ANDREAS KLEIN

Pianist
Andreas Klein is widely admired as a pianist of rare sensitivity and musicality. The Washington Post has praised his “articulate and flowing pianism” while the New York Times called him “a pianist who makes silences sound like music.” About a recent Glenn Gould tribute (with the Minguet String Quartet), the Calgary Herald reported, “(Klein brings) to his performance a mature understanding…as well as a brilliant execution”, while Classical Voice of North Carolina (CVNC) was even more blunt: “Andreas Klein is a stupendous pianist…a stunning performance by any standard, and it brought the audience to its feet in a rousing ovation.”  

He has performed in many of the leading houses of Europe, from Wigmore Hall in London to the Berlin Philharmonie, as well as Carnegie Hall in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and is at home with the grandeur of playing with the Berlin Philharmonic or the vast reaches of the Ravinia Festival (where he received two standing ovations) as he is with the intimacy of Le Poisson Rouge (NYC). He has extensively toured North America, with ensembles including the Salzburg Chamber Soloists (a 20-city tour) and the Festival Strings of Lucerne (10 cities) and in South America, where he performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. Some exotic places on his concert tours included Damascus and Yerevan.  

Since his meteoric start in his native Germany, performing recitals and as soloist with orchestra, he eventually answered the call to go to the Juilliard School in New York. But the highly focussed and musical approach to every work he performs was nurtured by one of his early teachers, the great Claudio Arrau. It is a philosophy Klein is credited with continuing.

In recent years Klein has added more forays into chamber music alongside his concerto and recital repertoire, including major projects with the Minetti Quartet and the Casals Quartet (Schumann's Piano Quintet - US tour and Casals Festival, Puerto Rico). These collaborations have taken him to important venues such as Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, Spivey Hall near Atlanta and the Wortham Center in Houston.  A frequent broadcaster, Klein has often appeared on WGBH Boston, WFMT Chicago,  APR in ST Paul and KUHF in Houston.

He was the subject of a "Musician Portrait" in Germany and his "Intermezzo with Andreas Klein" was televised by PBS. His recordings, "Piano Sonatas" and his album of music by Beethoven and Berg, have won admiring reviews (he is also an admired recording producer). And his self-composed new cadenzas for Mozart piano concertos have also won widespread praise. "Whatever the composer, whatever the project," he says, "for me it is about being inside the music."

Excerpts from the press

"Pianist who makes silences sound like music"
New York Times

"Sensitive interpretation"
The Times London

‍‍"Elaborate display of technical prowess. Klein resembled a sketch artist bringing a scene to life with quick virtuoso strokes and shading - Klein conveyed an impression of narrative momentum underlying a musical structure, regardless of how explicitly programmatic."
Washington Post

"Klein is an Interpret above all modern, who gives detailed attention to the interpretation of the work and executes a clear picture of the structure of the piece. He accomplishes with immaculate technique a rare beauty of sound."
Stampa Sera, Rome, Italy

SURPASSING MUSICALITY - "... played without unnaturalness, often somewhat fragile in tone, delicate, but with strong endings."
Berner Zeitung, Switzerland

"Andreas Klein, a pianist of the highest caliber, performed both Beethoven Sonatas in E major, opus 109, and in A major, opus 101, with dramatic expression, bravura, and a flawless technique: yet the slow and lyrical phrases were shaped with subtle sensitivity."
Dresdner Neueste Nachrichte, Germany

A LISTENING INDULGENCE - "The interpretation of Schubert's Impromptu in B flat major belongs to one of the most beautiful pieces presented in this concert. Klein played ingeniously, each single note differentiated, vivid and in every regard intended."
Berliner Morgenpost, Germany

"Andreas Klein played this work with grace, melodious sound and plenty of brilliance, revealing an immaculate technique." (with the Berlin Philharmonic)
Tagesspiegel, Berlin, Germany

"Impeccable technique, a distinct understanding for Mozart's pianistic style using muted dynamics and resonant touch." (with the Berlin Philharmonic)
Der Abend, Berlin, Germany

CONCERT OF AN EXTRA CLASS - "The virtuoso Klein, a pianist counted among the extraordinary class was able to set a new milestone into the history of the Mosel Festival."
Rhein Zeitung

"Klein's Beethoven was spot-on. In tender moments, such as the Andante, the pianist brought to the music great sensitivity and mystery, and where the score turns boisterous, such as his solo cadenza, Klein tapped reserves of power that seemed limitless."
Plain Dealer

Recent Reviews

"Internationally renowned concert pianist Andreas Klein joined forces with the Stockton Symphony to tackle Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4. His precision and communication with conductor Peter Jaffe made this daunting work a thing of beauty and brilliance. The contrasting dialogue between piano and strings in the brief but moving second movement evoked conflict and sadness, which is soon eclipsed by the ecstatic rondo of the third movement.

A bright, unmistakably Schubertian opening sets the tone for the piece. From Klein's first entry throughout the entire Liszt's Schubert Fantasie he played with articulate clarity while displaying expressive technique and craftsmanship. I was particularly taken with his voicing in the slow, second section, one of two solo passages that featured Klein. The ensemble between orchestra and soloist was excellent, providing an uninterrupted flow from beginning to end. Perhaps the most exciting moment was the return of the opening theme in the final section, scored in fugal imitation propelling the fantasy to its grandiose conclusion, where one could not help but hear Liszt's impact on the work."

