ATTILA FÜZESSÉRY

Attila Füzesséry violinist, studied at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and received his diploma in 1997. For three years he was a member of the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, for two years he played in the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra. Between 2000 and 2007 he was concertmaster at the Pest County Symphony Orchestra. Presently he is violinist at the Dohnányi Orchestra Budafok, and also active as a soloist and chamber musician. He is a member of the HÍD ("Bridge") Chamber Ensemble, the Sárospatak String Quartet and Violinetta Duo. From 2004, he teaches violin at the international Crescendo Summer Institute in Sárospatak, Hungary. He is a member of the Hungarian Pedagogues Association (Magyar Pedagógiai Társaság) and the Hungarian Classical Music Society (Magyar Zeneművészeti Társaság). In 2009 as member of the Violinetta Duo, he received the award of the Artisjus Music Foundation for excellence in performance and propagation of Hungarian contemporary compositions. From 2010 he teaches violin and chamber music in Kroó György Music school, Budapest where he leads and conducts the Kroó György Youth Symphony Orchestra too. He has toured the world with these different formations, from all major European cities, Japan, China, Israel to Mexico. Nevertheless, his favourite place in the world is Scandinavia, where he can always escape from the Hungarian summer heat. During the Crescendo Summer Institute he leads small groups with his violist wife, Eszter Dudás, who is one the founders of the Institute. Just like many other CSI participants he also enjoys the beauties of Sárospatak, a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the Tokaj wine region’s exquisite wines. He firmly believes in raising up a future generation of musicians. This is the reason why he actively engages in the work of the Kroó György Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Crescendo Summer Institute where young, talented artists receive encouragement, specialist training and comprehensive assistance to start their career and live their life as people of faith.

BENGT ALMFJORD

Bengt Almfjord  born 1961 in the north of Sweden. Church musician and composer mostly of church music but also of music in folkmusic-style, jazz, rock and gospel. Educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm with teachers like Hans Fagius in organ and Håkan Sund in piano improvisation. Since 2000 church musician in Osby in the south of Sweden.
In my work as a church musician I try to find different musical languages to texts from the Bible. To combine music in church with art, dance, acting and scenography is also of great interest for me. This has led to a ”CHRISTMAS ORATORIO” (2001) for choir, soli, strings and organ, ”MARKUS-PASSION- the veil of the temple was torn in two” (2006) for choir, soli, folkmusicensemble and scenography, ”JONA”(2009) small oratorio for four singers, violin, cello and organ and a great fish!
 Believe that there is a great need for different creative expressions in the Christian church today. New technics in our churches inspire to use pictures, films and projections in church music-concerts and in services. I live in a rather small village in the south of Sweden with my dear wife, Ingrid who is a music teacher and singer. Our three children are also in music, dance and cartoon,  which is a great joy for us. 
I have taken part of CRESCENDO through some of the annual conferences in different cities and through the magazines and printed material. All has been a great inspiration. To meet other creative Christian people from different countries in a kind and friendly atmosphere has been wonderful. And the high quality of music, expression and also friendship has meant a lot to me.  
Website

CARLA LEURS

«…Endowed with a poetic musical palate, her playing is not only beautiful it is musically imaginative. She willingly considers all aspects of the music and is not afraid to form her own opinions and take musical risks. In addition she possesses an excellent technique that affords her the freedom to express to her audience exactly what is on her heart and mind…»
Itzhak Perlman

After winning the national edition of the Princess Christina Competition in 1993, Carla Leurs was invited to play Bruch's violin concerto the Netherlands Youth Orchestra. Her first orchestral debut at age 11 was together with violinist Janine Jansen in Vivaldi's concerto. Since then she has performed with orchestras throughout Europe, Russia, Asia and the US. Highlights include Shostakovich first Violin Concerto at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam with Maestro Vassily Sinaisky, Brahms Double Concerto with cellist Sol Gabetta, Paganini’s first Violin Concerto at the Meistersingerhalle in Nürnberg as well as on tour in the USA and Mozart's 4th Concerto with Maestro Carlos Kalmar at New York's Lincoln Center.She performed in the “Artist International Debut Series” in Carnegie Hall, as well as the “New Masters on Tour” Series in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tallinn, Estonia. She appears regularly at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Carla has performed at many of the world’s leading music festivals including Verbier (Switzerland), the Geneva Summer Festival, the Tibor Varga Festival, the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, the Sakharov Festival (Russia) as well as the first “Perlman Chamber Music Program” in New York. She played chamber music with well-known artists such as cellist Sol Gabetta, flautist Jacques Zoon, and principal players of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Netherlands Symphony. Carla was awarded both the First Prize and the coveted Audience Award at the Tibor Varga International Competition in Sion, Switzerland (2001), as well as the first prize at the International “Jean Francaix Competition” in Paris (2006). Other notable awards include prizes at “Isang Yun” Gyeongnam Competition in South Korea, Nuri Iyicil Competition in Turkey, The American String Teachers Competition, the Dutch National Violin Competition and the Juilliard Mozart Concerto Competition prize that culminated in her New York debut with the Juilliard Symphony. Carla is concertmaster of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. Before this she held leading positions with the Sinfonieorchester Basel in Switzerland, with Dennis Russel Davies as chief conductor, as well as the Radio Chamber Philharmonic under the direction of Jaap van Zweden. She appeared as guest concertmaster with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Les Solistes Européen, the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra as well as the Philharmonic Orchestra of Santiago de Chile, working with conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Yannick Nézet-Séguinand and Osmo Vänskä. Dutch virtuoso Carla de Kleuver-Leurs began her violin studies at the age of 6. One year later, she was invited to perform for the Queen of the Netherlands in a concert broadcasted on national televison. Ms. Leurs entered the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague at the age of 14 and furthered her musical education at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, as a student of Itzhak Perlman and Donald Weilerstein. In her free time Carla enjoys spending time with her son hiking through the dunes and horse riding together with her husband along the beaches. And of course hanging out with the many friends she made through Crescendo!  
Website

FRANZ MOHR

«"Franz Mohr is a teacher, an author, a lecturer, the worlds most respected Concert Technician. He is an institution, a living legend, an icon in the world of Steinway."»
(Frank Mazurko, vice president of Steinway & Sons)

Born in Duren, Germany, on September 27, 1927, Franz Mohr studied music at the Musikhochschule in Cologne and the Academy of Music in Detmold, Germany. He learned piano building in Europe beginning in 1950 in Cologne, Germany. In 1956 he became a concert technician for a Steinway dealer in Dusseldorf, Germany, which maintains a large concert service. Six years later he and his family moved to New York. 
He became a master piano technician and joined Steinway & Sons in New York City in 1962 as assistant to William Hupfer, the legendary chief concert technician, whom he succeeded in 1968.
He and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Lynbrook, New York. They have three children: a daughter, Ellen, and two sons - both being excellent piano technicians.  Franz Mohr retired as chief concert technician of Steinway & Sons in 1992.  Since then he is an active advisor and consultant to Steinway & Sons. He is also a well-known book author  and a brilliant speaker. Franz Mohr is  board member of Crescendo international.
The books by Franz Mohr are translated in many languages: German, Japanese, Chinese, Latvian, Swedish, Russian, etc. 

Crescendo has published several books and audio books: "My Life with the most Famous Pianists" (4 audio interview CDs & music). "Am Anschlag der grossen Pianisten" (Franz Mohr / Beat Rink), etc. 

GUNTARS PRANIS

Guntars Pranis is a musicologist, choir conductor and associate professor of Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music. He regularly gives talks on early music at numerous courses and conferences in Latvia and abroad.
He is also the Music Director of Riga Cathedral, where he leads the Cathedral choir and the vocal group “Laudate”. It was his idea and initiative to start the tradition of the Gregorian Music Week in Latvia and he has been its artistic leader since 1992.
Currently he writes his dissertation about "Medieval music tradition in Riga". Guntars Pranis is the National director and coordinator of Latvian Crescendo ministry which is very active in several cities of Latvia. Activities like Crescendo symphony orchestra, local prayer groups, Christian art forum and Family summer camps of musicians have been done over the years. He is also the founder and artistic director of the vocal group „Schola Cantorum Riga” (many CD's and concerts in Latvia and abroad). With the CD "Riga Mass"  the "Schola Cantorum  Riga" won in 2002 the Latvian Music Award.
He loves to walk with his dog in the forest :)

HELMA HALLER

Helma Haller  lives in Curitiba, the capital of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Her work is characterized by meticulous and refined interpretations, and complemented by extensive research about Brazilian concert and chamber music. She strives to promote this kind of music around the world, with workshops and by interpreting it with her groups.  She is also a performance coach for soloists and chamber groups and has received  invitations as guest conductor and lecturer for specific jobs. 
 Helma Haller is currently the Brazilian representative in the World Choir Council, and was one of the judges of  "2012 Xinghai Prize International Choir Championships, Guangzhou, China".  
Last March she performed at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, “Choral Music for Women’s Voices’” on the DCINY Concert Series in New York, USA, in celebration of International Women’s Day.
At the year 2000 she started her own musical group. The target was to become a center of excellence, a reference to the Brazilian world of choral singing. Collegium Cantorum’s profile emerged as a women's choir. The choir has been developing projects and proposals considered to be both original and sophisticated with its main focus as a permanent choral workshop. The CDs recorded with this group are: Echoes of Faith in the Brazilian Soul (2008), Brazilian Christmas (2010), Rodrigo Herrmann – Life and Works (2013) and Villa-Lobos Sacred Music (2014).
Director of the professional choir Camerata Antiqua de Curitiba until 2012, she participated in this group since 1980 as a singer, chorus master and artistic adviser in concerts, tours and about 12 records. In 1999, she conducted the world premiere of “Turris Ebúrnea”, for chorus and string orchestra, by Harry Crowl, during the Camerata’s Silver Jubilee.  Among the key initiatives under his direction are scenic concerts as "Colors of Brazil", "Fantasy" and "Brazilian Sacred Music".
She is also dedicated to the German Choral repertoire performed in the original language, whose lyrics she translate with great care to Portuguese. In 2011/2012 she performed Brahms’ "Ein deutsches Requiem".
Under her direction these groups have occupied relevant space in the national and international musical scene with performances in Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, Italy, United States and China. More of her published work can be found at www.cantorum.com.br  and http://choralguide.org/h/126-helma-haller
At 1999 she met Crescendo, and had an immediate identification with the goals and focus of the movement. To be part of it marked profoundly her life and work as a musician, She aims to proclaim her faith in Jesus Christ through her musical activity as a ministry. She is representative of Crescendo in Brazil.
Helma is married with Daniel over 40 years. They have 2 children and 3 grandchildren. Her greatest joy is gather her family who lives in different countries. She also likes to hike, swim, read books and have a good time with friends form all over the world.
 
