Competition 2009

Ruth Velten, soprano saxohone
Alexander Doroshkevich, alto saxophone
Martin Posegga, tenor saxophone
Annegret Schmiede, baritone saxophone 

Founded in 2005 by graduates of both Berlin music schools and the universities of Cologne and Basle, the ensemble sonic.art focuses on original works for classical saxophone wuartet from the romantic to the contemporary music. Working in corporation with composers, such as Sofia Gubaidulina, Olga Neuwirth, Georg Katzer, Steffen Schleiermacher and Fabien Lévy, plays an important role in developing new pieces. Recently, the quartet was awarded the 1st prize at the 18th International Chamber Music Competition Thessaloniki/Greece – only a couple of weeks after winning the prize at the German Music Competition.

Furthermore, the sonic.art won the 1st prize at the International Competition for Chamber Music in Atri/Italy, the 1st prize and the Grand Prix at the International Competition for Contemporary Music “Penderecki” Krakow/Poland and the 3rd prize at the International Chamber Music Competition in London. They also received a scholarship from the “Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben”, the Friedrich-Juergen-Sellheim Association/Hannover, the Society “Yehudi Menuhin” Live Music Now! And the Celibidache Foundation. The sonic.art quartet performes at important international music festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Warsaw Autumn, Mecklemburg-Vorpommern Musik Festival or Cambridge Festival of Summer Music. The quartet is being coached by the pianist Jacques Ammon, worked together with the Artemis String Quartet, took part in masterclasses by Trio Opus 8 and the Kuss String Quartet. Since 2006 the ensemble has been studying chamber music at the “Hans Eisler” Music Colleg Berlin with Prof. Eberhard Feltz, Prof. William Forman and Prof. Wayne Foster-Smith and will graduate with “Soloist Degree”.

Ana Bogatila, violin
Rasvan Dumitru, violin 
Traian Boala, viola 
Zsolt Török, cello

The Quartet was set up in 2005 under the close supervision of Nicusor Silaghi (the second violino f the “Transilvan” Quartet). After the first experience at the Chamber Music Festival in Odorheiul Secuiese (2005), these young musicians discovered a new vocation and musical passion. Afterwards followed concerts in Cluj-Napoca, Sighisoara, sibiu, at the “Dinu Lipatti” Philharmonics in Satu Marc, in Bucharest at the “17th week of contemporary music” International Festival, and at the Romanian Atheneum.

In December 2008, they participated to “the Complete Flute Quartets” project by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart together with the acclaimed flutist Bálint János (Hungary) at the “Mozart Festival” in Cluj-Napoca. They gave concerts also abroad, at the “Enescu Festival” in Heidelberg (Germany), in Chemnitz at the “Classic Open 2007” International Festival, in Eisenstadt (Austria), at the “Internationale Sommerakademie Prag-Wien-Budapest” (Baden, Neunkirchen, Mürzschlag and Reichenau an der Rax) and at the “Kalkapen Kammermusik Festival” (Steyr, Grossraming and Molln), in Zurich (Switzerland), in Budapest (Hungary) at the “Spring Festival” and in Beijing (China). They also attended masterclasses held by personalities like hatto Beyerle (former Alban Berg – Austria), Avo Kouyoumdjian (Austira), Grörgy Kurtág (Germany), Anner Bylsma (Netherland), Vera Beths (Netherland), Ferenc Gábor (Germany), Ferenc Rados (Hungary), Ferenc Lászlo (Romania) and members of the Orlando Quartet (Netherland), Bartok Quartet (Hungary), Artis Quartet (Austria), prazál Quartet (Czech Republic), Ad Libitum Quartet 6

(Romania) and Voces Quartet (Romania). In December 2006, they participated for the first time to a competition, the “W.A. Mozart” Competition at the homonymous festival in Cluj-Napoca, where they won the 1st prize and the Sysound Prize, which offered them the opportunity of recording a CD. In February 2007, they were assigned a masterclass scholarship with the Belcea Quartet (London) offered by the Romanian Cultural Institute together with the “George Enescu” Philharmonics in Bucharest. In November 2007, they won the “Ferdinand Weiss” Competition (Cluj-Napoca) and on April 15, 2009 they became ECMA (European Chamber Music Academy) members.

In September 2009 they won the second prize (first not assigned) at the International Chamber Music Competition “Gianni Bergamo Classic Music Award” in Lugano (Switzerland).

Petra Vilankova, violin
Petr Malisek, cello
Stanislav Gallin, piano 

It was founded in 2008. All three members belong to the best young instrumentalist of the Czech Republic with wide experience both in chamber music and as soloists. In 2008, the Orbis Trio was semifinalists in prestigious competitions in Frankfurt and Weimar and in 2009 was awarded the second prize at the International Chamber Music Competition “Johannes Brahms” in Gdansk. The Trio attended lessons with artists such as Ivan Klansky (Guarneri Trio), Josef Suk, Daniel Veis (Prague Trio), Vaclav Bernasek (Kocian Quartet) and Ivan Moravec. It regurlarly plays concerts in the Czech Republic and abroad.

