The versatile violinist Benjamin Schmid, not only excels in classical music but also captivates audiences with his mastery of jazz and improvisation, earning acclaim from listeners and international critics alike. In his latest album, Jazz Violin Concertos, recorded with the Swedish chamber orchestra Musica Vitae, Schmid explores jazz violin concertos written by Austrian composers. The album features Friedrich Gulda’s violin concerto, Wings, a masterful composition conceived as a single grand violin cadenza accompanied by an orchestra, featuring virtuosic passages and groovy elements. Herbert Berger tailored his Metropoles Suite for violin, specifically for Benjamin Schmid. Each movement – Insomnia, El largo adios, A la minute, and Avenida – is associated with a metropolis. The Three Songs for an Abandoned Angel by the Austrian jazz pianist and composer Sabina Hank was also written for Schmid, adding to the album’s diverse and compelling repertoire.