Jean-Claude Braun

Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Claude Braun comes from a family of musicians, his father was a clarinettist in the Grand Ducal Military Band of Luxembourg and his mother was the assistant director of the Conservatory of Esch-sur-Alzette (L). At the age of 17 he was already solo horn player in the Grand Ducal Military Band and at 22 he completed his studies at the "Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles" with a "Diplôme supérieur". In addition to his career as a horn player in national and international orchestras, he took over the direction of the horn class at the conservatory of Esch-sur-Alzette (L) as a lecturer in 1997.

In 2004 he was accepted into the renowned conducting class for symphony orchestras of the well-known conductor and professor Jan Stulen at the University of Music in Maastricht (NL). After successfully completing his Bachelor's degree in 2007, he moved to the "Lemmensinstitut" in Leuven (B) in the class of Professor Edmond Saveniers, where he was awarded a Master's degree in 2009.

Since 1 August 2012, Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Claude Braun has been Chief Conductor of the Grand Ducal Military Orchestra of Luxembourg. Together with the 60-strong professional orchestra, he performs around 50 concerts a year. In addition to a whole series of CD recordings for Hal Leonard, Amstel Music, Baton Music and Bronsheim, he has also worked with world-famous musicians such as: Peng Peng Gong (piano), Prof Jo Alessi, Prof Armin Rosin and Prof Jacques Mauger, Tommy Verschoore (trombone), Glenn van Looy and Philippe Schwartz (euphonium), Prof Eric Aubier and Prof Marc Geujon (trumpet). Marc Geujon (trumpet), Johan de Meij, Ferrer Ferran, Marco Pütz, Peter Kleine Schaars, Otto M. Schwarz, Vladimir Cosma, Mario Bürki, Bert Appermont (composer and conductor), the conductors Norbert Nozy and Toni Scholl and many others.

Michael Haithcock

Michael Haithcock retired in May 2023 after 22 years as Director of Bands and Professor of Music (Conducting) at the University of Michigan, following a 23-year tenure at Baylor University. As the successor to William D. Revelli and H. Robert Reynolds, Haithcock led the renowned University of Michigan Symphony Band, directed the graduate program for band and wind ensemble conducting, and managed the university's historic band program. In 2012, he was named an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, the university's highest teaching award. He is the author of the widely adopted textbook "Elements of Expressive Conducting."

Ensembles under Haithcock’s guidance consistently received acclaim for their artistic excellence, performing at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall. The University of Michigan Symphony Band's YouTube channel is a valuable resource for bands worldwide and showcases Haithcock's achievements.

Throughout his career, Professor Haithcock has commissioned and premiered numerous new works for bands and has been praised for his innovative approaches to repertoire development and his interpretations. He is in constant demand as a guest conductor with professional ensembles, major universities, all-state, and festival ensembles. Professor Haithcock, a graduate of East Carolina University and Baylor University, has studied at various conducting workshops, including the Herbert Blomstedt Orchestral Conducting Institute. His articles on conducting and wind literature have been published in several renowned journals.

Haithcock is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda and the American Bandmasters Association. He remains active in the College Band Directors National Association, where he served as president (2001–2003) and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. In 2011, he was awarded the Distinguished Service to Music Medal by Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity.

Phillip Riggs
Phillip Riggs can certainly be named as a “fixed component” of Mid EUROPE. Phillip is responsible for the World Adult Wind Orchestra Project as director and conductor. Phillip Riggs is Grammy Music Educator of the Year 2016 and teaches at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham (USA). He is a co-founder and conductor of the Wachovia Winds and the North Carolina Youth Wind Ensemble. Phillip was the first faculty member to be inducted into the Reagan High School Hall of Fame in 2016. He is an active juror, clinician and workshop leader in the United States, Europe and China.

Johann Mösenbichler
Prof. Johann Mösenbichler joined the Executive Board of the MID EUROPE in 1997, and was appointed as the President of the “Mid Europe Festival” in Schladming in 2000.He is the artistic director of the festival and principal conductor of the Bavarian Police Orchestra as well as a professor at the Anton Bruckner Private University for Music in Linz. Johann Mösenbichler performs and conducts widely, teaches, and has served as a clinician and adjudicator at seminars, workshops and competitions in Asia, the USA, and throughout Europe. He has also been honored to conduct prestigious orchestras such as the Sinfonietta Da Camera in Salzburg.

Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant
Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant serves as Executive Director of the World Youth Wind Orchestra Project and the World Adult Wind Orchestra Project of the annual Mid-Europe festival in Schladming. Together with her father, Verena is planning the new project Multi National Symphony Orchestra for 2020. Verena Mösenbichler-Bryant serves as Associate Professor of the Practice of Music at Duke University, Director of the Duke University Wind Symphony, Director of Undergraduate Studies for the music department and Artistic Director & conductor of the Durham Medical Orchestra. Verena serves frequently as cover conductor for the North Carolina Symphony, and as guest conductor and clinician across the United States, Japan, as well as in her native Austria.