▁church ▁music ian . ▁ ▁Education ▁Matth ias ▁Ma ier ho fer ▁received ▁his ▁primary ▁music ▁education ▁from ▁Karl ▁Sch mel zer - Z ir inger . ▁Later ▁on , ▁he ▁studied ▁organ ▁and ▁church ▁music ▁at ▁the ▁univers ities ▁of ▁Gra z ▁( A ust ria ), ▁Leipzig ▁( G erm any ), ▁Fre ib urg ▁( G erm any ) ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Sch ola ▁Cant orum ▁in ▁Bas el ▁( Sw itzerland ). ▁His ▁teachers ▁include ▁Ar vid ▁Gast , ▁Andrea ▁Mar con , ▁Kurt ▁Neu haus er ▁and ▁Martin ▁Sch med ing . ▁He ▁completed ▁his ▁studies ▁with ▁a ▁solo ist ' s ▁di pl oma ▁and ▁graduated ▁with ▁hon ors ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Music , ▁Fre ib urg . ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁Con cert s ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Matth ias ▁Ma ier ho fer ▁won ▁the ▁international ▁organ ▁competition ▁P ach el bel - W ettbe werb ▁in ▁N ure m berg , ▁Germany . ▁He ▁received ▁awards ▁at ▁the ▁international ▁Franz ▁Schmidt - Or gel w ettbe werb ▁in ▁K itz bü hel , ▁Austria , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁international ▁Bach w ettbe werb ▁in ▁Arn stadt , ▁Germany , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁the ▁international ▁Or gel con c ours ▁in ▁N ij m egen , ▁Netherlands , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁and ▁the ▁international ▁organ ▁competition ▁M . ▁K . ▁Ci url ion is ▁in ▁Vil nius , ▁Lith