Franco-Dutch violist Sào Soulez Larivière is quickly building himself a thriving career as a versatile musician. Captivating audiences with his playing and original programming, he endeavours to broaden the accessibility and understanding of classical music.He is the winner of the 2023 Prague Spring Competition, as well as a top prizewinner of the Tokyo Viola Competition '22, Oskar Nedbal Viola Competiton '20, Max Rostal Competition '19, Cecil Aronowitz Viola Competition '17 and Johannes Brahms Competition '17. He has also been featured at numerous renowned academies such as the Verbier Festival, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Ozawa Academy and IMS Prussia Cove.

Chamber music has always been at the heart of his musical upbringing, sharing his love for music with his sister, violinist Cosima Soulez Larivière, with whom he still frequently performs. Sào is a member of the Frielinghaus Ensemble, which released an acclaimed album in 2020, featuring sextets by Dvořák and Tchaikovsky. As a much sought after chamber musician, he has appeared at various festivals such as Festpiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Krzyzowa-Music Festival, and ‘Chamber Music Connects the World’ in Kronberg. 

An advocate for expanding the horizons of the viola repertoire, he enjoys arranging works for his instrument, as well as promoting contemporary music. Working with accomplished composers has offered him an unparalleled opportunity to delve deeper into the creative side of music. Notably, Sào received the prize for his interpretation of the commissioned work both at the Tokyo Viola Competition and the Max Rostal Competition.

Viola

Sào Soulez Larivière

"Martina Consonni is full of life and “Italianita,” her musicality is most engaging."

Praised for her innate musicality and overwhelming sensitivity combined with a remarkable instrumental technique and brilliance of sound, Martina Consonni has established herself as one of the most promising young pianists of her generation.She made her debut at the age of ten with the Bacau Philharmonic Orchestra, and has since then been in international demand as both soloist and chamber musician. 

She has performed in prestigious venues such as Konzerthaus and Philharmonie in Berlin, Wigmore Hall and Royal Albert Hall in London, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Teatro Cittadella in Lugano, Museo del Violino in Cremona, Debussy Museum in Paris, Sala Ateneu in Bacau, St. Stephen Church in New York, Parco della Musica in Rome, Auditorium Manzoni in Bologna, Forum Casals in Kronberg, Filharmonia Narodowa in Warsaw.She is a regular guest at international festivals including Rheingau Musik Festival, Kronberg Academy Festival, Heidelberger Klavierwoche, Debussy Festival Paris, MiTo Settembre Musica, Bologna Festival, Amiata Piano Festival, Gravedona Chamber Music Festival, Lerici Music Festival, Chamber Music Connects the World, Trame Sonore, Perugia Musica Classica, Società dei Concerti Milan, Musica con Le Ali.

Her love for chamber music, enriched by a strong natural aptitude, has led her to share the stage with great instrumentalists, including Steven Isserlis, Tabea Zimmermann, Enrico Dindo, Enrico Bronzi, Francesca Dego, Adrian Brendel, Francesco Dillon, Diyang Mei. 

Piano

Martina Consonni

Nominated by the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) jury, violist Sào Soulez Larivière joined us in concert in March 2024 as part of the Ambassador Programme. He was joined by fellow Ambassador Programme artist Martina Consonni.

Sào Soulez Larivière and Martina Consonni | R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Classeek Showroom performance, 27 March 2024

Sào Soulez Larivière and Martina Consonni | A. Pärt: Fratres

Fratres

Born in Bolzano, Italy, Sergio Azzolini studied at the Conservatorio Claudio Monteverdi in Bolzano, followed by the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover. He has recorded many chamber music and soloistic performances on EMI records, Naïve, Sony and Chandos. He also performs with his ensemble Il Proteo and is a member of Ma'alot Quintetts, Sabine Meyer Bläserensemble, Maurice Bourgue Trio and regularly appears as a soloist on authentic historical bassoons with ensembles L'Aura Soave Cremona, La Stravaganza Köln, Sonatori della Gioiosa Marca. He has been music professor at Hochschule in Stuttgart, and since 1998, is a professor of bassoon and chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel, as well as presenting masterclasses internationally.