The Post Crescent"

Magnificent and impressive was Andreas Klein in Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto. In his entire interpretation he gave back the composers torment between intellect and emotion and with the superb command of his technique, the loud passages were never aggressive, his tonal colors were limitless, his scales always sparkled. Most gripping and impressive was his huge dynamic range; his control to produce a flawless shading down to a barely audible sound was breathtaking."

Grevenbroicher Zeitung, Germany

"Your performance was nothing short of spectacular. I still have people saying to me that they were blown away by the performance and the experience. And the sponsor was thrilled with performance and the reaction of the public.
"
Fundacion Paiz para la Educacion y la Cultura, Guatemala

"Maestro Andreas Klein's impeccable execution, his excellent sense of voicing - a rare caliber of musician - It was only a pity to realize the absence, with few exceptions, of other pianists, musicians and artists, who would have been able to take advantage and enjoy the excellent performance of maestro Klein. The combination of skill and affection he showed as an interpreter was of a quality rare to find in a soloist. Thank you, maestro."
Sunday Magazine, Prensa Libre
Represented Worldwide by Marianne Schmocker Artists International @ 2022/2023

ATOS TRIO

Piano Trio
Pianist Thomas Hoppe, violinist Annette von Hehn and cellist Stefan Heinemeyer have been conquering the world's major concert series together since 2003. Around the globe, the ATOS Trio is hailed by audiences and met with critical acclaim. From winning the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award, the gold-standard prize for trios in the US, to a prestigious recognition as "New Generation Artists" by the BBC. From prizes in London, Graz and Melbourne to concerts in all the major festivals and venues from Oceania to Carnegie Hall. The ATOS Trio pushes expression and dynamics to the limits, with its incredibly distinctive, warmly expressive and extremely unified trio sound, far beyond the comfortable, familiar, and expected.
"Initially, as purely an experiment, the four musicians were brought together in 2009 at University of Music in Frankfurt. Later their Artistic inspiration came from quartet members of the Artemis, and Alban Berg Quartets.

At great venues such as London's Wigmore Hall, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, the Sala Sao Paulo, Carnegie Hall or the Berlin Philhar-monic; at festivals such as City of London, Cheltenham, Budapest Spring Festival and Gilmore Michigan; in performances at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Rheingau Music Festival, the Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, or the Ludwigs-burger Schlossfestspiele.

On enthusiastically received CD recordings of classical and romantic repertoire (Bee-thoven, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn); in complete premiere recordings of Heinrich von Herzogenberg and Josef Suk; and most recently in a celebration of French, Russian, Czech and Viennese music (The French album, The Russian Album, The Czech Album, The Vienna Album). Their total dedication to the music, the joy, the almost magically differentiated interpretation set new standards.

Excerpts from the press

"Three voices, one sound: The kind of pitch-perfect unanimity of phrasing, tone, feeling and interpretation that distinguishes the finest chamber ensembles."
Detroit Free Press, United States

"They were Austrians in Haydn, Czechs in Dvorak, and Russians in Shostakovich."
O Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazil

"... One of the elite Piano Trios playing before the public today."
The Washington Post, USA

“The ATOS Trio performs with extraordinary presence and clarity, with an insisting intensity, always powerful and accentuated, with pose and aplomb, but at the same time heartfelt.”
Klassik-Heute, Peter Heissler
Represented in the US, Canada and Mexico by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @2022/2023

ARIS QUARTETT

String Quartet
In Europe, the Media and Critics alike are unanimous in their enthusiasm for the young ARIS Quartet, described by the Cultural TV Channel as, "one of the most sensational ensembles of the younger generation," and NDR Kultur has hailed them, "on the verge of an international career.

"Initially, as purely an experiment, the four musicians were brought together in 2009 at University of Music in Frankfurt. Later their Artistic inspiration came from quartet members of the Artemis, and Alban Berg Quartets.

In 2016, the Aris Quartet not only received one, but 5 prizes at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich and 2 years later were named the BBC NEW Generation Artist, which comes with recording contracts and concerts throughout the UK with engagements in prominent venues and festivals, such as the BBC Proms in August 2019.

The international breakthrough however came shortly after the quartet's formation, earning first prizes at leading music competitions, including at the International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition in Weimar, Germany in 2016 and at the Juergen Ponto Foundation prize for chamber music.

As of today, the Aris Quartet has performed already over 500 concerts in Europe alone appearing in the major concert halls and leading music festivals.

During the upcoming seasons the Aris Quartett will have many important Firsts: in Vienna it is the Debut in the Konzerthaus, April 2019 and again in March 2020 as part of the Beethoven Anniversary Year in the world's prestigious Vienna Konzertverein. then Wigmore Hall which is slated for May 2020 and in the spring 2021 they will embark on their first USA tour with 3 concerts by the San Francisco Chamber Music Society. Further notable engagements are at the Konzerthaus Berlin, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Lieder Halle Stuttgart and a re-invitation to the Schleswig Holstein Festival.

