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Germain Umdenstock is a composer and multi-instrumentalist who currently performs with Nicolas Fraissinet and the group Elynn The Green.
Since 1996 Umdenstock has performed on stages such as Les Trois Baudets (Paris), le Flow (Paris), l’Auguste théâtre (Paris), Metro Al Madina (Beirut), Teatro Nacional Rubén Darío (Managua, Nicaragua), Teatro del Arte (San Salvador, El Salvador), Museo del Jade (San Jose, Costa Rica), Le festival Rockailles (Reignier), Maison du Peuple (Ouagadougou), Salle Métropole, D-Club, Festival de la Cité, Festi’Neuch, Venoge Festival, Casino-théâtre (Geneva), Théâtre du Passage (Neuchâtel), opening for artists including Placebo, Keziah Jones, Michel Bühler, Anthony B, Clarika, Christophe Willem, Julien Clerc and Laurent Garnier.
Umdenstock also composes and arranges music for shows, humanitarian projects, documentary films, dramas and, most recently, a France TV animated series. This production activity began in 2007 when he teamed up with Lausanne-based producer, musician and DJ Ripperton, who introduced him to electronic music. Together they wrote several tracks for his albums, Niwa (2010) and A Little Part Of Shade (2013), as well as several remixes for artists such as Phonique, Jimpster and Ellen Allien. Since then, Germain Umdenstock has set up his own recording studio in Geneva.
Germain Umdenstock holds a Master of Music diploma from the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève (2004) and a music pedagogy diploma from the Société Suisse de Pédagogie Musicale (2006), and teaches guitar at the Conservatoire de Vevey-Montreux Riviera and at Emagina-sons in Grand-Lancy. As part of these two institutions, he set up the Rock Workshops, which he has been running since 2009. The students in these workshops paid tribute to Claude Nobs at the Miles Davis hall in February 2013 and won the Senheiser prize at the 2014 Swiss Youth Music Competition, Pop/Rock section, and have performed every year since 2015 on the Music In The Park stage at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Aude Hauser-Mottier specialises in global postural re-education (RPG) and the Mézières method (muscle chains). She has developed and implemented several personalised treatment programmes, tailored to each patient and to different artists (music, dance, visual arts).
A physiotherapist by profession and a musician by passion, Hauser-Mottier has always been sensitive to the problems of artists, for whom she has developed a personalised approach to care, including physical treatments and psychological support.
For over 30 years, Aude Hauser-Mottier has run her own physiotherapy practice, specialising in supporting artists, in particular using the ‘Artitude, l’École du Beau’ method she created.
Bo Skovhus studied at the Aarhus Music Institute, the Royal Opera Academy in Copenhagen and in New York. Significant engagements in his career were Reimann’s »Lear« at the Paris Opera, and Beckmesser in »Meistersinger« at the Bastille and at the Wagner Festival in Budapest. In addition, Titus in »Bérénice« by Michael Jarrell at the Paris Opera under the direction of Philippe Jordan, as well as in Dresden in the role of Mandryka in »Arabella«. He also sang the title role in »Wozzeck« at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and Dr. Schön in »Lulu« at the Vienna State Opera, followed by Šiškov in “From a House of the Dead” at the Bavarian State Opera, Jean-Charles in “The Raft of the Medusa” (Werner Henze) in Amsterdam, and the title roles in “Karl V.” (Ernst Krenek) at the Bavarian State Opera, »Lear« at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and »Eugen Onegin« at the Hamburg State Opera. He recently performed as Ryuji in Henze’s “Das Verratene Meer” at Vienna State Opera, Hamburg State Opera as Eisenstein/FLEDERMAUS, Hamburg State Opera Berlin as Jaroslav Prus / VEC MAKROPULOS, in Boston and at Carnegie Hall in concert as WOZZECK, at the Cuvilliestheater in Munich as Father) / BLUTHAUS, and as Plato Kusmitsch Kovalev / DIE NASE at Semper Opera Dresden. In addition to appearances in operas, Bo Skovhus devotes himself to recital and concert singing with great personal commitment. Future engagements include Jochanaan/SALOME in Lübek, FLEDERMAUS in Genoa, Jaroslav Prus/VEC MAKORPULOS in Berlin, Father/BLUTHAUS in Lyon, Mandryka/SALOME in Dresden, Dr. Schön/LULU in Vienna and in Florence, Faninal/ROSENKAVALIER in Geneva, LEAR in Madrid, LEBEN MIT EINEM IDIOTEN (Alfred Schnittke) in Zürich; THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON in Hamburg. The artist has been awarded the title of “Österreichischer Kammersänger” as well as the title of “Bayerischer Kammersänger”.