  Facebook

IKE STURM

«...excellent work that melds jazz and the mass genre together.»
Oownbeat

Ike Sturm is  a bassist, composer and bandleader in New York. He serves as Music Director for the Jazz Ministry at Saint Peter's Church in Manhattan (the "Jazz Church"), celebrating a deep tradition of weekly jazz Services and memorializing visionaries such as Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk.  Raised in a musical home in Wisconsin, Ike learned from his father, gifted composer and arranger, Fred Sturm.  Ike has been fortunate to perform with Gene Bertoncini, Donny McCaslin, Bobby McFerrin, Ben Monder, Ingrid Jensen, Steve Lehman, Maria Schneider, Kenny Wheeler and many others.  Ike's Jazz Mass for sextet, choir and strings was named one of the best CDs of 2010 by Downbeat and has been performed in the U.S., Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.  Ike and his new band, "Evergreen," play regularly at Saint Peter's and are working on a new release for 2015.  Website

JAN KATZSCHKE

Jan Katzschke, born in 1972 in Neustadt am Rübenberge in Lower Saxony, absorbed central formative impulses during his student days in Hanover from his teachers Lajos Rovatkay (harpsichord) and Hans Christoph Becker-Foss (organ) and also from his work as a rehearsal assistant with Heinz Hennig’s Boys’ Choir, Hanover; private harpsichord lessons with Robert Hill followed later. After his first post as a cantor in the Ore Mountains in Saxony, 1995-97, he worked as a freelancer in Freiberg in Saxony and afterwards in the southern Black Forest. Since 2005, he has been cantor at the Deaconesses’ Church in Dresden, additionally taking over the cantorship of Freiberg Cathedral from 2007-2008.
In concerts and recordings as soloist and chamber musician on harpsichord, clavichord and organ and also as a conductor, Jan Katzschke has devoted himself to a wide musical spectrum from the Renaissance to the present day. The main focus of his work is a deepening involvement with the compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach. He attracted international attention with his much-praised CD recording of the harpsichord works of Matthias Weckmann (cpo), which received the distinction of the “German Disc Critics’ Prize”. But the music of today is also close to his heart, as is reflected in the number of works written for him by the Latvian composer Rihards Dubra (* 1964).
As cantor at the Deaconesses’ Church in Dresden, he is intensively dedicated to the cantata and oratorio compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach as part of regular church services. He teaches organ at the Church Music College in Dresden as well as in courses, and is also vice-president of the Gottfried Silbermann Association, Freiberg. Musicological articles by him have appeared in diverse publications.
A continual “life theme” for Jan Katzschke is his battling for a contemporary and, in particular, a spiritual understanding of the content and values of (music) culture in church and society, currently endangered, in his view, by an increasing commitment to a purely external effectiveness and “usability”. From 1998-2010, not least with this motivation, he was a part-time staff member with Crescendo.

JUDITH BUNK

Judith Bunk wurde in Freiberg (Deutschland) geboren und erhielt ihren ersten Unterricht im Alter von 8 Jahren bei ihrer Mutter, später bei Prof. Andrzej Mokry in Magdeburg und Prof. Jürgen Rost am Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere in Weimar. Von 2009 bis 2013 absolvierte sie ihr Diplomstudium an der Hochschule für Musik „Franz Liszt“ Weimar und schloss dieses mit Bestnote im Hauptfach ab. Seit 2013 ist Judith Masterstudentin mit Schwerpunkt Alte Musik in der Klasse von Prof. Stephan Schmidt an der Musikhochschule Basel.Sie ist Preisträgerin zahlreicher nationaler und internationaler Wettbewerbe, z.B. „Jugend musiziert“, „Internationaler Anna-Amalia-Gitarrenwettbewerb“, “Lions Bundesmusikpreis 2010“, 41. Internationalen Rundfunkwettbewerb “Concertino Praga” und „International Biennal Guitar Competition Kutna Hora 2011“. Außerdem ist sie mehrfache „EMCY Art for Music“ Preisträgerin. Im Jahr 2013 wurde sie Finalistin des „Deutschen Musikwettbewerbs“ und daraufhin als Stipendiatin in die „58. Bundesauswahl Konzerte Junger Künstler“ aufgenommen.
Judith konzertierte bereits in zahlreichen deutschen Städten sowie im europäischen Ausland, unter anderem innerhalb der Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele, der Europäischen Wochen Passau, dem „39. Jihoceský Festival” Tschechien, den Schlossfestspielen Sondershausen sowie bei „Young Stars Beethovenhaus Bonn“ und beim „Kurt Weill Fest Dessau“. Sie trat als Solistin mit dem Radiosinfonieorchester Prag, der Mittelsächsischen Philharmonie, der Landeskapelle Eisenach und der Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Suhl auf.
Neben ihrer solistischen Tätigkeit ist Judith auch kammermusikalisch sehr aktiv. Sie ist Mitbegründerin des Rahanas Quartetts, wurde für die EMCY Chamber Music Tour “Stars of Tomorrow 2008” ausgewählt und konzertierte 2014/15 mit den Duos „JuVa Nueva“ und „Guitarimba“ im Rahmen der „Bundesauswahl Konzerte Junger Künstler“ sehr erfolgreich in zahlreichen Städten Deutschlands.
Sie ist Stipendiatin des Deutschlandstipendiums, der Deutschen Stiftung Musikleben, der „Hans und Eugenia Jütting-Stiftung“, der Schweizer Thyll Stiftung sowie der Yehudi Menuhin-Stiftung "Live Music Now".
Judith spielt eine Gitarre der deutschen Gitarrenbaumeisterin Angela Waltner (2013).
HOMEPAGE

JUDITH ERMERT

«Judith Ermert excites... With a distinctive voice and an original mind. The listener is spellbound from the very first note . . . a tone that is powerful but never forced. (Süddeutsche Zeitung)»

Currently living in Belgium, Judith Ermert’s talent was discovered at a young age in her native Germany and her natural abilities were supported by numerous musical foundations and scholarships. Judith Ermert attended the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany, receiving instruction from Young-Chang Cho and Christoph Richter. After graduation she took part in the post-graduate program at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, studying with Ralph Kirshbaum. She followed masterclasses and private lessons with Siegfried Palm. At age 26, Judith Ermert was appointed solo cellist at the Brussels Philharmonic. She further went on to complete her studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. A year later Judith Ermert became professor at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent. She also gives masterclasses throughout the world and is a founding member and vice president of the European String Teachers Association (ESTA) in Flanders, Belgium. Judith Ermert is artistic director of a concert series organised by the Belgian association Arteval. She performs internationally as a soloist and as a chamber musician, has a regular Duo partnership with pianist Severin von Eckardstein and has close ties with a number of broadcasters. Far from one to be typecast her interests extend to modern music as well. Together with the Belgian pianist Daan Vandewalle, a specialist in avant- garde music, she made a recording of Hindemith's music for cello and piano, which will be released by Fuga Libera in autumn 2013. Other highlights of the upcoming season include solo performances with Wroclaw Chamber Orchestra Leopoldinum ( Haydn) and Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha ( Schumann). Judith Ermert plays a modern cello made by Andrew Finnigan and Pia Klaembt, Bremen. Website

JULIUS BERGER

«Audible intakes of breath are sometimes intrusive, but Berger remains an effective communicator»
(Janet Banks)