In addition to their homogeneity and technical prowess, the Aris Quartet captivates audiences through their passionate interpretations and ability to communicate easily with audiences. Described by the press as "thrilling", FONO FORUM; "gripping" Sueddeutsche Zeitung; and "finely nuanced and exciting" Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

The Aris Quartet already has highly-acclaimed and award-winning CD recordings. The fourth CD release on the GENUIN Label in 2018 was a collaboration with Deutschlandfunk, featuring works by Shostakovich and Schubert. The repertoire encompasses a wide range and variety. In addition to the classical literature of Haydn, Beethoven, and Bartok, the musicians also devote themselves to lesser-known works by composers such as Reger, Hindemith, and Zemlinsky.

Excerpts from the press

"The Aris Quartet is seen as the future of the classical music scene..."
ZDF aspects

"One of the most sensational ensembles of the young generation"
ARTE

"The Aris Quartet proves world class ..."
MIRROR

"Almost sensationally well made music..."
ORF

"Highly nuanced and exciting..."
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

"One of the outstanding string quartet formations ..."
Deutschlandfunk

"World class music..."
Southgerman newspaper

"A rousing interpretation..."
Phone forum

"Brilliantly played..."
BBC Music Magazine
Represented in the US, Canada and Mexico by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @2022/2023

AVNER DORMAN

Composer / Conductor
Avner Dorman writes music of intricate craftsmanship and rigorous technique, expressed with a soulful and singular voice. A native of Israel now living in the United States, Dorman draws on a variety of cultural and historical influences in composing, resulting in music that affects an emotional impact while exploring new territories. His works utilize an exciting and complex rhythmic vocabulary, as well as unique timbres and colors in orchestral, chamber, and solo settings. The world's finest orchestras, conductors, and soloists regularly perform Dorman's music, and many of his compositions have become contemporary staples in the repertoire. Dorman's music is championed by conductors including Zubin Mehta, Ricardo Chailly, and Andris Nelsons, and by soloists Gil Shaham, Martin Grubinger, and Hilary Hahn.

Dorman's first opera, Wahnfried, which garnered intense media interest and was hailed as a "masterpiece" by Opernwelt, returns to Karlsruhe in the 2017-2018 season for a second run as part of the Badisches Staatsoper staging of Wagner's complete ring cycle. The work - which depicts the relationships between the failing English scientist Houston Stewart Chamberlain, the Wagner family and the young Adolf Hitler - has culminated in a decisive round of "bravos" from the critics.

Dorman is currently working on a new, innovative opera project for Houston Grand Opera, which will make its debut in the spring of 2018. A new suite, for Solo Violin, commissioned by the ARD competition in Munich as a compulsory work, will be premiered there this fall.  Four Marimbas, commissioned by Jianli Percussion, will receive its world premiere in Spain, and Dancing with the Torah at Mount Meron premieres in Poland, performed by Zofo piano duo.

Other highlights of the 17-18 season include multiple performances of Nigunim, featuring violinist Gil Shaham, Mandolin Concerto featuring Avi Avital and Kremarata Baltica, Jerusalem Mix, featuring Ensemble 4.1, and Variations on a Simple Theme, featuring the Myriad Trio. Dorman's popular percussion concertos, Frozen in Time and Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!, will also be played by a variety of soloists and orchestras around Europe.

Other highlights from recent seasons include: the world premieres of Piano Sonata No. 5, written for the Arthur Rubinstein Piano Competition, Siklon, premiered by the Cleveland Orchestra, and After Brahms, which premiered in 2016 and has already received a dozen performances, including a run with the Sydney Symphony conducted by Asher Fisch.

In the fall of 2017, Dorman begins his fifth year as music director of CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, with five performances of John Corigliano's Red Violin Concerto with acclaimed violinist Tessa Lark. The program also includes Schumann's Symphony No. 3 and Genoveva Overture. Later in the season he will lead CityMusic Cleveland in a concert dedicated to Muslim and Jewish composers and to the striking stories of the Sarajevo Haggadah and the Timbuktu library. The season closes with an all-Beethoven program.

Dorman's music has garnered numerous awards and prizes. At the age of 25, he became the youngest composer to win Israel's prestigious Prime Minister's Award for his Ellef Symphony. He has earned several international awards from ASCAP, ACUM, and the Asian Composers League. His music is available on Naxos, Deutsche Grammophone, Canary Classics, and other labels. He holds a doctorate in composition from the Juilliard School and serves as Associate Professor of Music Theory and Composition at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College.

Avner Dormans music is published exclusively by G. Schirmer, Inc.

Excerpts from the press

“wide-ranging, appealing, breathtakingly virtuosic, sophisticated enough to appeal to an audience of classical aficionados, and approachable enough to appeal to people who have never been to an orchestra concert.”
Anne Midgette, Washington Post

“Dorman skillfully led the 40-piece chamber orchestra in nuanced and nearly flawless performances ”

Daniel Hathaway, Cleveland Classical


“The orchestra under Dorman was similarly effective.”
Zachary Lewis, The Plain Dealer

“The reading of this exuberant and optimistic symphony that followed was enthusiastic and satisfying, thanks to Dorman’s overall conception of the piece, and the energy of the ensemble’s young players.”
Mark Satola, The Plain Dealer

"The performance under Dorman, full of fire and vim, was uncommonly spirited.”
Zachary Lewis, The Plain Dealer
Represented worldwide by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @ 2022/2023

DIEGO MARTIN ETXEBARRIA

Conductor
Principal Resident Conductor of the Chemnitz Opera House since 2020 he has been Principal Resident Conductor and Deputy Music Director of the Opera Houses in Krefeld and Mönchengladbach from 2016 to 2020. Diego Martin-Etxebarria first came to international attention when he was awarded First Prize, the Hideo Saito Award and the Asahi Award at the Tokyo Conducting Competition in 2015.

