from different areas of the international music industry. Oliver Schmellenkamp, Head of the Institute for Media Music at JAM MUSIC LAB, and JAM lecturer, singer and producer Michael Klimas guided the group through the five-day programme.

The evening also offered an opportunity for the young musicians to meet people whose work connects education, music production, copyright, media and the international music business. Music producer Jeff Levenson brought decades of experience from the jazz and recording industries, while Martin Brem shared perspectives from his long career in international music management and his work as former Head of Global Music Services at Red Bull Media House.

AKM was represented by its President Peter Vieweger, Director General Dr. Gernot Graninger and Susanne Lontzen, Head of Members and Communication. Lontzen also contributed a workshop that introduced participants to essential topics surrounding copyright, royalties and collective rights management—knowledge that is just as important for a sustainable career as artistic ability.

JAM MUSIC LAB Rector Mag. Marcus Ratka joined the evening alongside Prof. Mag. Andreas Hüttner, Federal Managing Director of the Veranstalterverband Österreich. Their presence reflected one of the central ideas behind Music in the Woods: supporting young musicians requires cooperation between education, professional organisations and the wider cultural sector.

The connection with the region was equally important. Gutenbrunn Mayor Birgit Haberzett welcomed the participants and guests together with former Mayor and honorary citizen Adelheid Ebner. Christoph Prinz, Deputy District Chairman in Zwettl, also attended the event, highlighting the value of cultural initiatives for the wider region.

Together, these guests represented the network that makes a project such as Music in the Woods possible. The showcase was more than a final concert—it was a space where young artists could present their ideas, make professional connections and experience how different parts of the music industry work together.

ORF Niederösterreich also reported on the initiative, bringing wider attention to the workshop and its participants. The report highlighted former Music in the Woods participant Tamara Flores, whose development and Latin Grammy nomination demonstrate where focused support, new contacts and artistic determination can lead.

Organised by JAM MUSIC LAB Private University, AKM – Autoren, Komponisten und Musikverleger and the Veranstalterverband Österreich, with support from the SKE Fonds, Music in the Woods combines artistic development with practical professional knowledge. Its third edition once again showed what can happen when talented young musicians are given time, trust and the right environment to create together.