Augustinas Rakauskas started to play accordion at the age of 7. He is considered as a laureate of more than 30 national, international competitions and championships worldwide since 2003. Among his most prominent international achievements are:
1st Prize in international competition Jeunes Talents-Montrond-les-Bains (France), Grand Prix in international Accordion Art Festival – ITALIA AWARD (Pineto, Italy), 1st Prize in international accordion competition Sion – 2014 (Switzerland). 1st Prize international classical accordion competition VAMO-2016 (Viena, Austria), 3rd Prize in Premio Soloists Category at “Premio Internazionale di Castelfidardo (Italy) 2018, 3rd Prize in Coupe Mondiale de l’accordéon 2018 in Lithuania 2nd Prize in Trophée Mondial 2018 in Canada.
He also received Swiss Awards: Prix Pale´o 2017 for his excellent Master’s recitals, 1st Prize of the Kiefer Hablitzel | Göhner Swiss foundation in 2018 1st Prize winner of the Kiefer Hablitzel | Göhner Swiss foundation in 2019.
He possesses a Master’s degree with excellence in concert performance at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne (Switzerland) where he is currently finishing his 2nd Master in Music Pedagogy. He has established a worldwide concert career in Europe, the USA and Asia where he regularly performs as a soloist and in chamber music duo Tutto a Dio.
Grégoire Blanc is a young French musician, mostly known for his work involving the theremin – this very unique musical instrument, invented in the 1920s, which remains until today one of the most expressive electronic instrument despite its very minimalistic design.
His musical journey started very early with the cello, providing him a strong classical background. His first encounter with the theremin in high school was decisive. Following the completion of two Master’s Degrees, one from the leading engineering school of Arts et Métiers and another one in sciences applied to music offered at Sorbonne University by IRCAM, he finally decided to pursue a career in music.
Grégoire Blanc is renowned as a promising artist, and is regularly invited to perform in various contexts: classical concerts, contemporary theater and dance performances, lectures, studio recordings all around the world, from Canada to Kazakhstan. His ongoing artistic research centres around expressiveness in electronic music, leading him to explore new perspectives, blending tones and techniques to develop his own musical and sonic vocabulary.
Originaire de la ville rose, c’est après des études en sciences politiques que Matthieu Toulouse se consacre au chant lyrique et se forme à la Schola Cantorum de Paris, où il obtient son diplôme de concert à l’unanimité avec les félicitations du jury. Il suit depuis les enseignements de Didier Laclau-Barrère.
Il fait ses premiers pas sur scène avec les rôles du Sprecher et du 2ème homme d’arme dans la Flûte Enchantée au Festival de Saint-Céré, à l’Opéra de Clermont-Ferrand et à l’Opéra de Massy. Depuis, il s’est produit à l’Opéra de Reims, au théâtre du Châtelet, à l’opéra de Versailles, au théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, à l’opéra de Ho Chi Minh, à l’Opéra de Massy, de Clermont-Ferrand ainsi qu’au festival de Saint Céré, à l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo… dans les rôles de Leporello/Don Giovanni, Ariodate/Sersé de Haendel, le Gouverneur/Le Comte Ory, Pandolfe/Cendrillon de Massenet, Alidoro/La Cenerentola, le 1er artisan/Wozzeck (mise en scène Michel Fau), Ame/Hulda de César Franck avec le Palazetto Bru Zane (Philharmonies de Liège et Namur, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées), assure la doublure de Rocco/Fidelio (Opéra de Nice) ; Le Pilote/Tristan und Isolde.
Remarqué pour son tempérament, la profondeur de ses graves et sa diction, il est aussi régulièrement sollicité pour les messes de Requiem de Mozart, de Fauré, ou encore de Duruflé. Il a également interprété la basse solo dans le Messie de Haendel, la Messa di Gloria de Puccini, la Création de Haydn.
Parmi ses projets : il reprend le 1er artisan/Wozzeck au Festival d’Aix-en-Provence et Alcandro/L’Olimpiade en tournée (dont au Festival International d’Opéra Baroque de Beaune) avec L’Ensemble Matheus de Jean-Christophe Spinosi ; se produit à Bordeaux avec l’ensemble baroque Orfeo, etc.
Bruce Liu was brought to the world’s attention in 2021, when he won the First Prize at the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw.
Following his competition’s success, he immediately embarks on a world tour, appearing at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, Wiener Konzerthaus, BOZAR Brussels, Tokyo Opera City, Sala São Paulo, Royal Festival Hall with the Philharmonia Orchestra, U.S tour with the Warsaw Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Past highlights include performance with ensembles such as the Cleveland Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as North-America tour with the China NCPA Orchestra.
His upcoming highlights include debut with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, European tour with Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Wiener Symphoniker at Musikverein, festival appearances at la Roque d’Anthéron, Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Rheingau, Edinburgh, Chopin and his Europe, Duszniki, and Gstaad Menuhin.
An exclusive recording artist with Deutsche Grammophon, his first album featuring the winning performances from the Chopin Competition won a Fryderyk Award and received international acclaim including both the Critics’ choice and Editor’s choice from the Gramophone Magazine, as well as being included in its list of Best classical albums from 2021.