Highlights of the season 2022/23 include opera (a Gala next to Gregory Kunde and Carlos Álvarez at Teatro Real, Janacek's "Das schlaue Füchslein" and Léhar's "Die lustige Witwe" at the Theater Chemnitz) and ballet (Prokofiev's "Cinderella") as well as several concerts leading the Robert Schumann Philharmonie. Maestro Etxebarria will also give his debut next to the Filharmonía de Galicia with works by Georges Bizet and Germaine Tailleferre.

Maestro Etxebarria has been invited by international orchestras such as the Osaka Philharmonic, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, Nagoya Philharmonic, Kansai Philharmonic, Osaka Symphony, Central Aichi Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia, Philharmonisches Orhester Freiburg or the St. Petersburg State Capella Symphony. In his homeland he has conducted the Spanish National Orchestra, the Spanish Radio and Television Symphony, Bilbao Symphony, Euskadi Symphony, Galicia Symphony, Barcelona Symphony, Tenerife Symphony, the City of Granada Orchestra, Málaga Philharmonic, Oviedo Philharmonia as well as the Vallés Symphony.

In the operatic field, he has conducted Paul-Heinz Dittrich's Die Verwandlung and Die Blinden at the Berliner Staatsoper; Puccini's La Bohème at the Theater Augsburg; Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde", Verdi's "Aida", Mozart's "Die Entführung aus dem Serail", Humperdinck's "Hänsel und Gretel", Zimmermann's "Der Schuhu und die fliegende Prinzessin" at the Theater Chemnitz; Donizetti's Don Pasquale in Terrassa; Donizetti's Rita at the Volksbühne in Berlin; Donizetti's L'Elisir d'amore in Teatre Principal de Palma, Vigo, Ourense and Pontevedra; Montsalvatge's Puss in boots at the Teatro Real in Madrid; Mozart's Die Zauberflöte at the Kleines Haus Dresden; Bizet's Carmen at the Santa Florentina Festival, Adés' Powder Her Face at the Arriaga Theater in Bilbao; Llorca's Tres sombreros de Copa at the Teatro La Zarzuela (Madrid) Tempesta Esvaïda at the Fortuny Theatre in Reus; Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel, Menotti's The Consul, Verdi's Nabucco, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, Offenbach's Orphee aux Enfers, Kálmán's Die Faschingsfee and Dvorak's Rusalka, at the Opera Houses in Krefeld and Mönchengladbach.

He has recently recorded an album for SONY with music by Albert Guinovart conducting the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra as well as Udo Zimmermann's opera “Der Schuhu und die fliegende Prinzessin” for Deutschlandfunk. Previous recordings include the CD "Intimitats" with award-winning music by composer Marc Timón, the lyric comedy "La Viola d'Or" by Enric Morera (Enderrock Award for Best Classical Album Review 2016), the DVD "Sinfokids 2” at the head of the Euskadi Symphony Orchestra and the short opera by Joaquim Serra Tempesta esvaïda conducting the Camera Musicae Orchestra.

Martin-Etxebarria began his musical studies at the Conservatories of Amurrio and Vitoria and graduated in orchestra conducting at the University of Music of Catalonia. He was granted by the Humboldt Foundation and the DAAD-La Caixa for post-graduate studies in opera conducting at the Hochschulen in Weimar, Dresden and the Academia Chigiana in Siena with Gianluigi Gelmetti. Other conductors who have influenced his career include Riccardo Frizza, Donato Renzetti, Dima Slobodeniouk, Christopher Seaman, Jesús Lopez Cobos, Titus Engel and Lutz Köhler.

Excerpts from the press

"Most crucial to the evening’s success was Diego Martin-Etxebarria, Chemnitz’s principal resident conductor, who expertly marshalled Verdi’s marches and choruses while highlighting subtleties of orchestration in between. The Met’s monumental, literal-minded “Aida” has accustomed me not to think too much about Verdi’s final grand opera; the team in Chemnitz goes considerably deeper."
The New Yorker

"Maestro Diego Martin-Etxebarria dealt with all the musical and theatrical material with the ability and security of someone well seasoned and well trained in many pits. His work seemed to me meritorious and demanded a great concentration to have everything ordered and channeled."
Mundo Clásico

"One quickly got used to the open sound in the empty auditorium, especially since Diego Martin Etxebarria with the Niederrheinische Sinfoniker developed an excellent sound volume, colorfulness and delicacy, with which the orchestra meticulously supported the psychogram on stage."
O-Ton Kulturmagazin

"Diego Martin-Etxebarria's splendid baton was able to transmit the sonorous essence of the score, conducting an ORCAM very much in keeping with the approach."
Ópera Actual

"Diego Martin-Etxebarria's musical direction renounced to traditional consecration and grandeur and celebrated a highly modern Mozart with elegance and fluent liveliness. The Niederrheinische Sinfoniker played with stylistic confidence - I would even say with outstanding virtuosity. We haven't heard such a convincing Mozart in a long time - to do so one has to drive far."
Das Opernmagazin
Represented in the US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Nordic Countries and other by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @ 2022/2023

ENSEMBLE 4.1

Piano Windtet
FOUR wind soloists from top German Orchestras and ONE unmistakable pianist Thomas Hoppe devote themselves to this still undiscovered wonderful musical genre.

