biography

 

Mario Mauz (1994) is a Swiss guitarist, composer, and bandleader whose style lies in jazz and metal. This combination, however unusual it may seem, allows him to draw on the traditions of two very different worlds and create something entirely new and unique.

 

His life has revolved around music since early childhood. The desire and joy of experimenting musically, along with a constantly growing repertoire of ideas, motivates him to delve ever deeper into the world of sound. With four solo albums already released and numerous collaborations with Marc Friedrich, Axel Marena, Caroline Ferrara, Dela Hüttner, Joe Legacy, Jonathan Floril, and Nevin George, Mauz is increasingly establishing himself as a rising guitarist and composer in Switzerland.

 

The starting point was his high school graduation project (which he completed with distinction) entitled "Hope." This instrumental rock/metal album was composed and produced by Mauz at the age of 17. His first published compositions were created in 2012 with the band "Atomic Symphony," in which Marc Friedrich (Illumishade) was the drummer and co-composer. Among other things, Mauz played a key role in their most successful song, "Before the Abyss," which was released along with their debut album in 2015. In 2020, his first solo album as a composer, lyricist, and guitarist, titled "A Bigger Plan," was released. It was a kind of fusion of the two musical passions within him: jazz and metal. This album was created as part of his master's thesis project, which also received an award. In 2023, Mauz ventured into the world of classical music. He composed three piano pieces, which were recorded by the renowned pianist Jonathan Floril. In 2025, Mauz and Floril continued their project, presenting a total of nine compositions at an exclusive concert in Hittnau, the village where Mario Mauz grew up. These compositions were released on two albums: “Floril plays Mauz” and “Floril plays Mauz live.” In 2024, Mario Mauz released the progressive instrumental metal album “Open Up.” This project successfully achieved the goal of composing and producing the music almost entirely within his own home. In 2027, an instrumental modern jazz album featuring original compositions by Mauz will be released. This project includes, among others, drummer Pius Baschnagel and trumpeter Raphael Kalt.

 

Mauz studied at the Zurich University of the Arts from 2013 to 2020 under Theo Kapilidis and further refined his guitar skills in lessons with Ben Monder, Dave Gisler, John O'Gallagher and Ben Eunson.

 

For Mario Mauz, music can be many things. Above all, it's a way to bring color and warmth into our sometimes gray and cold world. Mario Mauz sees himself as a kind of conduit for what his music expresses and evokes. For him, music is the unspoken sigh: emotions that cannot be expressed verbally, worlds that cannot otherwise be seen, and images that cannot be painted. Music is a mystery.

 

Since 2017, Mauz has been teaching at various music schools in Switzerland, passing on his knowledge with great joy and dedication.