“What we all have in common is our difference”, the young pianist likes to say. Born in Paris to Chinese parents, Bruce Liu grew up in Montreal. His life has been steeped in cultural diversity, which has shaped his differences in attitude, personality and character. He draws on various sources of inspiration for his art: European refinement, Chinese long tradition, North American dynamism and openness. Following his artist path with optimism and a smile, his teachers include Richard Raymond and Dang Thai Son.
Nicolas Henchoz is the founding director of the EPFL+ECAL Lab. He is the Art Papers Chair of SIGGRAPH 2023, the world leading conference in Computer graphics and interaction techniques. Engineer, researcher, art director, manager, he has developed a unique vision of innovation, blending cultural creativity, scientific practices and human observation to foster sustainable adoption.
His projects have led to many academic contributions and awards. He has also curated more than 30 exhibitions in institutions including the American Institute of Architecture (NYC), the Royal College of Art (London), the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris and Harvard University. He’s the co-founder of GAMI Global Alliance for Media Innovation and has been honoured as a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by French minister for culture and communication.
Born in France, to a French father and Korean mother, Irène Duval grew up in Japan, Indonesia and Hong Kong before returning to France at the age of 11. Having graduated from the Conservatoire de Paris and Kronberg Academy, Irène is now firmly establishing herself as a compelling and versatile performer with a strong interest in combining little-known works with works central to the repertoire.
Praised for her mastery of phrasing and of the dramatic dimension (Diapason), astonishing virtuosity (Revelation Classiques) and her infinite delicacy (Le Populaire du centre), Irène has won multiple international competitions and is an active performer of concerti, recitals and chamber music.
Recent highlights include her debut with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in the inauguration concert of the Casals Forum in Kronberg, her debut with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, and her return with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jamie Phillips.
This season, she gives recitals at Perth Concert Hall (broadcast by BBC Radio 3), the Bath, Brighton, and Lammermuir International Festivals, and in Budapest at Kamara.hu Festival. Irène records a new album with pianist Angus Webster, celebrating Fauré and his friends Saint-Saëns, Enescu, and Hahn, to be released by Capriccio in Spring 2024.
Sought after as a chamber musician, she collaborates with Khatia Buniatishvili at Klavier Ruhr Festival and Rheingau Festival, and with Steven Isserlis at Hindsgavl Festival in Danemark, and Cervo in Italy. She will make her debut in Australia beginning of the year 2024.
Irène has performed widely in Europe, giving recitals at major venues and festivals including the Konzerthaus Berlin, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Salle Gaveau, Dresdner Kulturpalast, Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, Fondation Singer-Polignac, Festival de la Roque d’Anthéron and Les Folles Journées à Nantes et au Japon.
Solo highlights include collaborations with the Dresdner Philharmonie, Orchestre d’Auvergne, Sinfonia Varsovia at the National Forum in Tokyo, Kremerata Baltica, working with such conductors as Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Sanderling, Robert Trevino, and Roberto Fores Veses.
Chamber music holds a big space in Irène’s heart and she feels lucky to have had the chance to play with musicians Gidon Kremer, Olli Mustonen, Ferenc Rados, and Christian Tetzlaff. She participates with great pleasure in Open Chamber Music d’IMS Prussia Cove in Cornwall, Krzyzowa Chamber Music Festival in Poland, Norsjo Chamber Music Festival in Norway and Chamber Music Connects the World Festival at Kronberg Academy.
Irène plays a beautiful Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin, which is kindly on loan to her through the Beare’s International Violin Society.
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Irène began studying the violin at the age of seven in Hong Kong. Back in France in 2003, she studied with Jean-Jacques Kantorow, Suzanne Gessner, and at CNSM of Paris with Roland Daugareil and Daria Hovora. In 2013, she completed her Masters degree with distinction, and received the award of Révélation classique de l’Adami.
In 2009 and 2010, Irène won the 1st prize and the public prize at the International Violin Competition of Avignon and two special prizes at the 1st edition of the International Violin Competition in Mirecourt: the prize for most exceptional personality and the prize for the best interpretation of a French sonata for her performance of the Poulenc sonata. In May 2011, Irène was awarded the 1st prize at the 46th International Instrumental Competition in Markneukirchen for her performance of the Beethoven violin concerto, as well as the Manfred-Scherzer prize for her outstanding interpretation of a piece by Reger. Her performance of the Beethoven concerto received accolades, the German Free Press noting that ‘it was a Beethoven in heaven. Her sound in the second movement was like the music of the angels.’ (16.05.2011 Beethoven im Paradies, Deutsche Freie Presse).
In 2012, Irène received the Appassionato Joël Klépal prize in Caen and was given a generous grant from the Meyer Fondation. In 2014, she went at the Kronberg Academy in Germany to study with Mihaela Martin in Further Master Studies, and received artistic advice from internationally renowned musicians until 2017.
She has been supported by Fondation pour la vocation Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet, Fondation SAFRAN pour la musique, la Fondation de l’Or du Rhin, la Fondation d’Entreprise Banque Populaire, ArteMusica Stiftung, and Günther Caspar Stiftung.
In 2021 Irène was a prize-winner at the Young Classical Artists Trust International Auditions.