Kaspar Zehnder was the first music director of the Zentrum Paul Klee and is the founder of its ensemble in residence. He is the artistic director of the Murten Classics summer festival and chief conductor of the Symphony Orchestra Biel Solothurn. After his studies of flute (Heidi Indermühle, Aurèle Nicolet) and conducting (Ewald Körner, Charles Dutoit, Ralf Weikert) in Bern, Paris, Siena and at the European Mozart Academy he began a rich concert activity across Europe appearing at its most prestigious festivals and concert venues. He is a member of the Ensemble “mit vier”. His chamber music partners include Magdalena Kozená, Konstantin Lifschitz, Henri Demarquette, Alexander Sitkovetsky, etc.

Eva Aroutunian was born in Armenia, where she studied piano at Erevan’s Tchaikovsky school of music. She went on to train in Switzerland, first in Geneva and then in Zurich and Bern, where she passed her soloist diploma. As a soloist or chamber musician, Eva Aroutunian has performed a large number of concerts both in Switzerland and abroad (Germany, Argentina, Armenia, France, Italy, Lebanon, Poland, Czech Republic). Among the numerous awards she has received are the Zurich’s 2006 Nico-Kaufmann prize for her commitment to contemporary music and musical theatre. In addition to her career as a pianist, she has been the Geneva Conservatory of Music’s executive director since 2007.

Fabio Di Càsola, from Lugano, Switzerland, won in 1990 at the age of 23, the first prize of the prestigious “Concours de Genève” – 18 years after a clarinettist won the first prize. Soon after that, he was invited to leading international festivals, for ex. the Berlin Festival under Claudio Abbado. In the press, all his Sony recordings received good critics and the Weber-CD was decorated with the “Editor’s Choice” by the Gramophone Magazine. He is the artistic director of www.klang.ch, member of several chambermusic ensembles and professor at the ZHdK in Zurich. 

Matthias Schranz (cello) is playing concerts as soloist and as chamber musician. He’s teaching at Hochschule der Künste Bern and at Musikschule Konservatorium Bern. He’s also lead singer, guitarist and composer in the rock band “Disciples”. He lives with his family in Bern.

Ivan Nestic was born in Zagreb, Croatia. He studied in Zagreb, Bern, Geneva and Basle and was a member of the Croatian National Opera Zagreb as the first solo double bass player. He has been teaching at the Köniz and Bolligen music schools. He is a freelance double bassist, arranger, initiator and a member of various bands. He lives with his family in Bern.

 

Born in 1982, Philippe Talec was six years old when he started to learn violin at the Bordeaux Conservatory of Music with Micheline Lefèbvre. In 1999, he entered the Paris' National Higher Conservatoire of Music (CNSMDP) in Gérard Poulet's class and was awarded in 2002 the « Diplôme de formation supérieure » in piano performance with highest honors and in chamber music in 2003. With the Trio Chausson he founded in 2001, Philippe Talec has performed at many festivals in Europe, America and Japan, notably at the Folles Journées in Nantes, Bilbao and Tokyo. His five recordings – all edited by Mirare – received critical acclaim (Maestro from the Pianiste magazin, Cd-Tipp from NDR Kultur…). After 14 years spent with the Trio Chausson, Philippe Talec co-founded in 2013 the KolorBach Ensemble, which combines the classical style with oriental influences using original arrangements and compositions. In addition to his career as a violonist, Philippe Talec has a passionate interest in pedagogy and had the opportunity to be trained as a Colourstrings teacher in Helsinki and London. Since September 2008, he has been teaching at the Geneva Conservatory of Music.