Francesco Negrini, clarinet
Luca Bacelli, cello
Matteo Sarti, piano 

The Trio Degas was created in 2003 within the musical “training ground” of the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana. All its members graduated with the highest notes.

The Trio got his musical education above all with the “Trio di Parma”, with whom it studied for three years at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, and with Alessandro Specchi. In 2004, they also participated to the special masterclasses by Bruno Canino.

The Trio managed to arouse the interest of personalities from the Italian and international music world such as Mario Ancillotti, Cristiano Rossi, Alfredo Speranza and others, obtaining the first prize at the 5th national competition “Riviera Etrusca”, the first absolute prize at the 5th Europena Competition for Chamber Music “Città di Vasto”, the second prize (first not assigned) at the 11th National Competition “Giulio Rospigliosi” and at the 12th National Competition “Città di Grosseto”. Important is also its participation to the 3rd International Piano Competition “Città di Pesaro” where it won the first absolute prize of the whole competition.

The trio was awarded the scholarship “Paolo Fioretti” of the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole.

All three composers collaborate regularly with important orchestras under the direction of conductors such as Riccardo Muti and Claudio Abbado.

Gianni Bergamo was born in Milan, Italy in 1941, attended primary school in Italy and Liceo in Switzerland. After a degree in Economy (1964) at the Catholic University of Milan, he dedicated himself to the study of music with Tissoni (harmony and composition), D. Maffeis (organ) and N. Sanzogno (orchestra conducting) at the Conservatory of Bergamo, Italy.
From 1964 to 1994 has been a businessman with his own import-export, real estate and finance companies, though at the same time he has remained close to music and to its world.
In 1990 he created the Cultural Association “Gli Amici Cantori”, first as a chorus alone, then later accompanied by an orchestra. He has given many concerts in Italy with them, preferring the symphonic-sacred repertoire (masses, oratories, passions, etc.). At present, he lives in Santiago del Chile.

François Benda was born in Brazil, but his musical roots are in Europe. François Benda’s international career began in 1988, when he debuted as a clarinet soloist at Zurich’s prestigious concert venue Tonhalle and at the Victoria Hall in Geneva.

His comprehensive discography (for ECM, Fono, Pantheon, EPU, Hänssler und Genuin) includes also the clarinet concertos by Nielsen, Debussy, Busoni, and Rossini and the CD "Clarinette à la carte" with works for clarinet and piano by French composers. In 1991 François Benda was awarded the Premio internazionale per le Arti dello Spettacolo in Rome. He is memebr of the ensemble "The Benda Musicians", the "Variazioni Ensemble" e the Weimar Soloists.

Clarinet professor at the Music University in Berlin and at the Hochschule für Musik der Stadt Basel, he is known as one of the best teachers of his instrument.

Urs Frauchiger was born in Emmental in 1936 and was cellist of the Berner Reis-Quartett for 20 years. He was director of the Conservatory and Music High School in Bern, general secretary of the European Music High Schools and director of the Swiss cultural foundation Pro Helvetia.

He is honorary professor of the Bern University. An important ambassador for music in different mass media, he is a jury member in international music competitions such as the Concours Internationale d’éxécution musicale in Geneva, the Credit SuisseYoung Artist Award, and also in Vienna and Lucerne.

Marcello Parolini was born in Milan, and received his diploma at the “G. Verdi” Conservatory of Milan in piano (with the highest marks) with L. Leonardi and in composition with S. Gorli and U. Rotondi. He is active above all as chamber musician in different formations, dedicating himself to the diffusion of contemporary music. He is conductor of the “Ensemble Traiettorie Sonore” in Como and has been invited to conduct the “Ensemble Musica XX”, the choir of the “Nuova Polifonica Ambrosiana” and collaborates with the “Coro Filarmonico” in Brescia and the “Coro Orlando di Lasso”.

He has played with the “Ensemble Nuove Sincronie” (with recordings for Radio France, BBC, RAI and discs for the Ricordi and Stradivarius labels), with the “Divertimento Ensemble”, the “Tactus Ensemble”, the “G. Cantelli Orchestra”, the “G. Verdi Orchstra” and the “Orchestra Milano Classica”. For over 10 years, he has been the piano accompanist of the famous harmonica player Willi Burger, with whom he has recorded for Eucled, Agorà e Curci.

He is winner of several competitions and has played for many festivals, foundations and associations in Italy and abroad. He conducted the “Atelier Musicale del XX secolo”, “Officina Musicale”, “Provincia Sonora”, “Merate Musica” and other ensembles.

Beside his vast teaching activity, he is director of the Scuola Civica di Musica in Cassano d’Adda.

Study at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover with Atila Aydintan.

Then College Conservatory with Dorothy Delay and Kurt Sassmannshaus.

Since 1987 member of the Hagen Quartett.

In 1989 he founds the „Ravinia Trio“.

Since 1988 professor at the„Mozarteum“ in Salzburg.

From 2002 to 2002 at the „Escuela superior Reina Sofia“ di Madrid.

Since October 2007 professor for violine and chamber music at the Musikakademie Basel.