Born in Augsburg in 1954, Julius Berger studied at the Musikhochschule of Munich, Germany under Walter Reichardt and Fritz Kiskalt. Later, he studied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria under Antonio Janigro (who´s assistant he became from 1979 to 1982) and at the University of Cincinnati, USA under Zara Nelsova and on the occasion of a master-course under Mstislav Rostropovic. With 28 years Julius Berger was appointed to the Musikhochschule Wuerzburg and was one of the youngest professors in Germany. Starting in Wuerzburg, later in Saarbruecken and Mainz, and since 2000 in Augsburg, he took efforts to promote the top new talents in his subject. Since 1992 he leads a class at the international summer academy at the Mozarteum Salzburg. Julius Berger devotes a big part of international concert- and recording-works to the rediscovery of Luigi Boccherini´s complete works, the performance and CD-edition of the works für Violoncello and pianoforte by Paul Hindemith, the works of Ernst Bloch, Max Bruch, Richard Strauss, Robert Schumann and Edward Elgar. Julius Berger is known for his big commitment of contemporary compositions. He published remarkable CD´s, that are known all over the world, featuring the works of John Cage, Toshio Hosokawa and Sofia Gubaidulina. Tours and concerts have brought him together - in music and in friendship - with people like Leonard Bernstein, Eugen Jochum, Gidon Kremer, Paul Roczek, Margarita Hoehenrieder, Siegfried Mauser, Joerg Demus, Norman Shetler, Pierre Laurent Aimard, Stefan Hussong, Olivier Messiaen, Sofia Gubaidulina and Wolfgang Rihm. Moreover, Julius Berger works as art director of "International Instrumental Competition Markneukirchen." and the "Asiago-Festival" in Italy. He led the international Leopold Mozart-competition in Augsburg as president. For the "Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes", Berger became trusted tutor several years ago. He is also a member of the permanent musical selecting commission. Working as a juror for some years, Julius Berger got to visit the competitions in Salzburg (Mozart), Kronberg (Casals), Markneukirchen, Munich, Warsaw and many more. Since 1989 Julius Berger is member of the musical faculty of the Guardini-foundation in Berlin, since 1997 elected member of the central commitee of German catholics. Julius Berger plays on a precious Old Italien instrument by Giovanni Battista Rogeri from 1723.  Website

KAREN GIBBARD

Karen is a professional oboist, specialising in performance on historical oboes from the baroque, classical and romantic periods of music. This has included engagements with the Brighton Early Music Festival, Dunedin Consort & Players, Gabrieli Consort & Players, London Handel Festival, Ludus Baroque, New London Consort, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Oxford Baroque, Parley of Instruments and The Hanover Band. She finds it a particular joy to play sacred baroque music in various churches and cathedrals across Europe. Karen was a member of the European Union Baroque Orchestra (EUBO) in 2012, a participant on the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Experience scheme (funded by Ann and Peter Law) in 2010, and she regularly performed on classical and romantic oboes with the Jeune Orchestre Atlantique 2008-2010. On modern oboe Karen carried out a rare solo performance of Gordon Jacob's second oboe concerto, as well as playing with the All Souls Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall and the Orchestra of the Teatro Olimpico of Vicenza at the New York Carnegie Hall. Karen received a Masters in early music from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland (2013). This included intensive principal study coaching on baroque and classical oboe with Katharina Arfken. Prior to this Karen studied baroque oboe with Katharina Spreckelsen and Gail Hennessy in London, after graduating with an MMus Distinction in Oboe Performance – Orchestral Training from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (2008), generously funded by the HR Taylor Charitable Trust and the Mercers' Company. Karen was initially introduced to baroque oboe at the University of Leeds, where she focused on oboe performance and attained her first-class BMus (Hons) in 2007.  Website

KARI TIKKA

Kari Tikka is a Finish conductor and composer. He holds diplomas in the oboe and orchestra conducting from the Sibelius Academy, and has pursued further studies abroad. He was engaged as a conductor at the Finnish National Opera from 1970 to 1972, and again from 1979. He has appeared as a guest conductor in several countries, and has been conductor of the Finnish National Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Opera of Stockholm and the Vivo Symphony Orchestra. Kari Tikka's extensive repertoire includes premieres of Finnish works for the stage such as the opera Elina by Jukka Linkola and the church opera Laurentius by Herman Rechberger, premiered in 1994. 
Kari Tikka as composer: "Pieces of Hope and Love",  little church opera (1981),  opera "Frieda" (1995), opera "Luther" (2000), opera "Judit" (2012), orchestral and chamber music and more than one hundred songs for solo voice or for choir. The song "Armolaulu" ("Song of Mercy") has been translated in many languages.
Website

KISMARA PESSATTI

Kismara Pessatti is a Brazilian singer, with a real warm contralto voice. Her first solo was in the church, when she was 3 years old. 
Born in Brazil the contralto Kismara Pessatti studied acting and singing in her hometown Curitiba. In Berlin she finished her studies at the Academy of Music "Hanns Eisler" with Prof. Norma Sharp and Julia Varady. This was followed by master classes with Alberto Zedda, Thomas Hampson and Francisco Araiza. From 2003-2005 she was a member of the international Opera studio in Zurich, after that she was engaged as ensemble member from 2005 to 2008. Kismara Pessatti also had engagements at: Gran Teatro La Fenice as 1. Magd in ELEKTRA, as Annina in DER ROSENKAVALIER and in TRAVIATA at Bunkamura Orchard Hall Tokyo conducted by Franz Welser-Möst; XIII. Amazonas Opera Festival in Manaus in Brazil as Genevieve in PELLEAS ET MELISANDE and as Anna in LES TROYENS by Berlioz, at Konzerthaus Berlin, Contralto part in BEETHOVEN'S 9TH SYMPHONY, at Royal Festival Hall in London in a concert performance as Annina in DER ROSENKAVALIER and as Nutrice in L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA.
She has performed with famous musicians and conductors as Helmuth Rilling, Nicolau de Figueiredo, Ralf Weikert, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Franz Welser-Möst, Christoph von Dohnányi, Patrick Fournillier, Nello Santi, Ingo Metzmacher, Thomas Adès, Laurent Campellone, Bertrand de Billy,Vladimir Jurowksi, Marek Janowski, Rolf Beck, Markus Stenz and Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
She sang the title role in ORFEO under Nicolau de Figueiredo, and Geneviève in PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE at the Theatro Municipal in São Paulo. After that her projects on concert stages included Rossini’s STABAT MATER conducted by Rolf Beck at the Schleswig Holstein Music Festival in Germany and Neris in MÉDÉE by Cherubini at the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro, Walküre at the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona. In the concertante performance and live cd recording of Wagner’s RING with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marek Janowski she sang Flosshilde and Schwertleite, as well as Hartmann’s SYMPHONY NR.1 under the baton of Markus Stenz.
Zurich Opera House had engaged her for a new production by Andreas Homoki as Aksinja in LADY MACBETH OF THE MTSENSK DISTRICT, as well as for the Contralto Solo in the WAGNER PROJECT by Hans Neuenfels. When she was ensemble member at this Operahouse, she sang under Harnoncourt as Nutrice in Monteverdi's L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA.
In addition to her big success on the opera stage the Brazilian Contralto is a concert singer in great demand. She gave her debut in summer 2012 with de Falla’s EL AMOR BRUJO at Concertgebouw Amsterdam. Before that Kismara Pessatti sang Mahler`s SYMPHONY No. VIII under Lorin Maazel and is regularly engaged by Helmuth Rilling for the International Bach Academy. Concerts with him include J.S. Bach's MASS IN B MINOR in Caracas, ST. JOHN PASSION in Moscow, CHRISTMAS ORATORIO at Liederhalle Stuttgart, Honegger's JEANNE D'ARC AU BUCHER in Caracas, Handel's MESSIAH in Essen, and REQUIEM by W.A. Mozart in Baden Baden in the award of the Karajan Music Prize to Helmuth Rilling. In January 2012 she sang with him ELIJAH by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdi in Milan. In Bogotá she performed the Mahler‘s 2nd and 8th Symphony by Mahler under L. Shambadal (2010) and E. Diemecke (2012).
She lives in Zürich, Switzerland.
Website

KOSTIS PAPAZOGLOU

Kostis Papazoglou is a graduate of the State Conservatory of Thessaloniki, where he studied the transverse flute (in the class of I. Makovey) and harmony. He then continued his studies in the University of Music of Vienna (Universitaet für Musik Wien), where he studied the flauto dolce and conducting and he graduated with honours. His teachers in the flauto dolce were E. Schäftlein, R. Hofstötter, H. M. Khneins T. Kock, (seminars with Walter van Hauwe) and in conducting H. Reiter, A. Glassner and J. Prinz. He also took courses in the Department of Music Teaching of the University. Kostis Papazoglou has given concerts all over Greece and in other countries. He has appeared as a soloist with the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, the Thessaloniki Municipal Symphony Orchestra and with . In 1979, he set up the band Paroikoi, which has released five records. He has appeared on Greek radio and television and he participated, playing the flute, on recordings published by labels such as Seirios, Warner, Minos - EMI and others. For some years now, Kostis Papazoglou has been Director of the Department of Early Music of the New Conservatory in Thessaloniki, where was very active as a teacher and in organizing international seminars. Since June 2001 is artistic director of the Symphony Orchestra and Choir of the Municipality of Kalamaria. In 1994, Kostis Papazoglou founded and directed the Days of Music in the Municipality of Arnaia, and now is the artistic director of festival "Aristoteleia". He is also the founder of the early music ensemble Concerto ellenico and the chamber orchestra Concerto Conservatorio.
Since 1995, he founded - and conducts - the choir of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, which specializes in conserving the Jewish tradition of Thessaloniki (Sephardic melodies, religious songs etc.) In 1996, Kostis Papazoglou founded the choir of the Evangelical Community of Thessaloniki "en choro" with which he is interested in exploring and presenting religious works from the Baroque era and works of Greek modern composers. He is also the co-founder of the CODEX ensemble, which specializes in medieval and Byzantine music and has recorded a CD with the choir of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, titled "en la mar ay una torre" EMI. The Codex ensemble appeared at Athens festival 2007, in APOKOPOS theatrical play, and they toured in Greece the following years. He was assigned to organise and conduct the Children' s Choir of the Friends of Music in Megaron Thessaloniki the years 2008 -2012 interpreting H. Schuetz "Historia der Geburt Jesu Christi" with K. Paliatsaras and the baroque orchestra Concerto ellenico , M.Haydn "Saint Johannes" and B.Britten 's "Friday afternoons" among modern greek and international repertory.  
Facebook