The communicative powers through its music and the intoxicating atmosphere this group creates on stage has repeatedly been praised by critics and has become a hallmark of the ensemble 4.1.

In addition to the original masterworks for this instrumentation by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven, the ensemble is devoted to discovering rarely played compositions from the Romantic and Modern periods. After many years of silence, composers like Walther Gieseking, Theodor Verhey, Herrmann Zilcher and Arne Oldberg are again being performed for an enthusiastic public.

The beginnings of the group were overseen and fostered by the renowned Goethe Institute, who assisted with the initial concerts and worldwide tours. Since its inception in 2013, the ensemble 4.1 has already crisscrossed the globe and performed recitals in China, Pakistan, Austria, Germany, Algeria, Canada and the USA, in cities such as Berlin, Istanbul, New York City, Toronto, Ottawa, Karachi, Shanghai and Chengdu. They have appeared with great success at festivals in Denmark and on Malta, as well as at the Kotor Festival in Montenegro.

Excerpts from the press

"Ensemble 4.1 dazzles at Phillips concert series."
Washington Post

"4.1 exhibited a superb blend of sound, technique and musicianship."
Virginia Gazette

"Such wonderful musical experience! And very rare, on top of that! The ensemble 4.1 must be one of the very few, if not the only „Piano Windtet“ with steady members: four highclass woodwind players and one excellent pianist."
Schwaebische Zeitung

"A totally different, very special type of music!"
Badische Zeitung

"Ensemble 4.1 impressed the entire audience with their performance of seldomly heard works by Beethoven, Gieseking and the American composer Oldberg."
Haller Tagblatt

"It is absolutely evident just how much joy these musicians of 4.1 experience when they perform. The ensemble 4.1 not only plays in total harmony together, but their dedication to the music and the performance is shinnig through every note."
DeWeZet
Represented in the US, Canada & Mexico by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @ 2022/2023

FABIAN ZIEGLER

Percussionist
In his young career, Fabian Ziegler has already achieved a goal in commissioning stunning new repertoire for percussion. He is committed to giving life to innovative compositions by renowned composers, such as John Psathas, Avner Dorman, Serj Tankian, Arash Safaian, Daniel Schnyder and many more. His goal is to elevate percussion repertoire to another level, working on original and meaningful projects with leading composers in the international music world. Fabian Ziegler is committed to bring the best of percussion repertoire to the people, to introduce them new and striking pieces for solo percussion and chamber music with percussion Instruments. In the years 2021/2022, collaborations with the Musikkollegium Winterthur, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra Wellington, the Zürcher Singakademie, and many more will take place.

The percussionist Fabian Ziegler is an unusually talented young musician. Judging by his numerous prizes and awards, it is already known that he brings something special to those who hear him. In the past few seasons there have been debuts with the Argovia Philharmonic, the Musikkollegium Winterthur and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich.

Ziegler, who was Young Artist at the renowned Davos Festival in 2017 - 2020, impressed the public and the press with works by artists from Iannis Xenakis to Astor Piazolla. In addition to pianist Sebastian Knauer and the Zurich Chamber Orchestra he delivered in "Überbach" by Arash Safaian the shimmering crystalline vibraphone sound for the cross-genre project "Digital Symphony" in Zurich and with the Munich Bach Collegium at the famous Prinzregententheater in Munich. Fabian Ziegler has also performed at other important locations such as the Konzerthaus Berlin, the KKL Luzern, the Kulturcasino Bern, the Tonhalle in St. Gallen and the Lincoln Center in New York City. In 2017 he also performed with Martin Grubinger's Percussive Planet Ensemble.

Fabian Ziegler fascinates the audience with his varied and imaginative programming and carries a multitude of instruments with him that can be used to create a wide variety of soundscapes. His repertoire ranges from Bach to Cage to Xenakis and beyond. He frequently takes part in world premieres by renowned composers, including Christos Hatzi's “Tongues of Fire” (percussion concerto) in 2017 and Emmanuel Séjourné's double concerto for vibraphone, marimba and wind orchestra in 2016.

