Artistic work
In 2014 Florian founds his quartet Woodoism with Linus Amstad on saxophone, Valentin von Fischer on double bass and Philipp Leibundgut on drums. This band has meanwhile become his most important form of artistic expression. Woodoism releases their debut album in 2017 and subsequently tours in Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Russia and Switzerland, among other countries. In 2018, the quartet is awarded the prestigious ZKB Jazz Prize and the Audience Award. During the intensive tours, the bandsound develops more and more and Florian's compositions are also more tailored to the musicians. The quartet releases their second album "Refugium" on the German label Neuklang Future in fall 2019: "A magical brew," as Jazzthing writes in their review. The Corona pandemic makes way for creative work and already in 2020 the band retreats back into the studio for the recording of the third album. "Alternate Reality" is released in May 2021 on NWog Records, the label of Florian's former mentor Nils Wogram .
Besides Woodoism Florian is also active as a composer and sideman in various other projects and collaborations: Môme (Philipp Hillebrand - cl/bcl; Clemens Kuratle - dr) Clemens Kuratle "Murmullo" (Jonathan Maag - ts; Franz Hellmüller - git; Rafael Jerjen - b; Clemens Kuratle - dr), Tome Iliev Sextet (Tome Iliev - cl; Valentin Baumgartner - git; Francois Lana - p; Jonas Künzli - b; Adrian Böckli - dr), Fussyduck (Robin Antunes - vio; Guillaume Guedin - as; Leandro Irarragorri - p; Daisy George - b; Baptiste Dolt - dr), Lina Tinérun (Damaris Brendle - voc; Cyrill Ferrari - git; Florian Hufschmid - dr), with singer Elian Zeitel and the World-Balkan-Chanson Ensemble Suma Covjek. Since 2017 Florian has been involved in the OC of the Bernese Micro Jazz Festival "Die Letzten Tage".
Education
Florian Weiss was born in Zurich in 1991 and began playing the trombone at the age of nine. He graduated from high school in Zurich with a major in music in 2010. In 2012 Florian took up his jazz studies at the University of Arts in Berne. He studied with Bernhard Bamert, Bert Joris and Frank Sikora, among others. For his Master in Jazz Performance, Florian applied to the Lucerne University of Arts in 2015, where he continued his studies with Nils Wogram, Andreas Tschopp and Markus Wüest. He took part in various masterclasses for example with Ray Anderson, Robin Eubanks, Ilja Reijngoud, Shannon Barnett, Glenn Ferris, Mark Turner, Alex Sipiagin, and Lage Lund. In 2017 Florian graduated with honors and spent three months in New York City for further musical education, enabled by a grant by the Friedl Wald Foundation. During that time he took lessons with Elliot Mason. Florian lives in the city of Berne since 2012.
Awards
In 2014 Florian founds his quartet Woodoism with Linus Amstad on saxophone, Valentin von Fischer on double bass and Philipp Leibundgut on drums. This band has meanwhile become his most important form of artistic expression. Woodoism releases their debut album in 2017 and subsequently tours in Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Russia and Switzerland, among other countries. In 2018, the quartet is awarded the prestigious ZKB Jazz Prize and the Audience Award. During the intensive tours, the bandsound develops more and more and Florian's compositions are also more tailored to the musicians. The quartet releases their second album "Refugium" on the German label Neuklang Future in fall 2019: "A magical brew," as Jazzthing writes in their review. The Corona pandemic makes way for creative work and already in 2020 the band retreats back into the studio for the recording of the third album. "Alternate Reality" is released in May 2021 on NWog Records, the label of Florian's former mentor Nils Wogram .
Besides Woodoism Florian is also active as a composer and sideman in various other projects and collaborations: Môme (Philipp Hillebrand - cl/bcl; Clemens Kuratle - dr) Clemens Kuratle "Murmullo" (Jonathan Maag - ts; Franz Hellmüller - git; Rafael Jerjen - b; Clemens Kuratle - dr), Tome Iliev Sextet (Tome Iliev - cl; Valentin Baumgartner - git; Francois Lana - p; Jonas Künzli - b; Adrian Böckli - dr), Fussyduck (Robin Antunes - vio; Guillaume Guedin - as; Leandro Irarragorri - p; Daisy George - b; Baptiste Dolt - dr), Lina Tinérun (Damaris Brendle - voc; Cyrill Ferrari - git; Florian Hufschmid - dr), with singer Elian Zeitel and the World-Balkan-Chanson Ensemble Suma Covjek. Since 2017 Florian has been involved in the OC of the Bernese Micro Jazz Festival "Die Letzten Tage".
Education
Florian Weiss was born in Zurich in 1991 and began playing the trombone at the age of nine. He graduated from high school in Zurich with a major in music in 2010. In 2012 Florian took up his jazz studies at the University of Arts in Berne. He studied with Bernhard Bamert, Bert Joris and Frank Sikora, among others. For his Master in Jazz Performance, Florian applied to the Lucerne University of Arts in 2015, where he continued his studies with Nils Wogram, Andreas Tschopp and Markus Wüest. He took part in various masterclasses for example with Ray Anderson, Robin Eubanks, Ilja Reijngoud, Shannon Barnett, Glenn Ferris, Mark Turner, Alex Sipiagin, and Lage Lund. In 2017 Florian graduated with honors and spent three months in New York City for further musical education, enabled by a grant by the Friedl Wald Foundation. During that time he took lessons with Elliot Mason. Florian lives in the city of Berne since 2012.
Awards
- 2020-2022 Pro Helvetia's high priority jazz promotion program with Woodoism
- 2019 Winner of the BeJazz-Transnational competition with Fussyduck
- 2018 Winner of the ZKB Jazz Prize and Audience Prize with Woodoism
- 2016 14'000 CHF grant by Friedl Wald Foundation
- 2015 5'000 CHF scholarship by Hirschmann Foundation
- 2015 DKSJ Best of Swiss Jazz Bachelors Tour with Woodoism