LAUREN FRANKLIN-STEINMETZ

Cellist Lauren Franklin-Steinmetz has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States and Russia, Bulgaria, Sweden, Moldova, Germany, the United Kingdom, Romania, Denmark, Hungary and Belgium. A native of Jacksonville, Florida, she began studying piano at the age of 2 and cello at the age of 9, making her solo debut as a cellist at the age of 16. She received her undergraduate degree from Mannes College of Music in New York, where she was the winner of the Mannes Dean's Award. She holds a masters degree from Manhattan School of Music, where she was a winner in the Lillian Fuchs Memorial Chamber Music Competition. Her principal teachers include the late David Soyer and Marcy Rosen. Ms. Franklin-Steinmetz did additional studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and was a US Fulbright Scholar to Belgium. An committed proponent of New Music, Ms. Franklin-Steinmetz was involved in the New York premieres of works by composers such as Bright Sheng and Jennifer Higdon, and was the former cellist of the Eppes String Quartet, a quartet founded by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Taaffee Zwilich for the purpose of promoting new string quartet literature. She also has a keen interest in Third Stream and improvised music, and plays with some of Germany's most exciting jazz musicians on a regular basis. Ms. Franklin-Steinmetz is a devoted pedagogue and has been teaching privately since 1999, and has given masterclasses and coached chamber music in the USA, Russia, Moldova, Germany, and at the Crescendo Summer Institute of the Arts in Sárospatak, Hungary. Ms. Franklin-Steinmetz now makes her home in Berlin with her husband, saxophonist and composer Uwe Steinmetz, and their infant son. When not making music, she spends most of her time enthusiastically creating in the kitchen, reading, walking and biking around Berlin, spending time with friends, and attempting to improve her German.   Website

LEENA LIIMATAINEN

96 800x600 Normal 0 21 false false false DE X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";}  
Leena Liimatainen, soprano
The Finnish soprano, Leena Liimatainen trained at the Sibelius-Academy in Finland with Seppo Ruohonen receiving her vocal diploma in 2002.  Since then she has studied voice with Irina Gavrilovici and Anna Karlsson.  Leena received second prize at the Kangasniemi Vocal Competition in Finland in 1998.
Leena has performed several solo roles at the Finnish National Opera such as Maddalena (Rossini: Viaggio a Reims),  Clotilde (Bellini: Norma), Flower Girl  (Wagner: Parsifal), Marianne Leitmetzerin (Strauss: der Rosenkavalier), Frasquita (Bizet: Carmen), Vera Zukovskaja (Rautavaara: Rasputin). She has been engaged also in regional opera productions as Oscar (Verdi: Ballo in Maschera), First Lady (Mozart: Magic Flute) and Frasquita and has performed  in many concerts as a soloist for oratorios and passions including J.S. Bach’s St. Matthew and St. John passions, Händel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem.
Leena Liimatainen sang recently her very succesfull debut of Fiordiligi (Mozart: Cosi fan tutte) at the FNO. Other upcoming roles during the current (2006-2007) season include Maddalena (Rossini: Viaggio a Reims), the voice (Pucciini: La Rondine), and  Tiina (Sallinen: the Red Line).
 

LETIZIA WALSER

Letizia Walser, born and raised in Terni (Italy), studied piano at Terni Conservatory and, in parallel, musicology at «La Sapienza» University in Rome. In 2001 she passed with distinction in post-diploma music pedagogics studies at Zurich Music College.
Since 2000, Letizia Walser has worked as a piano teacher and, since August 2003, has shared the directorship of the Music School in Binningen-Bottmingen with Mareike Wormsbächer. In 2006 she finished an in-service course in Herzka music school management and, from 2009 to 2011, studied culture management at Basel University, in which she obtained a Master of Advanced Studies in Art Management. In January 2014, the delegates of the Swiss Cantons unanimously elected Letizia Walser to take charge of Public Affairs for the Swiss Music School Federation.
She is married to the architect Bruno Walser and is mother of a twelve-year-old son.
Her first encounter with Crescendo dates from 1997, thanks to an interview with Franz Mohr, Steinway’s chief piano technician for Vladimir Horowitz, who invited her to a Creative Church service in St. Paul’s Church in Basel. Since then, she has enjoyed close and friendly contacts with the Crescendo team in Basel.

MALIN HARTELIUS

Swedish soprano Malin Hartelius studied in Vienna under Margarethe Bence and started her career as a member of the Vienna State Opera from 1989 to 1991. She belonged to the ensemble of the Zurich Opera House from 1991/92 till 2012 appearing in all Mozart roles and, among many others, as Sophie (DER ROSENKAVALIER), Estrella (ALFONSO UND ESTRELLA), Adina (L’ELISIR D’AMORE), Leïla (LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES), Eudoxie (LA JUIVE), Pamina (DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE), Fiordiligi (COSÌ FAN TUTTE), Contessa Almaviva (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO), Donna Elvira (DON GIOVANNI) as well as Tatjana (EUGEN ONEGIN). 
!In July 2011, after the first night of IL RE PASTORE in Zurich, she was celebrated as one of the best Mozart singers of our time. She had her international breakthrough with a highly praised performance as Adina/L’ELISIR D’AMORE at the Frankfurt Opera and with an overwhelming success as Blondchen, conducted by Marc Minkowski, at the Salzburg Festival. Her Zurich debuts as Contessa and Fiordiligi were internationally praised as well as her performance in Harnoncourt’s production of Schubert’s rarely performed opera ALFONSO UND ESTRELLA, also in Zurich. She was invited to perform at the opera houses of Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Hamburg and Munich as well as at the festivals of Ludwigsburg, Schwetzingen and Aix-en-Provence. In 1992, she had her debut at Salzburg Festival where she has since then succeeded in roles like Dircé (Cherubinis’s MÉDÉE), Adele, Rosina/LA FINTA SIMPLICE and recently in von Winters DAS LABYRINTH (Pamina) and as Fiordiligi. Recent highlights include also her debut as Leila/LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES in Zurich, her highly appraised return to the Wiener Staatsoper as Elvira/DON GIOVANNI under the baton of Franz Welser-Möst and as Contessa/LE NOZZE DI FIGARO. In Cleveland, she performed in scenic productions of all three Da Ponte operas also under Franz Welser-Möst and in Zurich, she was highly acclaimed in a Handel-Pasticcio called SALE, in RINALDO and as Fiordiligi for the opera Zurich in Winterthur.
 Malin Hartelius is also sought-after as a concert singer. She works with leading conductors as Ivor Bolton, Riccardo Chailly, William Christie, Adam Fischer, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Martin Haselböck, Mariss Jansons, Philippe Jordan and Franz Welser-Möst as well as with famous orchestras like Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Accademia Santa Cecilia, Philharmonia Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra. In 1993, she gave her first recital at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. 
Recent highlights at the concert stage included the solo in Mahler‘s SYMPHONY NO. IV. and Handel‘s MESSIAH at the Salzburg Festival, Brahms‘ EIN DEUTSCHES REQUIEM, Mozart‘s C- MOLL-MESSE and Haydn‘s JAHRESZEITEN with the Cleveland Orchestra under Welser-Möst, Haydn’s SCHÖPFUNG under Adam Fischer as well as Beethoven’s SYMPHONY NO. IX. under Chailly. She made her highly acclaimed debut as Vitellia/LA CLEMENZA DI TITO in concert during a tour of Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie under Langrée who invited her also to perform Mozart‘s REQUIEM in Salzburg where she also sang under Bolton at the Mozartwoche. In Vienna, she recently performed arias of Mozart under Haselböck. 
Highlights of the season 2013/14 include a revival of SALE in Zurich, Donna Elvira at Wiener Staatsoper, Rosalinde in J. Strauss’ FLEDERMAUS under Mehta and her debut as Donna Anna in Palermo. She will sing Euridice in Gluck‘s ORFEO ED EURIDICE in concerts Equilbey in France and Vitellia, both Mozart and Gluck, under Langrée at Mozartwoche Salzburg. Other concert performances comprise, Schubert‘s ES-DUR MESSE with Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Welser-Möst in Munich, with Orozco Estrada and Vachua, Mahler’s SYMPHONY NO. II at Wiener Musikverein and Rai Torino. She will return with recitals to Sweden and Switzerland. 
Many recordings document the artist’s performances and repertoire: DVDs are available of the acclaimed productions of Monteverdi‘s IL RITORNO D’ULISSE IN PATRIA (Harnoncourt), DER ROSENKAVALIER, HÄNSEL UND GRETEL, COSÌ FAN TUTTE, DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE and LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (Welser-Möst) and DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL (among others K. M. Brandauer) from the Zurich Opera and of IDOMENEO (Norrington, Camerata Salzburg) and LA FINTA SEMPLICE (Hofstetter, Camerata Salzburg) from the Salzburg Festival. Also, she can be heard on recordings of Mozart's IL SOGNO DI SCIPIONE with Freiburger Barockorchester and of
several Bach‘s Cantatas (Gardiner, Monteverdi Choir), Mozart’s C-MINOR MASS (Bolton, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg) and Haydn’s HARMONIENMESSE (Jansons, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir) and many others.
!In January 2010, Malin Hartelius was honored by the Swedish King in Stockholm with the award of the Order “Litteris et Artibus”.
2013/14
 

MARCEL S. ZWITSER

Dr. Marcel S. Zwitser is a musicologist, music theorian, and a music journalist for the Nederlands Dagblad. He got his PhD in 2012 with an interdisciplinarian research in musicology and systematic theology on the Lutheran pneumatology and its influence on Johann Sebastian Bach. He holds a position as a professor Music and Culture History at the Schumann Akademie (Zwolle, NL) and instructs the course Christian Scripture, Doctrine and Interpretation at the University College Roosevelt (the International Honors College of Utrecht University) in Middelburg (NL).
At the moment, he is involved with the publication of the facsimile of Bach’s personal Bible (www.bachbijbel.nl).
 