He not only appears frequently as a percussion soloist, but also founded his own concert series entitled “Marimba Recital Concerts”. Fabian Ziegler has been welcoming international guests from the world of percussion since September 2015. In 2018 the “Swiss Percussion Night” concert format was added. Inquisitive and open-minded, he has no inhibitions or reservations. This applies not only to the repertoire that he cultivates and conquers, but also to concert formats.
In addition to their homogeneity and technical prowess, the Aris Quartet captivates audiences through their passionate interpretations and ability to communicate easily with audiences. Described by the press as "thrilling", FONO FORUM; "gripping" Sueddeutsche Zeitung; and "finely nuanced and exciting" Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Born in Switzerland, he completed his Bachelor of Arts in music at the Zurich University of the Arts with Prof. Klaus Schwärzler, Prof. Raphael Christen, Prof. Benjamin Forster, Martin Grubinger and Prof. Rainer Seegers. Also in Zurich, he completed a Master of Arts in Music (Performance Soloist) in September 2019. In addition to his regular studies, he also took part in international masterclasses with Katarzyna Mycka, Jean Geoffroy, Svet Stoyanov, Conrado Moya, Beverly Johnston, and many more.

Excerpts from the press

"In my opinion, the young percussionist clearly belongs to the Swiss soloists with a profile for an international career. He not only convinces musically, but also has a very distinctive stage presence."
Thomas Pfiffner

“Fabian Ziegler takes on the challenging program with technical mastery in music-making that is as rhythmically delicate as it is virtuosic..."
PIZZICATO
Represented as General Management except US and Canada and South America by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @ 2022/2023

FAURE QUARTETT

Piano Quartet
The requirements have changed. Whoever is playing chamber music today can’t be limited to the rules from decades ago. The expectations regarding the diversity of repertoire have changed, which creates room for ensembles like the Faure Quartett, which has established itself as one of the world’s leading piano quartets within just a few years. Dirk Mommertz (piano), Erika Geldsetzer (violin), Sascha Frömbling (viola) and Konstantin Heidrich (cello) use the opportunities arising from these developments. They discover new sound fields in chamber music and perform compositions outside the mainstream repertoire.

They are visionary in their approach and highly regarded for their experiments and discoveries; be it performances with the NDR Big Band, collaborations with artists like Rufus Wainwright or Sven Helbig, appearances in clubs like the Berghain, Cocoon Club or “Le Poisson Rouge” in New York or TV shows in KIKA or “Rhapsody in School”, getting children excited in chamber music. When they released their album “Popsongs” in 2009, there was a great deal of buzz in the press and audience. In the following year, the ensemble was awarded the ECHO Classic for their album “classic beyond borders”, their second award after their recording of Brahms’ piano quartets (Chamber Music recording of the year, 2008). Other prizes include the German Music Competition, the ensemble prize from Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, international competition and recording awards, Music Prize Duisburg and Brahms prize Schleswig Holstein.

The musicians of the Faure Quartett are pioneers in many ways. After they met during their studies in 1995 in Karlsruhe for the 150th anniversary of Gabriel Faure, they quickly realized, that this combination offered new insights into undiscovered repertoire. In 2006, they signed a contract with Deutsche Grammophon, promoting them to the Champions League of the classic music business. They made highly regarded benchmark-recordings with works by Mozart, Brahms, Mendelssohn and pop songs from Peter Gabriel and Steely Dan as well as works from Mahler and Richard Strauss (Sony Classical). on one album. Currently the quartett is releasing the world’s first-ever recording of Mussorgskys “Pictures at an Exhibition” and Rachmaninovs “Etudes-Tableaux” in their own arrangements on the Berlin Classics label.

Worldwide tours raise their profile abroad and international masterclasses are part of their work with students. The members teach at the universities of Berlin and Munich. Moreover, they were Artistic Directors of “Festspielfrühling Rügen” and are ‘Quartet in Residence’ at the University of Music Karlsruhe. During their tours, the musicians appear in the world’s most important chamber music venues; including Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Berlin Philharmony, Teatro Colon Buenos Aires and Wigmore Hall London. All these mosaics form a unique profile for this defining chamber music ensemble.

Excerpts from the press

"The Faure Quartet members proved just as successful in Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, a much better-known quantity. Again, the musicians brought both strength and refined lyricism to the work, as with the vivacious lilt to the Intermezzo and a charming insouciance to the movement's coda."
Chicago Classical Review

"The whole performance had a prismatic vigor."
Indianapolis Star

"This was a performance of great finesse and sensitivity."
Register, Napa Valley

"The communication between the four performers was as beautiful to watch as their music was satisfying to hear. This quartet thinks and breathes as one, focused on a singular, clear vision for their music making."
Toronto Star

"By any standards the individual members of the Faure Quartett play extremely well. What is especially impressive, however, is how well they play together and how well balanced is the total ensemble."
Calgary Herald
Represented in the US, Canada and Mexico by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @ 2022/2023

MINETTI QUARTETT

String Quartet
Marking the Fifteenth Anniversary, the Minetti Quartett started a concert cycle  during the 2017-18 season at Vienna's newest venue, the MuTh Concert Hall situated in the city's famous Augarten. Due to its success, they continued this series into the  2019/20 to consolidate their Viennese Roots. Highlights of the most current seasons are appearances at the famous European concert halls such as the Wiener Musikverein, Tonhalle Zurich, Concert house in Bilbao, Spain, the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Mozarteum Salzburg and tours to Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and America.The CD Recording with 20th Century music is slated for a release soon.