Bassoon

Sergio Azzolini

In partnership with the Conservatoire de Lausanne, Classeek is proud to present this pre concert series, performed by students of the conservatoire.

Preconcert | Raphaël Bollengier, piano

Rondo in A minor, K. 511

Prelude in F minor after Bach Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, S. 179

in partnership with the Conservatoire de Lausanne

"Madelyn Kowalski is a truly individual musician, with an unusually enquiring mind, and the ability to express deeply felt emotions through her playing. She is also a unique person - a highly talented  visual artist as well as cellist; maybe that (partly) explains why her performances are so vivid!"

American cellist Madelyn Kowalski grew up in a creative family on a small island in the Pacific Northwest of Washington State, surrounded by woods, sea, mountains, animals, music, and art, which all contributed to the inspiration and imagination she searches for in her work.Madelyn began cello lessons at age seven with Mia Frederickson and Leslie Marckx. 

She made her concerto debut with the Cascade Symphony at age 14. In 2016, Madelyn moved to the UK to study with Alison Wells at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). She graduated with her bachelor’s in 2020 and completed her master’s in 2022.​

In January 2023 Madelyn was invited by Steven Isserlis to give a recital at the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, where her performance received the André Hoffmann prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work for the festival: Fuego Negro, by composer Diana Syrse. She is currently a 2023 Lamp Fellow in Nova Scotia where her recent chamber music collaborators have included Kim Kashkashian, Jane Coop, Anna Han, and Catherina Lee.

Cello

Madelyn Kowalski

Nominated by Steven Isserlis, cellist Madelyn Kowalski joined us in concert with pianist Anna Han in March 2024 as part of the Ambassador Programme.

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Fauré and Kaija Saariaho

Romance for Cello and Piano in A Major, Op. 69

Papillon, Op. 77

Sept Papillons (Papillon I, III, VI)

Classeek Showroom performance, 7 March 2024

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Saint-Saëns - Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in F Major, Op. 123

Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 2 in F Major, Op. 123

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Saint-Saëns - Romance, Op. 36

Romance, Op. 36

Madelyn Kowalski and Anna Han | Thomas Adès - Lieux retrouvés (I. Les eaux)

Lieux retrouvés (I. Les eaux)

Chopin, Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat Minor Op. 31

In partnership with the Conservatoire de Lausanne, Classeek is proud to present this pre-concert series, performed by students of the Conservatoire.

Preconcert Owen Xu-Shen - piano

Winner of our Ambassador Programme Open Application

"Clarissa has all the qualities necessary to make her mark on the music industry today. She is an incredibly well trained artist with a beautifully distinctive sound, who knows how to present herself in today’s ever changing musical landscape. We believe Clarissa has the right tools to reach international audiences and we are very much looking forward to working with her on the Classeek Ambassador Programme." 

Violinist Clarissa Bevilacqua is known to enchant audiences with her dazzling technical skills and deeply inspiring musicality. Music director and conductor Terry Lowry says she has that “rare star quality that is difficult to describe, but impossible to miss.” 

Clarissa debuted at the Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago in front of ten thousand people when she was nine years old. She has performed solo recitals and concerto engagements at venues throughout North America and Europe. Recent and upcoming soloist performances include the opening concert of the Mozartwoche 2023 with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the premier recording of the Augusta Read Thomas concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Cape Symphony, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, Orchestra della Toscana, Orchestra Filarmonica di Benevento, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, El Sistema Orchestra and the Salzburger Orchester Solisten. 

Winner of several international competitions, she was awarded First Prize, Audience Award and Special Bärenreiter Award at the International Mozart Competition Salzburg. She was also awarded the Grand Prize at the Cape Symphony International Violin Concerto Competition. She is a Young Artist of the Classically Connected Organization in New York, and an Affiliate Artist of the Guarneri Hall Program in Chicago. An avid and enthusiastic learner, Clarissa received her Bachelor of Music at age sixteen, graduating summa cum laude. In 2021, she completed her Master of Music in Violin Performance at the Mozarteum University Salzburg with Pierre Amoyal. She is currently studying with Antje Weithaas at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin.