He is very keen on Russian music and literature and has a soft spot in his heart for the music of the Viennese Strauss dynasty.
  
Publications:  
Göttliche Liebes=Flamme. De lutherse leer van de Heilige Geest en haar invloed op Johann Sebastian Bach [Divine Flame of Love. The Lutheran Doctrine of the Holy Spirit and Its Influence on Johann Sebastian Bach]. PhD dissertation, 2012. (in Dutch; upgraded English edition forthcoming).
  Facebook

MARIE-ELISABETH HECKER

Cellist Marie-Elisabeth Hecker made her international breakthrough with her sensational success at the 8th Rostropovich Competition in Paris in November 2005, where she became the first contestant in the event's history to win both first prize and two special prizes. Since then Hecker has become one of the most sought-after soloists and chamber musicians of the younger generation, recognised for her deep intensity of expression and natural affinity for the cello, with Die Zeit describing her playing as "heartbreakingly sad and instinctively beautiful". 
Born in 1987 in Robert Schumann's hometown of Zwickau, Hecker developed a passion for music early on in her life and began learning the cello at the age of five, with the distinguished German cellist Peter Bruns becoming her principal teacher. She continued her studies with Heinrich Schiff and subsequently took part in masterclasses with eminent figures such as Anner
Bylsma, Frans Helmerson, Bernard Greenhouse, Gary Hoffman and Steven Isserlis. Early recognition came when she won Germany's important "Jugend musiziert" competition at the age of twelve, followed by the special prize at the 2001 Dotzauer Competition and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award in 2009.
Among the highlights of her career to date are performances with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Deutsches Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Filarmonica della Scala, Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, Dresden Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Mariinsky Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, NDR Radiophilharmonie Hannover, annover, Hannover, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre National de Belgique, Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Flemish Philharmonic, Spanish National Orchestra, Staatskapelle Berlin and Vienna Symphony Orchestra, partnering conductors such as Marc Albrecht, Barenboim, Gergiev, Gullberg Jensen, Harding, Hengelbrock, Herreweghe, Janowski, Kreizberg, Krivine, Luisi, Nagano, Saraste, Solyom, Thielemann, Venzago and von Dohnányi. In addition, she has appeared in recitals in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Florence, London (Wigmore Hall), Lucerne, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York (Carnegie Hall), Paris, Vancouver and Verbier.
This season, Marie-Elisabeth Hecker makes her Schubertiade recital debut as well as her debut with the Staatskapelle Weimar and Stefan Solyom, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine with Sascha Goetzel, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin with Marek Janowski, HR Frankfurt Radio Symphony with Jeremie Rhorer, Orchestre des Champs Elysées with Philippe Herreweghe, Münchener Kammerorchester with Alexander Liebreich, Orchestre de L'Opera National Paris with Philippe Jordan, Berner Sinfonieorchester with Josep Pons and returns to the Mariinsky Orchestra with Valery Gergiev. In chamber music concerts she appears with her husband Martin Helmchen, Veronika Eberle and Antoine Tamestit in Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris.
In co-operation with Music Road Rwanda Marie-Elisabeth Hecker regularly travels to Rwanda in order to support a local music school with concerts and educational projects.  
 Marie-Elisabeth Hecker plays on a Luigi Bajoni cello of 1864.Marie-Elizabeth Hecker - besides being founder and  co-leader of "Music Road Rwanda" - is closely connected with Crescendo; together with her husband Martin Helmchen she is a regular  faculty member of the "Crescendo Summer Institute".


Webseite

MARINI PEIKIDOU

Marini Peikidou studied early music at Vienna’s Konservatorium (medieval and renaissance fiddle with Th. Wimmer and baroque violin and viola with Mag. Ulli Engel.). She has attended the Attersee Barock Akademie in Austria and the 30th. Internationale Sommerakademie for early music in Innsbruck, where she was tutored by specialists like Rachel Podger, Nigel North, Gunar Letzbor, Sonnleiter. In 2002 she attended the European Union Baroque Orchestra Audition Course in the Netherlands, where Roy Goodman directed the orchestra sessions. She was a member of the Οrchestra of Fine Instruments of Ancient and Byzantine Repertory, directed by Christodoulos Halaris. She has also played with the Orchestra of State Opera, the Volos Symphony Orchestra, the State Υouth Symphony Orchestra, the Kalamaria Υouth Symphony Orchestra and the ensemble Concerto Conservatorio, which represented Greece at the Biennial of Young Artists in Sarajevo. She is a member of the Codex ensemble, specializing in medieval music, recorded a CD with the choir of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki, directed by Kostis Papazoglou, titled “en la mar ay una torre” EMI. The Codex ensemble also appeared at Athens festival 2007, in APOKOPOS theatrical play, and they toured in Greece the following years. Playing the baroque viola with the baroque orchestra “Concerto ellenico” performed in Megaron Thessaloniki and elsewhere in Greece. “Concerto string quartet” is another of her activities. She graduated on the modern viola having Lütz Khüne and Paris Anastasiades as tutors. Marini teaches violin and viola in Music Schools and Conservatories in Greece. As a volunteer she organizes and teaches the “Youth Orchestra Thessaloniki” focusing in religious music. Facebook

MARTIN HELMCHEN

«“Rarely do a soloist and orchestra seem to think and breathe as completely in tandem as they did here” The Berkshire Eagle»

With his highly virtuosic yet unpretentious style, pianist Martin Helmchen continues to make his impression on the international music scene including recent impressive debuts with Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert Blomstedt, Vienna Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev, London Philharmonic with Vladimir Jurowski and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons. In the USA he made his concerto debut as soloist with Christoph von Dohnányi at the 2011 Tanglewood Festival with Boston Symphony. In the 2012/13 Martin Helmchen is soloist both with The Philharmonia, London and Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under the baton of Christoph von Dohnányi. He also performs with the Orchestre National de Lyon with Antoni Wit, the Orchestre National de France with Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Berlin with Marek Janowski and makes his debut with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and John Storgårds. He collaborates again with Andris Nelsons on a tour in Germany with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and joins Viviane Hagner and Marie-Elizabeth Hecker on tour in Spain with the Munich Chamber Orchestra. Returning to the USA he makes his debut with the Houston Symphony under the baton of Hans Graf. In recital two important venues are added to a busy schedule including Berlin’s Philharmonie, San Francisco’s SF Performances series. With a passion for chamber music largely ignited in early collaborations with the late cellist Boris Pergamenschikow Martin Helmchen performs throughout Europe during 2012/13 with his wife and cellist Marie-Elizabeth Hecker and joining with Veronica Eberle and Antoine Tomastit they perform in Berlin, Amsterdam and Paris. The 2011/12 has seen Martin Helmchen as Artist in Residence with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and David Zinman. He has also performed with NDR Hamburg and Semyon Bychkov, the Deutsche Symphonie Orchester Berlin and David Afkham, with The Philharmonia and Diego Matheuz, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra collaborating again with Vladimir Jurowski. An exclusive PentaTone artist since 2007, Helmchen has recorded discs of Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Dvorak concerti. His first solo recording of Schubert works won an ECHO Award in 2009 and a disc of Schubert duos with Julia Fischer has won no less acclaim. In 2012/13 he records his second Mozart concerti disc returning to collaborate with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra led by Gordan Nikolic. Studying in Berlin with Galina Iwanzowa, Martin Helmchen continues studies with Arie Vardie at the Hochschule für Musik, Hannover and with William Grant Naboré from the „Klavierakademie Comer See“. An early impact on his career was winning the „2001 Clara Haskil Competition”. He was a Fellow of the Borletti-Buitoni-Trust in 2005 and the “Credit Suisse Young Artist” in 2006 culminating with his debut with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under Valery Gergiev at the Lucerne Festival. Between 2005 and 2007 Martin Helmchen was a soloist on the “BBC New Generation Artists” scheme.  
Martin Helmchen is together with his wife Marie-Elizabeth Hecker  on the faculty of the "Crescendo Summer Institute" and  leading in cooperation with Crescendo the project "Music Road Rwanda" (www.music-road-rwanda.de)