The name Minetti derives from a play by dramatist Thomas Bernhard who lived in Ohlsdorf, Austria in the Salzkammergut Region, where also the two violinists of the quartet grew up.

Since being nominated for the "Rising Stars" Award by the European Concert Hall Organization in 2008/09, the Minetti Quartett, comprising of Austrian Musicians living in Vienna, has performed in the renowned venues in Vienna, Berlin, Cologne, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Stockholm, Brussels, London.  Invitations to chamber music festivals have taken the Minetti Quartett to North, Central and South America, Australia, Japan and China. Many of their concerts have been recorded and broadcast by international radio stations.

Chamber music partners have included, Fazil Say, Till Fellner, Alois Posch, Martin Froest, Paul Meyer, Joerg Widmann, Sharon Kam, Istvan Vardai, Camille Thomas, Andreas Klein, the Mandelring Quartett and with soloists of the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras. As orchestra soloists the quartet has performed with the Bruckner Orchestra of Linz and with the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Vienna.

The Minetti Quartett is a winner of many international chamber music competitions such as the Schubert and Haydn Competitions and was awarded Austria's Grosser Gradus ad Parnassum Prize, a start-up grant of the Austrian federal ministry and the Karajan Grant.

Johannes Meissl and the musicians of the Alban Berg Quartett were the Minetti Quartett's teachers at the Music University in Vienna. They also gained crucial artistic input from Ferenc Rados, Alfred Brendel and members of the Artemis Quartett, Amadeus Quartet and the Hagen Quartett by participating at European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA) courses.

Since 2009 Hänssler Classic has released four highly acclaimed CD recordings (Haydn, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Schubert) by the ensemble, while Avi Music has released the Clarinet Quintets The quartet has undertaken teaching projects in Finland, Mexico, Spain, Sweden and at American and Austrian universities (Mozarteum Salzburg, Music University of Graz).

The Austrian National Bank has placed two violins by G. B. Guadagnini (Mantegazza of 1774 and ex Meinel of 1770-1775) and a cello by G. Tononi (Bologna, 1681) on loan to the quartet..

Excerpts from the press

"The Minetti Quartett is a musical sensation from Austria"
Tagesspiegel, Berlin

"As a quartet they were as flawless as desirable in a live performance!"
Ionarts, Washington, DC

"Captivating transparency, drama, accuracy, and with lightness and depth, as the best under the top ensembles can."
Frankfurter Allgemeine"

"The Minetti Quartett puts on an impressive Show"

Vermont Independent
Represented in the US, Canada and Mexico by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @ 2022/2023

TRIO CON BRIO
COPENHAGEN

Piano Trio
Recognized as one of the world’s finest piano ensembles, the Trio con Brio Copenhagen’s multifaceted members are not only performing artists who tour extensively, but also esteemed recording artists, artistic directors and educators. The Trio appears regularly at the world’s leading venues and concert series, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Wigmore Hall, Berlin’s Pierre Boulez-Saal, the Concertgebouw and many more. Trio con Brio is a recipient of the Carl Nielsen and Anne Marie Carl-Nielsen Award, one of Denmark’s most prestigious prizes.

Trio con Brio Copenhagen is a fusion of two overlapping “musical pairs:” two sisters, violinist Soo-Jin Hong and cellist Soo-Kyung Hong, are from South Korea; pianist Jens Elvekjaer, Soo-Kyung’s spouse, is from Denmark. Founded at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna in 1999, the Trio is now based in Copenhagen and is recognized for its exceptional musicianship, fresh approach to the core repertoire, adventurous programming and a commitment to bringing music to young people through their highly creative concerts.

The ensemble’s recordings have received tremendous critical acclaim. The latest album of Shostakovich and Arensky trios (Orchid Classics) was a Gramophone “Editor’s Choice” and also singled out by BBC Music Magazine as a “Chamber Choice” of the month. The disc also just won the German Record Critics’ Award (Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik), and was singled out among other winning titles including the Berlin Philharmonic, Frank Peter Zimmermann, and Quatuor Ebène. An album featuring the complete Beethoven piano trios (Orchid Classics) garnered broad, enthusiastic praise from critics and fans alike with the BBC Music Magazine calling it “a triumph.” The Trio has also recorded the work of leading Scandinavian composers, including Per Nørgård, Bent Sørensen and Sven-David Sandström, who have written works for the group.

As visionary artistic directors who are known for their insatiable curiosity, inventive programming and engaging children’s concerts, Trio con Brio Copenhagen plays a vital role in the cultural life of Denmark. This season they are collaborating with leading Danish actor Søren Sætter-Lassen on their new musical production of “The Little Prince” set to open at The Royal Danish Theatre. A tour is planned the following year.

Trio con Brio Copenhagen serves as artistic directors of the annual festival, Chamber Music at Lundsgaard, and the Hellerup Chamber Music Society in Copenhagen.

Soo-Jin plays an Andrea Guarneri violin, Soo-Kyung plays a Grancino cello, and Jens is Denmark’s first Steinway Artist. Both string players are endorsed by Jargar Strings and Thomastik-Infeld Vienna.