Violin

Clarissa Bevilacqua

One of the winners of our Open Application 2023-24, violinist Clarissa Bevilacqua joined us in concert in January 2024 as part of the Ambassador Programme.

Clarissa Bevilacqua | Full Concert

Dream Catcher

Fiddle Dance Suite - 1. Sidestep Reel

Violin Sonata, Op. 31, No. 2 - IV. Fünf Variationen über das Lied “Komm, lieber Mai” v. Mozart

Recitativo and Scherzo, Op. 6

Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006

Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 27 “Jacques Thibaud”

Classeek Showroom performance, 25 January 2024

In partnership with the Conservatoire de Lausanne, Classeek is proud to present this pre-concert series, performed by students of the Conservatoire. 

Preconcert | Alexandre Resende - piano

Sonata in D minor K141

Rondo Capriccioso

in partnership with the Conservatoire de Lausanne 

"I have been aware of Dmitry Smirnov since his incredible performance of the Franck Martin Concerto at the ARD competition 2021. I was and am intrigued and touched by his exuberant artistic personality and a wonderful sound, so flexible and sensitive, no matter whether he is acting as a chamber musician or a soloist, restless and energetic."

Violinist Dmitry Smirnov is described as having an “exuberant artistic personality and wonderful sound, so flexible and sensitive”. Dmitry’s finesse and flexibility extend to a wide range of forms and genres, including solo, chamber, early, contemporary and everything in between. His early studies at the Rimsky-Korsakov Saint-Petersburg State Conservatory, Lausanne Institute of Advanced Musical Studies and Basel Music Academy, under mentors such as Elena Zaiceva, Pavel Vernikov and Rainer Schmidt, have led him to numerous successes in the industry. 

Dmitry’s engagements in season 2023-24 include performances of Max Reger’s Symphonic Rhapsody with conductor Jakub Przybycien and The Lucerne Collective, Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto with Delyana Lazarova and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and Tchaikovsky’s Concerto with Johannes Schlaefli and Collegium Musicum Basel. Dmitry is also a laureate of the Classeek Ambassador Programme this season, nominated by Sonia Simmenauer. 

He has established himself as a soloist in performances with the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra Saint-Petersbourg, Moscow Philharmonic State and Chamber Orchestra of Moscow, Lucerne Festival Strings, Sinfonieorchester Basel, Argovia Philharmonic and more. His international accolades include ​2nd prize at the 2021 ARD Musikwettbewerb competition, 3rd prize and best contemporary interpretation at the 2018  Concours International Long-Thibaud-Crespin, 1st prize and audience award at the 2015 Concours International de Violon Tibor Varga, amongst others. 

Pushing the boundaries of his artistry, Dmitry's latest disc release, with conductor Heinz Holliger and Kammerorchester Basel on Prospero Classical, delves into French Romantic repertoire, showcasing his unique interpretations of works by Lalo, Saint-Saëns and more, played on gut strings. In addition, his arrangements of folk music and Lied repertoire add a new dimension to this musical exploration.

In his debut solo album, Dmitry delves into the expressive colours of the violin and is praised for his ability “to dominate the extreme virtuosity of the writing with an astounding audacity and to captivate with the richness of a seemingly unlimited imagination” (Diapason, Avril 2021), offering a fresh perspective on works by Bach, Bartok, and Schneeberger. 

Drawing from human and political contexts, Dmitry's programming and projects are thoughtfully curated. His upcoming collaboration with FHR delves into solo violin works by Eugene Ysaÿe and sheds light on lesser-known composers of the 20th century, bringing their works into the spotlight. His work with esteemed groups such as Il Pomo D'oro and Il Giardino Armonico has inspired him to embark on innovative projects such as M.A.D, ‘Trio Infernale’, ‘Blattspiel Quartet’ and ‘Hypocantus’, showcasing his versatility and passion for exploration.

Dmitry Smirnov

Nominated by Sonia Simmenauer, violinist Dmitry Smirnov joined us in concert in November 2023 as part of the Ambassador Programme.

