Studio Dan

Studio Dan is proud to be regularly supported not only by public bodies, funds and private donors but also by a board of enthusiasts, patrons, companions and generous helpers. We would like to thank our board for their support.

Brigitta Blaha
Brigitta Blaha has served as a diplomat in Washington, Bangkok, Rome, and Tokyo, as well as Consul General in Hong Kong and New York, and later as Austrian Ambassador to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Since her retirement in 2018, she has been active as President of the Austria–Pakistan Society, Vice President of the Alumni Club of the Diplomatic Academy, and as a mentor (including in the University of Vienna’s “Alma” program). She regularly gives lectures and moderates panel discussions. She enriches our board with diplomatic experience, cultural mediation, and her extensive international network.

Elke Hesse
Since 2011, Elke Hesse has served as Director of the MuTh concert hall of the Vienna Boys’ Choir and was awarded the honorary title of Professor in 2019 for her outstanding cultural engagement. Following her tenure as Artistic Director of the Bad Hersfeld Festival from 2006 to 2009, she will return to this role from the 2026 season to lead the festival through its 75th anniversary in 2030. Her expertise in sustainable cultural mediation, active audience engagement, and fundraising strategically strengthens our board.

Wiktoria Pelzer
Wiktoria Pelzer assumed the position of Managing Director of the Wiener Stadtkino Film Distribution and Cinemas on January 1, 2023. Previously, she had been responsible for programming at Gartenbaukino since 2017, gaining recognition for curatorial quality and fostering fresh cultural dialogue. She initiated the nationwide subscription project nonstop Kino, designed as a countrywide arthouse cinema subscription. She brings to our board extensive leadership experience, strategic foresight, and insights into Vienna’s and Austria’s broader cultural network.

Axel Petri‑Preis
Axel Petri‑Preis is a university professor for music mediation and community music, as well as Deputy Head of the Institute for Music Education Research and Practice (IMP) at the mdw in Vienna. He is the founder and Editor‑in‑Chief of the International Journal of Music Mediation and recently co-edited the Handbook of Music Mediation. His work, characterized by diversity-conscious mediation, community engagement, and interdisciplinary research, will enrich our board, particularly in the area of educational and outreach initiatives.

Julia Purgina
Julia Purgina is a composer and former long-time violist with the ensemble. After many years as a professor and administrator at the MUK, she became Vice-Rector for Arts and Teaching at the Anton Bruckner Private University in 2022; since October 2024, she has been Professor of Composition and Historical Counterpoint at the mdw. Her interdisciplinary practice as a composer, musician, educator, and university manager provides our board with a wide range of expertise in both artistic and organizational matters.