The Altomonte Orchestra St. Florian was founded in the centenary year of Anton Bruckner’s death by Augustinus Franz Kropfreiter, 1936 – 2003, (composer, organist and Regens Chori of St. Florian) and Thomas Wall (solo cellist) on the initiative and with the support of Mayor Eva Reisinger. Matthias Giesen (University of Music Vienna, organist and Regens Chori 2003 – 2017 of St Florian) has been conductor of the Altomonte Orchestra since 2003. Remy Ballot has been appointed Principal Guest Conductor since 2013 and Maria Nauen since 2025.

The name of the orchestra refers to the baroque painters Martino and Bartholomeo Altomonte, whose frescoes gave the magnificent rooms of St. Florian’s Abbey their unique and incomparable atmosphere. Cultivating the musical tradition and church music in St Florian is a special task for the Altomonte Orchestra.

For the annual St. Florian Bruckner Festival, the Altomonte Orchestra is expanded into a large “romantic” line-up by artistic director Thomas Wall. Shoulder to shoulder, desk to desk, renowned orchestra professionals perform together with young up-and-coming musicians. The musicians come from Upper Austria, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Germany, England, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Russia, Scotland, Spain, Hungary, Wales, Cyprus and Australia. Rehearsals and concerts of the annual “Bruckner Festival Symphony” have thus become an international “St. Florian family celebration” since 2013. This familiar atmosphere is reflected in the homogeneous, warm sound of the Bruckner orchestra, which is equalled by the international music press with world-famous orchestras.

Altomonte Orchestra is regularly performing in Austria as also has great tradition to have annually concert tours around Andalusia, Spain.