Dmitry Smirnov | Eugène Ysaÿe – Sonate à George Enescu (From op. 27 "Six sonata for violin")

Sonate à George Enescu (From op. 27 "Six sonata for violin")

Classeek Showroom performance, 2 November 2023

Dmitry Smirnov | Improvisation inspired by Angelo Poliziano (Lyra da Bracchio)

Nr. 11 Berceuse Nr. 2 "Sonntag, den 19. Juli 1910" (Hommage an Jeney)

Nr. 18 Träumend hing die Blume (Hommage an Schumann)

Dmitry Smirnov | György Kurtág – Kafka Fragmente, Op. 24 for soprano and violin

Kafka Fragments, Op. 24 for soprano and violin (Selected songs)

Dmitry Smirnov | Netty Simons – Circle of Attitudes for violin solo and dancer

Circle of Attitudes

Dmitry Smirnov | Eugène Ysaÿe – ‌Sonate à Joseph Szigeti "Six sonata for violin solo"

Sonate à Joseph Szigeti "Six sonata for violin solo"

Aïna Rodel | Max Bruch – Violin Concerto in G minor | Op 26

Violin Concerto in G minor | Op 26

In partnership with the Conservatoire de Lausanne

"Tomoki Park is a brilliant mind, intellectual in the best sense but full of emotions. He is very interested in new music and plays it with understanding and enthusiasm."

Korean pianist Tomoki Park was born in Yokohama, Japan and moved to England at age 11. He has performed worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician in venues including Philharmonie Berlin, Wigmore Hall, Suntory Hall and Opera City in Tokyo. A graduate of the Bard Conservatory, where he studied with Peter Serkin, Tomoki is currently receiving further instruction from Sir András Schiff, and is a student at the International Piano Academy Lake Como. 

He has appeared in festivals such as Marlboro, Tanglewood, and Kronberg, and has given performances in Geneva at Portrait Pierre Boulez, Salzburg Mozarteum, Bonn Beethoven-Haus, and Tongyeoung Concert Hall in Korea. With Peter Serkin and the Sacramento Philharmonic, he has performed J.S. Bach and Takemitsu Double Piano Concertos. In the upcoming season, he will be performing solo recitals across Europe as part of “Building Bridges”, a series curated by András Schiff, where he will be premiering a new work by Katherine Balch. 

Tomoki was a member of the Ensemble Modern Academy, Frankfurt (‘19-‘20). His rendition of Oliver Knussen's piano music was noted as “performed sensitively…and among the highlights” by the New York Times. Tomoki's musical education began at the Purcell School, where he studied piano with Tessa Nicholson and composition with Dai Fujikura, Haris Kittos, and Jonathan Cole. He continued his studies with Pascal Devoyon at the University of the Arts, in Berlin, where he is currently residing. 

Tomoki Park

Nominated by Sir András Schiff, pianist Tomoki Park joined us in concert in September 2023 as part of the Ambassador Programme. 

Tomoki Park | Schubert - Piano Sonata in C major, D  840 “Reliquie” I Moderato, II Andante

Piano Sonata in C major, D  840 “Reliquie” I Moderato, II Andante

Classeek Showroom performance, 14 September 2023

Nominated for the Ambassador Programme by Sir András Schiff, pianist Tomoki Park joined us in Aubonne in September 2023 where he made a special recording of Heinz Holiger's Lebenslinien, originally premiered in the same region of Switzerland and dedicated to György Kurtag on his 95th birthday. This piece holds a significant place in Swiss musical heritage. Among Holliger's notable piano works is his magnum opus 'Partita', a poignant tribute to Sir Schiff. Through this connection, Tomoki had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with Holliger on his 2020 work, Lebenslinien,  in Basel  just days before the memorable recording in Aubonne. The work takes listeners on a journey, mirroring the turbulent life of the renowned pianist Clara Haskil. The music intertwines with her geographical and emotional travels from Romania to Switzerland, creating a musical narrative that is both powerful and moving.

Tomoki Park | Heinz Holliger - Lebenslinien

Lebenslinien

Tomoki Park | J.S. Bach - Musical Offering: Canon per Tonos and Ricercar a 6 

Musical Offering: Canon per Tonos and Ricercar a 6 

Nominated by Sir András Schiff, Italian pianist Martina Consonni joined us in concert in September 2023 as part of the Ambassador Programme. 

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