Excerpts from the press

"Trio con Brio Copenhagen has throughout their career been hailed by press and audiences for their 'unique sound and unity of interpretation'"
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany

"From the first note, Trio con Brio exudes class ... both explosive and exquisitely intimate - aspects that this performance delivers with compelling panache."
The Strad

"Trio con brio de copenhague: formation d’élite… We can now see the Con Brio as the worthy successors of the legendary Beaux-Arts Trio. That says it all!"
DÍAPASON

"Radiant Russian memorials and unforgettable playing… I won’t forget this disc."
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

"This is a very impressive release, contrasting Arensky’s full-blown Romanticism with Shostakovich’s more troubled Soviet-era expression. From the start of Shostakovich’s Piano Trio no.1 we are allured by the players’ sheer tonal beauty, not only in the work’s melancholy lyricism but even in its clanging dissonances, which never seem ugly. There’s boundless joy and passion in Arensky’s Piano Trio, and technique to burn from the players beneath the surface. The slow Elegia movement is breathtakingly tender, with the muted violin and cello creating a magical effect"
The Strad - Edward Bhesania

"The lyric inspiration really flows, with the rich but never over-resonant acoustic of the Royal Danish Academy of Music Concert Hall giving space to each player’s special beauty of tone. While I’ve heard performances of Arensky’s work before which didn’t engrave it on the memory, the Copenhagen trio truly make it live. I won’t forget this disc.”
BBC Music Magazine

"Everything adds up to a completely thought-through and deeply felt interpretation… In every way, then, this is an outstanding achievement, and I only hope the disc gets the acclaim it deserves.”
Gramophone

"Here the combination of a Danish pianist and two Korean sisters fascinates again, in the Largo assai ed espressivo of op. 70/1, between whispered conversations and terrifying textures. Three different visions all in one timbre precision. Beethoven, One and Triune."
Scherzo - Pablo L. Rodríguez

Represented in the US, Canada and Mexico by Marianne Schmocker Artists International | @ 2022/2023
News
Accordi Podcast by Marianne Schmocker
First Episode: Frederica von Stade and Faure Quartett with Faure Songs
Episodes posted on this website, iTunes, Spotifiy, Public Radio and more
Faure Quartett and Frederica von Stade performed Faure Songs
Faure Songs: Faure Quartett and Frederica von Stade at Kohl Mansion
Welcome Percussionist Fabian Ziegler
Will appear with the Nuernberger Symphoniker with Eternal Rhythm by Dorman and Orchestra della Swizzera Italiana with Ex Machina by by Safaian.
Visit Fabian Zieglers's website here
Welcome Conductor Diego Martin-Etxebarria
Returns to Teatro Real, Madrid and debuts with Filarmonia Galicia in Spain
Visit Diego Martin-Etxebarria's Website here
Andreas Klein and Andreas Rentsch Collaboration
Cross disciplinary Recital Project between Andreas Klein (Pianist) and Andreas Rentsch (Award Winning Photographer)
Tours
US TOURS
ATOS Trio: 2024-2025 Aris Quartett: 2024-2025 Faure Quartett: 2024-2025-2026 ensemble 4.1: 2024 Minetti Quartett: 2024-2025 Trio con Brio Copenhagen: 2024-2025
Contact
Phone: +1 631 470 0393
Email: mschmockerartists@gmail.com
News
Faure Quartett and Frederica von Stade performed Faure Songs
Faure Songs: Faure Quartett and Frederica von Stade at Kohl Mansion
Accordi Podcast by Marianne Schmocker
First Episode: Frederica von Stade and Faure Quartett with Faure Songs
Episodes posted on this website, iTunes, Spotifiy, Public Radio and more
Welcome Conductor Diego Martin-Etxebarria
Returns to Teatro Real, Madrid and debuts with Filarmonia Galicia in Spain
Visit Diego Martin-Etxebarria's Website here
Welcome Percussionist Fabian Ziegler
Will appear with the Nuernberger Symphoniker with Eternal Rhythm by Dorman and Orchestra della Swizzera Italiana with Ex Machina by by Safaian.
Visit Fabian Zieglers's website here
Andreas Klein and Andreas Rentsch Collaboration
Cross disciplinary Recital Project between Andreas Klein (Pianist) and Andreas Rentsch (Award Winning Photographer)
Tours
US TOURS
ATOS Trio: 2024-2025 Aris Quartett: 2024-2025 Faure Quartett: 2024-2025-2026 ensemble 4.1: 2024 Minetti Quartett: 2024-2025 Trio con Brio Copenhagen: 2024-2025
Contact
Phone
+1 631 470 0393


Email

mschmockerartists@gmail.com
Mission Statement
Marianne Schmocker Artists is an established artist management, working from New York and Munich. We curate and consult a roster of sought-after internationally recognized artists, ensembles, and conductors. As a Boutique Management we are dedicated to providing individual attention to the professional development of our artists careers. Our approach is holistic in nature and brings balance and opportunity to fulfil every potential. We offer a profound commitment to nurture the longevity and sustainability of our relationships between artist, presenter and manager. Marianne (born in Switzerland) has worked in the industry for over 2 decades and brings a wealth of knowledge and engagement between artists and presenters.

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Contact
+1 631 470 0393
mschmockerartists@gmail.com

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Contact
Phone
+1 631 470 0393


Email

mschmockerartists@gmail.com