Website

MASAAKI SUZUKI

Masaaki Suzuki has founded in 1990 the Bach Collegium Japan in 1990. Since then he has established himself as a leading authority on the works of Bach. He has remained the Music Director oft he Bach Collegium ever since, taking them regularly to major venues and festivals in Europe and the USA and building up an outstanding reputation for the expressive refinement and truth of his performances.
In addition to working with renowned period ensembles, such as Collegium Vocale Gent and Philharmonia Baroque, he is invited to conduct modern instrument orchestras in repertoire as diverse as Britten, Fauré, Haydn, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart and Stravinsky. Last season saw his debut appearances with the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin, Melbourne Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, while engagements for 2012/2013 include return visits to the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Paris and Verbier Festival and his debuts with the New York Philharmonic and the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart.
Suzuki’s impressive discography on the BIS label, featuring Bach’s complete works for harpsichord and his interpretations of Bach’s major choral works and sacred cantatas with Bach Collegium Japan (of which he has already completed over fifty volumes of a project to record the complete series) have brought him many critical plaudits – the Times has written: “it would take an iron bar not to be moved by his crispness, sobriety and spiritual vigour”. In 2010, Suzuki and his ensemble were awarded both a German Record Critics’ Award (Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik) and a Diapason d’Or de l’Année for their recording of Bach motets, which was also honoured in 2011 with a BBC Music Magazine Award.
Highlights of last season with Bach Collegium Japan included a European tour incorporating concerts at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Brussels Palais des Beaux-Arts and Paris Salle Pleyel amongst others, and culminating with a performance of the St Matthew Passion at the Thomaskirche, Leipzig where Suzuki was presented with the 2012 Leipzig Bach Prize. This season sees the group in residence at the Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht and Bremen Musikfest.
Masaaki Suzuki combines his conducting career with his work as organist and harpsichordist. Born in Kobe, he graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music with a degree in composition and organ performance and went on to study harpsichord and organ at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam under Ton Koopman and Piet Kee. Founder and head of the early music department at the Tokyo University of the Arts, he is currently Visiting Professor of Choral Conducting at the Yale School of Music and Yale Institute of Sacred Music and the conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum. In 2014 his Bach recordings were awarded with the German ECHO AWARD.
  Webseite

MATEUS DELA FONTE

«Unparalleled artistry.»
Marbacher Zeitung

Mateus Dela Fonte has been invited to perform in various European and Latin American countries. He gave concerts at various renowned festivals such as VI. Guitarmania (Portugal), 25. Guitar Festival Mikulov (Czech Republic), and I. Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra (Peru). In Brazil his two concerts, "Homenagem a Villa-Lobos" (2000) and "Retrato Brasileiro" (2001), were recorded and aired by Televisão Educativa de Salvador.
In 2010 his debut CD Sarabande & Samba featuring works from Germany, Spain and Brazil was highly praised by the specialized press. In fall 2013 it was followed by Paisagem Brasileira – Brazilian Landscape. This second CD is dedicated to Mateus Dela Fonte’s home country – particularly the music style Choro.
Dela Fonte was the interpreter of many world premieres for solo guitar, trio with guitar and Xavier Berenguel’s Concert de Tardor for Guitar und Orchestra.
Mateus Dela Fonte has won or placed highly in numerous international guitar competitions. He was awarded such prizes as Best Interpretation of a Work by Bach (IV. Internationaler Gitarrenwettbewerb Iserlohn, Germany; 2010) and Best Interpreter of Brazilian Music (II. Premio Paraíba de Música Brazil; 1998).
Born in Salvador/Bahia (Brazil), Dela Fonte studied guitar in Salvador, Barcelona, Madrid, and Stuttgart under Mario Ulloa, Àlex Garrobé, and Johannes Monno. In the spring of 2012 he completed advanced studies with highest distinction at the Stuttgart Conservatory of Music. He was a recipient of scholarships from, among others, the AECI and the Fundación Carolina.
In addition to his artistic activities, Mateus Dela Fonte is adjunct professor for Guitar with emphasis on chamber music at the Stuttgart Conservatory of Music and Dramatic Arts. 
 
Webseite

MIRIAM FEUERSINGER

«Geradezu überirdisch lässt sie die Töne leuchten; Koloraturen funkeln, als konzertierte ein perfekt geführtes Instrument.»
(Kultur SPIEGEL)

Already during her childhood, the Austrian soprano Miriam Feuersinger discovered her love for singing. After comprehensive musical training at the music school in her home town of Bregenz, she went on to professional voice training at the State Conservatory in Feldkirch/A, subsequently joining the class of Prof. Kurt Widmer at the Music College in Basel, where she passed her performer’s examination with Distinction in spring, 2005. Her great love, in both music and content, is for the cantatas and passions of J.S. Bach, as is evidenced by her numerous concerts involving his works. Further notable emphases in her artistic work lie in the broad spectrum of sacred music from the Baroque to Late Romanticism. In the field of lied, she is joined by her regular concert partner, the pianist Reto Reichenbach. The soprano performs regularly with renowned conductors such as Rudolf Lutz, Ton Koopman and Laurent Gendre, as well as with Baroque ensembles and orchestras such as Les Cornets Noirs, Capricornus Consort, Capriccio Basel, La Banda, La Cetra, L‘Orfeo and Concerto Stella Matutina to name only a few. Her next solo CD with soprano cantatas by Christoph Graupner and a CD recording with Buxtehude cantatas with Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra will appear at the beginning of 2014. Miriam Feuersinger has twice been a prize-winner at the Ernst Göhner Foundation. More information on current concerts and CD recordings is available on her homepage. In 2014 she starts with a Bach Cantata Project in her home city of Bregenz /Austria.Miriam Feuersinger is coordinating Crescendo in the region of Basel. She and her husband Holger Klayziewski are actively involved in the ministry in Switzerland and Germany. In 2014 her CD "Himmlische Stunden, selige Zeiten" with cantatas by Christoph Graupner (together with Capricornus Consort Basel) won the "Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" and the German ECHO AWARD ! In 2015 she won the PRIXPLUS of the Swiss association ARTS+.



Website Youtube

NANCY TSUNG

«“Miss Tsung played with energy, enthusiasm and virtuoso technique….secure and musically effective; this was straightforward playing that recreated a variety of styles in a clear and honest way.”»
(The New York Times, Debut Recital, New York)

Acclaimed Chinese violinist, Nancy Tsung has most recently performed concerts in the United States, Taiwan, China, Australia, Asia & Europe.  Embarking upon the musical scene in Taiwan in the late 1980s, Ms. Tsung was invited by the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan to hold the concertmaster position of that orchestra.  Making her home now in Taipei, Ms. Tsung continues to collaborate and tour in the multiple roles of an accomplished soloist, recitalist, concertmaster and chamber musician with Artists from Europe, Asia, Canada, Australia and the United States, including Alexander Schneider, Fu T’song, Cho-Liang Lin, Gil Shaham, Nai-Yuan Hu, David Kim, Simon Standage, Paul Katz, Thomas Sanderling, Jahja Ling, Gerard Akoka, Ohyama Heichiro, Quatuor Diotima, Great Wall String Quartet, Kyoko Hashimoto & Rohan de Silva amongst others.
Ms. Tsung is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where she received the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree, as well as her Master’s & Bachelor’s degrees in music. Studies at Juilliard with Dorothy DeLay and Hyo Kang, & chamber music studies with legendary chamber musicians Felix Galimir, Claus Adam, Lillian Fuchs, Jacob Lateiner and The Juilliard String Quartet. Early violin training under the tutelage of Elizabeth Morgan in Brisbane, Australia, master classes in Switzerland with Sandor Vegh, Igor Ozim and Pinchas Zukerman.  Performances in Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, New York City’s Town Hall & Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., Boston Symphony Hall, & Bussy Saint-Georges,France, as soloist and chamber musician.  Member of the Brandenburg Ensemble, New York String Orchestra, New School Chamber Orchestra, Sea-Cliff Chamber Players, Solisti New York, touring & concertizing in the USA, Europe & Asia as soloist with the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra of Poland.
Well known as an advocate for the voice and music of the past & present, Ms. Tsung has been engaged to present world premiere performances of numerous Contemporary works for Violin & Orchestra, as well as compositions for Violin & Piano.  Recent solo performances have taken Ms. Tsung to Hong Kong, Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Singapore, and Brisbane, Australia.
Enjoying teaching since the late 1980’s, Ms. Tsung is fully dedicated to nurturing the next generation of young musicians.  Many of the graduates of Ms. Tsung’s violin performance class are currently well established members of Symphony Orchestras & Music School Faculty members in Taiwan and in the United States.
Summer Music Festivals where Ms. Tsung appears as faculty member and performer include: Interlochen Center for the Arts, the New Arts Festival in Fort Meyers, The Amelia Island Concert Series, Great Wall International Music Academy in Beijing and National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra’s International Summer Festival, under the Musical Directorship of Cho-Liang Lin.
In 1997, Ms. Tsung was awarded the 38^th Chinese Cultural Medal for Outstanding Performance in Music, & currently teaches violin performance & chamber music classes at the Taipei National University of the Arts.  
Ms.Tsung is blessed to be the mother of five children, and excited to share and receive in the Special Gift of “Crescendo”.
 

