Born in Vienna, Ottensamer commenced his musical studies in 1999 at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna on piano and then on cello with Wolfgang Herzer and then from 2003 clarinet with Johann Hindler.
Ottensamer also enrolled as a student at Harvard University in the United States.
[2] First prize winner of several competitions on clarinet, piano and cello, Ottensamer has performed as soloist and chamber musician worldwide with partners such as the Vienna Virtuosi (members of the Vienna Philharmonic), the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and performers including Leif Ove Andsnes, Angelika Kirchschlager, Julian Rachlin and Yo-Yo Ma.
The ensemble gives concert tours in Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, performs at festivals all over the world, appeared on TV and radio and in 1999 recorded a CD published by Gramola Vienna and Octavia Records.
His debut album, Portraits – The Clarinet Album, was released in June 2013 internationally through Mercury Classics/Deutsche Grammophon and features concertos by Domenico Cimarosa, George Gershwin and Aaron Copland, recorded with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.