PETER SLOWIK

 Recently profiled by the Strad magazine as “a man of limitless energy and purpose – he mentors high achievers who make their mark in top positions the world over,” Peter Slowik is in high demand as an artist-teacher. He has been a featured performer and teacher at six International Viola Congresses, and has recorded on the Deutsche Grammophon, deutsche harmonia mundi/BMG, American Grammophone, Erato and Cedille labels. An active chamber musician, Mr. Slowik has performed with William Preucil, Anner Bylsma, and Leonard Rose, the Mirecourt Trio, the Jasper, Saint Petersburg and Vermeer Quartets, the Smithsonian Chamber Players, and members of the Cleveland, Chester, Orford, and Smithson quartets. Past orchestral associations include service as Principal Violist of the Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra, Concertante di Chicago, and the American Sinfonietta. Recent master class appearances have taken him to Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, Europe, New Zealand, and most of the significant US conservatories. Mr. Slowik is Chairman of Strings and Robert W. Wheeler Professor of Viola at Oberlin College, and also as Artistic Director for Credo, which mentors leading young classical musicians across the US and Australia. Has been active in Crescendo International Festival. Past teaching posts include Northwestern University, Indiana University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Eastman School of Music. He has been named to the highest teaching awards at both Oberlin (Teaching Excellence Award 2009) and Northwestern, (the McCormick Professorship for Teaching Excellence 1999). In 2002 Mr. Slowik was the recipient of the Maurice Riley Viola Award from the American Viola Society for "outstanding teaching, scholarship, and performance.” His viola students have won first prize in numerous competitions, including the ASTA National Solo Competition, the Johannsen International Competition, the Ohio and Chicago Viola Society Solo Competitions, the Juilliard Concerto Competition, and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. They perform in such major American orchestras as the Chicago Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and National Symphony, and in university appointments throughout the country. 

Website

ROMANOS PAPAZOGLOU

Born in 1986 and raised in Thessaloniki, Greece, he came in contact with music for the first time, because of his parents, who are both musicians. His studies in music started when he became a member of the famous “ Wiener Sängerknaben”(Vienna Children Choir) at which he participated by singing and playing the violin. He also attended “Elementare musikalische Erziehung” at the “University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna”, the city where he spent his early childhood. 
He continued his studies on Violin, Piano and advanced Theory of music (Certificate of Harmony, Counterpoint and Fugue) at the “New Conservatory of Thessaloniki”.  At the period 2004-2007 studied at “University of Macedonia” in Thessaloniki, Piano in the class of G.Kyratsos. At the same time increased his experience in chamber music, orchestral playing taken part as violinist, violist harpsichordist in Ensembles and Orchestras (Concerto ellenico, Kalamaria Symphony Orchestra etc.) as well as accompanist with Opera singers and Choirs.
He also was organist of the Greek Evangelical Church of Thessaloniki.
 Since 2007 lives in Vienna where he studied Orchestral Conducting at the “University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna” at the classes of Prof. Uros Lajovic and Prof. J.Wildner, where he had the privilege to work intensively with the guest prof. Betrand de Billy and Fabio Luisi. After completing his first Diploma with distinction, continued also for Master studies (Magester Artium). 
At the same time, studied also in the same University in Vienna  “Choir conducting” with Prof. E.Ortner, “Vocal coaching” (Korrepetition) with Prof. K. Leitner and “Composition and music theory” with Prof. A.Seidelmann.
 He also took conducting courses and participated as an active member on conducting Master Class with: S.Rattle, F. Luisi, B. de Billy, J. Märkl, R. Weikert, C. Escher, C. Campestrini etc.   
Among the orchestras and ensembles that he conducted are Wiener Kammerorchester (Vienna Chamber Orchestra), Thessaloniki Symphony Orchestra(Greece), Pro Arte Orchestra (Vienna), Kalamaria Symphony Orchestra (Greece), Camerata Aristoteles and Concerto ellenico (Greece), Webern Chor(Vienna) and etc.
As assistant conductor, he participated in the preparation of opera productions in Opera na Zamku(Poland) ,Theater of Penzig (Vienna) and the University of Music in Vienna (Die Zauberflöte, Fidelio, Der Freischutz, La Traviata, Der fliegende Holländer, Faust, La Boheme, The turn of the screw etc.
Since 2013 is Principal Conductor of the Camerata Aristoteles. Future engagements include also a Concert with the Thessaloniki Symphony Orchestra (Fall 2014) for Human Rights organized by the International Amnesty Greece.
  Linkedin

SIMONE STROHMEIER

The german Violinist Simone Strohmeier studied first with Prof. Thomas Füri at the "Hochschule für Musik" Basel, later in the class of Igor Karsko at the "Hochschule für Musik Luzern".
 On the Violin, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (2008) a Master of Arts in Music - Pedagogy and a Master of Arts in Music - Performance.
Masterclasses with Julia Schröder, Isabel van Keulen, Chiara Banchini, Ervis Gega, David Danel, Jan Thalich and Nachum Erlich influenced her playing as well. Her widespread musical education includes also studies on the Viola (Christoph Schiller), Jazzviolin (Marion Namestnik) and conducting (Rodolfo Fischer). She is currently working as a substitute violinist with the Sinfonieorchester Basel, where she got the possibility to take part in numerous symphonical programs, CD-productions and operas. She also played with the "Kammerorchester Basel" and "Philharmonisches Orchester" Freiburg.  
 In 2013 the classical and baroque Ensemble "La Partita Zürich" appointed her as new concertmaster, where she leads conducterless concerts from the first desk.  With  La Partita  she performed as soloist  A. Vivaldi's Violinconcerto "La Stravaganza" No.2 RV 279 and J.S. Bachs Doubleconcerto for Violin and Oboe BWV 1060 in Zurich and Venice. 
As a CAS-Student Simone is currently studying classical- and baroqueviolin in the class of Maestro Giuliano Carmignola (Lucerne). She is actively involved in Crescendo Basel - and beyond. In 2013 she was the concert master of the "Crescendo opera orchestra" of the "Summer Institute", performing Mozart's Don Giovanni (conductor: Paolo Paroni). 
 

STEUART PINCOMBE

Quickly establishing himself as one of the leading early/new music performers in The Netherlands, Steuart performs regularly as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer across North America and Europe.
Steuart Pincombe holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied modern cello with Darrett Adkins and baroque cello and viola da gamba with Catharina Meints.
Steuart Pincombe has appeared in solo and chamber music performances at leading American and European venues and festivals, including Boston Early Music Festival, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, MAfestival - Bruges, Utrecht Oudemuziek, Bach Festival Dordrecht, Mozart Festival Augsburg, and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw. His appearances as soloist with orchestra include repeated performances with such orchestras as the Springfield Missouri Symphony, The Oberlin Contemporary Ensemble, Apollo's Fire: The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, and most recently the Wallfisch Band (UK).
He has independently released two CDs of the complete Bach suites for solo cello and has recorded for the Centaur label and Channel Classics. In addition to his many solo projects, he is currently a baroque cellist in the Holland Baroque Society (NL), Ensemble Philidor (FR), Ensemble Ausonia (BE), Apollo's Fire (US), The Wallfisch Band (UK), and modern cellist of Oerknal! - a contemporary music ensemble based in The Netherlands. As a teacher, Mr. Pincombe has given technique classes and master classes at such American institutions as Biola University, Gordon College, University of California Domingez Hills, Missouri State University (MSU) and the Westchester Conservatory; and guest lectures at MSU, Oral Roberts University, and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He has been on the cello and chamber music faculty at the Credo Chamber Music Festival since 2009. Mr. Pincombe plays a rare, original Carlo Antonio Testore baroque cello from 1727 on loan from the Jumpstart Jr. Foundation in Amsterdam and an anonymous, 18th century Flemish cello on loan from the collection of TheNetherlands Musical Instrument Foundation. He and his wife Michelle reside in The Hague, The Netherlands. 
Website

STEVEN GROSS, horn

«Outstanding, striking the right balance between thoughtfulness and verve, planning and spontaneity…an excellent tone and the ability and temperament to play heroically.»
(American Record Guide)

Steven Gross is Professor of Horn and Head of the Wind, Brass, and Percussion Area at the University of California–Santa Barbara. Dr. Gross is also a former member of the Atlanta Symphony, National Symphony, Santa Fe Opera Orchestra, and for 24 years principal horn of the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra. 
Steven Gross has released five solo CDs with orchestra, three with Dale Clevenger conducting.  
His most recent release is the debut recording of the Czech-American Horn Duo (Summit 636). Czech Philharmonic hornist Jirí Havlík is conductor and second horn.  Fanfare Magazine describes the duo as “accomplished soloists able to produce a firm yet lush tone, rich resonance and color, and clear articulation, and they fearlessly execute the technical complexities of the works.”
Dr. Gross’s international solo appearances include Austria, China, Czech Republic, England, Hungary, Kenya, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, and Taiwan.  In the United States, he has presented concerts and masterclasses at the Eastman School; Oberlin, Peabody, and Wheaton Conservatories; Universities, including Alabama, Baylor, Florida State, Indiana, Miami, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Southern Methodist, Texas, and Washington; his alma mater, the University of Michigan; and others. His summers include performing as principal horn of the Oregon Coast Music Festival Orchestra, horn faculty at Horns in the Redwoods near San Francisco, and the Crescendo Summer Institute in Tokaj, Hungary.
At the age of 21, Steven Gross won the First International Heldenleben Horn Competition. He is now Director of the International Horn Competition of America (www.ihcamerica.org/), North America’s leading solo event for horn.
 

SUNG MIN PARK

Korean lyric-tenor Sung Min Park graduated vocal study at Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea in 2011. He has worked closely with Professor Jang Won Lee, Sung Do Park and received an award for excellent achievements. He has participated in masterclass with Nak Young Jung (Tenor) in 2005, Gerd Türk (Tenor) in 2006, Sung Do Park (Tenor) in 2008, Timothy Bentch (Tenor) in 2011 and performed in Seocheon recital hall (Korea), Volgograd (Russia), St Mary with St Matthew Church in Cheltenham and Canterbury(UK), All Souls Church (London), Castle Rakozi (Hungary), Uppsala (Sweden) among others. Sung Min has sang in 'Rigoletto'; 'Le nozze di Figaro'; 'Die Fledermus', ‘L’exir d’amore’, ‘Cosi fan tutte'; 'La Boheme' as well as being Tenor soloist in Jamsil church choir, Chungsin church choir, Sinbanpo church choir, Namdeamoon church choir, Gwangsung church choir of Korea. He made his first appearance in Vietnam at L’espace concert hall as Special Guest Artist in pianist Trang Trinh’s recital, November 2011. Since then, he had sung in concerts in Hochiminh City and Hanoi, including concert by Vietnam Korean Resident Newspaper at the National Conservatory Concert Hall. He has also appeared on several TV channels such as VTV1, VTV6, Hanoi TV, VTC10, VOV ... Park Sung Min is now an active performer and also choir conductor. He is the music director at Hanoi Korean Church as well as Hanoi Korean Children Choir. in 2013 He, together with his wife - pianist Trang Trinh - founded the Miracle Children Choir and Orchestra, an El Sistema inspired program, giving free music education to orphans and underprivileged children in Hanoi, Vietnam. Sung Min together with his wife Trang Trinh is connected with Crescendo since their involvement in the "Crescendo Summer Institute".



Website

SWETLANA MEERMAN

Swetlana Meermann's playing is influenced by russian, german and french piano schools. She got her Master Degree at Musikhochschule Frankfurt, Germany, and in 2010 she achieved with the highest distinctions her Postgraduate Diploma at the Musikhochschule Karlsruhe. Her teachers were Irina Edelstein, Michael Uhde, Markus Stange. Beside this she completed her education in France at the Music Conservatories in Lyon and Paris (CNSM), working with renowned pianists as Géry Moutier and Brigitte Engerer. She has won many Prizes and Awards. Swetlana Meermann won scholarships of Lipezk Region and Russian Government. In Germany she has been awarded with the first "Lions-Club-Prize" and ZIRP-Stipend of Rheinland-Pfalz. She has been broadcasted on TV in both countries. At age of 16 the pianist gave her debut as a soloist with the State Youth Orchestra Northhampton in Tchaikovsky's piano Concerto No. 1. She also performed with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of the Rheinland-Pfalz and with the Philharmonic State Orchestra of Baden-Baden, Germany.
Swetlana Meermann is also a committed chamber musician. She was selected by the German Foundation of Chamber Music "Villa Musica", where she performed with renowned musicians. Her music education was completed through master classes with: Menahem Pressler, Anatol Ugorsky, Rudolf Kehrer, Oxana Jablonskaja, Martin Helmchen... Swetlana Meermann have been also teaching at Musikhochschule Karlsruhe, Landesmusikgymnasium Montabaur, Germany, Conservatoire Départemental de Bourg-la-Reine, France and giving master classes at the Academy of Music of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, the International Crescendo Summer Academy in Hungary and the music school in Kigali, Rwanda. She performed in Germany, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, USA, Hungary, Rwanda. In Rwanda she worked also as piano teacher with "Music Road Rwanda".
Website

TRANG TRINH

Named one of 7 most influential artists in Vietnam (2012), Trang Trinh is rapidly emerging as the nation’'s most exciting classical pianist. She completed her study with Distinction at the Royal Academy of Music - London, having been generously supported by Sterndale Bennett scholarship. She debuted in London in 2006 having won the top prize at Paganini Festival, playing Franz Liszt’s Totentanz under Edward Garner (ENO).
Since then, Trang Trinh has performed throughout England and toured France, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Ireland, Hong Kong… Trang Trinh is the holder of several awards including the Francis Simmer Prize, Lillian Davis Prize and worked in masterclasses with Jean-Bernard Pommier, Simon Mulligan, Leslie Howard. Trang Trinh debuted in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2011 with a creative recital "Piano's Journal" (Nhat Ky Duong Cam) in February 2011. It was the first of its kind in Vietnam, receiving extensive media coverage and public attention. Since then she has done several sold-out recitals and concerts, attracting new and young audiences and thus recognised as a young advocate of Classical music in Vietnam. Trang Trinh is the country representative of Charles Ansbacher Club, which holds concerts, distribute free CDs, organised talks with international musicians. Her guest include Dr. Robert Levin, Greg Sandow, Boston Children Chorus…
In 2013 Trang Trinh, together with her husband Park Sung Min, founded the Miracle Children Choir and Orchestra, an El-Sistema inspired program in Hanoi, giving free music education for orphans and underprivileged children. Trang Trinh is connected with Crescendo since she took part several times at the "Crescendo Summer Institute". 
Website

TÜNDE SZABOKI

CVi Tünde Szabóki
 
Born in Budapest. In her home town she studied piano, voice and choral conducting. After her diploma as a pianist, she completed her diploma in voice at the University of the Arts in Graz. Prize winner in several international voice competitions. 
As a concert singer, she sang at the most prestigious festivals (Salzburg Festspiele, Bregenz Festspiele, Styriarte, Musikbiennale Berlin, Rheingaufestival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival, Festival du Montpellier/FR, Festival Turgutreis/TR, Budapest Spring Festival, Bernstein Festival Jerusalem).
Her concentration on oratorio performance caused her to hesitate at the beginning of her career about dedicating herself to opera. Soon, however, she had appearances at the Gran Theatro Liceu in Barcelona, the Graz Opera, the National Theatre in Debrecen and in Miskolc. In October 2008, she sang Leonore in the prèmiere of Beethoven’s Fidelio (Budapest State Opera with Thomas Moser as Florestan and Adam Fischer on the conductor’s podium). Since then, her roles in the same house have included Vitellia (Mozart:La clemenza di Tito), Marschallin (R.Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier), Donna Elvira (Mozart:Don Giovanni), Primadonna (R.Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos) and, from 2009, during the Budapest Wagner Days, Elisabeth (Tannhäuser), Freia (Rheingold), 3^rd Norn (Götterdämmerung) and Gerhilde (Walküre), all conducted by Adam Fischer.
In 2013 there followed the solo soprano part in Penderecki’s 8^th Symphony (Hungarian performance under the baton of Maestro Penderecki).
Numerous CD and DVD recordings (including the Brahms Requiem with Adam Fischer). Tünde Szabóki also performed as soloist at the Requiem Masses of Thomas Klestil, Cardinal Franz König and Otto von Habsburg and also on the occasion of the Pope’s visit to Vienna. In 2011 she received the Liszt-Ferenc Prize and the Artisjus Prize from the Hungarian Ministry of Culture.
Tünde Szabóki has also been on the teaching staff at the Crescendo Summer Institute for many years.
   

ULRICH BRÜGGEMANN

Ulrich Brüggemann (*1964), Zweiter Domorganist am Dom zu Köln, stammt aus Velmede im Hochsauerland/ Deutschland. Den ersten Klavier- und Orgelunterricht erhielt er bei der Ordensschwester Maria Gregoria Kupper im Bergkloster Bestwig. Den ersten Unterricht in Dirigieren, Tonsatz/ Harmonielehre und Liturgischem Orgelspiel bekam er von Kirchenmusikdirektor Gustav Biener. Kirchenmusikalische Studien betrieb er am St.Gregorius-Haus in Aachen (B-Examen 1987; Orgel bei Hubert Drees, Dirigieren beim Aachener Domkapellmeister Hans-Josef Roth) und an der Musikhochschule in Köln (A-Examen 1993; Orgel beim Kölner Domorganisten Professor Clemens Ganz, Dirigieren bei Professor Henning Frederichs). Bei Professor Clemens Ganz an der Musikhochschule in Köln studierte er das Fach „Orgel“ mit dem Abschluß der Künstlerischen Reifeprüfung (1997) und in Düsseldorf an der Robert-Schumann-Hochschule bei Professor Hans-Dieter Möller mit dem Abschluß „Konzert- examen“ (1999). Als Kirchenmusiker wirkte er 1989 an St.Josef in Neuss-Weißenberg, 1989-1994 an St.Franziskus in Gummersbach und an St.Klemens Maria Hofbauer in Steinenbrück und wirkt seit 1994 am Kölner Dom. Seine Konzert- und Lehrtätigkeit führte ihn in mehrere europäische Länder und nach Argentinien. Sein Orgelspiel ist auch nahezu täglich in Rundfunk- und Fernsehübertragungen www.domradio.de und Fernsehsender EWTN und auf CD zu hören.  

UWE STEINMETZ

Saxophonist and composer Uwe Steinmetz was born in Bremervörde, a town in northern Germany, in 1975. His musical influences came mainly from the teachers he studied and performed with during his school years in Berlin, Bern, Madras and Boston: John Surman, Lako Awraam, members of The Art Ensemble of Chicago, Bob Mintzer, Michael Brecker, David Liebman, George Russell, Jerry Bergonzi and Ben Schwendener among many others. He has performed his own music on four continents and in more than thirty countries and has received national and international awards for his artistic work, released so far 12 CDs with his own music and has appeared on numerous jazz CDs as a solist.
As a Christian he seeks to increase the awareness that music and other art forms can help people discover a deeper, healing and reconciling truth in an increasingly fragmented society and participates as an artist in projects that foster and encourage intercultural dialogue and support civil peace-building efforts.
He believes: "Music unifies mind and soul and brings us closer to truth in ourselves, the world and beyond all things. Music challenges us as human beings on all levels of our existence and ultimately shines a fresh, healing light on our momentary fears and longings, our perishable happiness and unhappiness. Music is a wonderful revelation of a creative God inspiring us to be creative with passionate love."
Uwe Steinmetz is leader of "Crescendo Jazz"