Musicians and composers – Philippe Mathis Music

Dimitris Anousis – A pianist goes to the opera

Dimitris Anousis, composer, pianist, arranger and manager of “AN ART ARTISTRY”, has recorded a magnificent disc entitled “When a pianist goes to the Opera”. This album is a collection of highly interesting, virtuoso 19th-century piano transcriptions by composers such as Hummel, Liszt, Raff, Thalberg and Smith. These transcriptions are based on well-known and popular musical themes from operas by Mozart, Verdi, Bellini, Wagner and Bizet.

Here are details of the works included on this album:

Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Known for his virtuoso transcriptions, Hummel brings a new dimension to operatic works with his detailed, expressive arrangements
Franz Liszt: A master transcriber, Liszt captures the dramatic and emotional essence of opera with technical and musical mastery.
Joseph Joachim Raff: Raff transforms operatic themes into complex, challenging piano pieces, revealing a unique musical depth.
Sigismond Thalberg: With his distinctive approach, Thalberg creates transcriptions that showcase the pianist’s virtuosity while respecting the original work.
Sydney Smith: Smith brings a personal touch to transcriptions, with interpretations that combine technique and sensitivity.

I hope you will be interested to listen this excellent CD.

You can find at Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/

Dimitris Anousis Home

Duo Froschhammer – Northern Lights

Northern Lights – An insight into nordic violin music
Published by the record company Solo Musica, the CD « Northern lights » of the Duo Froschhammer allows us to discover with sensitivity and virtuosity several Scandinavian composers. This very successful record brings together works for violin and piano written between the 19th and 20th centuries (Tor Aulin, Edward Grieg, Jean Sibelius) and also folk pieces transcribed by Fritz Froschhammer and the Duo Froschhammer.

Duo Frocshammer The Duo Froschhammer features siblings Felix Froschhammer, violin, and Julia Froschhammer, piano. Founded in 1998, the Duo has since performed in Switzerland, Germany, ltaly, France, Malta and al the famous Atheneum in Bucharest. Together they are prize winners of the International Wolfgang Jacobi Competition for 20th cenlury chamber music and have been recipienls of scholarships from the Bavarian Music Fund.

Felix Froschhammer is first Violinist of the casalQuartett and Concertmaster of both the Ensemble Symphonique Neuchâtel and Sinfonietta de Lausanne (Switzerland), Felix is also active as a soloist and plays an important role in the Ensemble Chaarts and Tri i Dve, a Quinte! specialising in Balkan music.
Previous engagements include appearances al festivals including Salzburger Feslspiele, Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Rheingau Musikfestival and Lucerne Festival, as well as al worldrenowned venues in Shanghai, Bangkok, Moscow, Singapore, Milan and Paris. Felix’s performances have been broadcast on Radio France, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Ôsterreichischer Rundfunk, Südwestdeulscher Rundfunk, Deulschlandfunk, Radio Suisse Romande Espace 2, France 2, Arte TV and Mezzo. His chamber music parlners include Gautier Capuçon, Lawrence Power, Fazil Say, Felicity Lott and Maximilian Hornung. Since 2018 he has been the Artistic Director of the Festival du Jura in Switzerland.

Born in Munich, Julia Froschhammer began studying the piano at the age of six with her father, the pianist and composer Fritz Froschhammer. A prize winner of several national competitions, she obtained her artistic diploma with Vadim Suchanov al the Richard Strauss
Conservatory, Munich, and joined the Haute école de musique de Lausanne (HEMU) in 2002, studying with Jean-François Antonioli. ln 2007, she completed her studies with the prestigious soloist’s diploma and was awarded the Paderewski Prize and the Ganz Prize.
Julia performs regularly as a chamber musician and soloist throughout Europe. Together with harpist Céline Gay des Combes she also enjoys performing as part of the Duo Harpian, a rare harp and piano duo which con be heard on Radio France Musique, Radio Espace 2, SRF and Radio Classique. Recently they have performed for the Swiss Embassy
in Washington (USA) and released a CD of French and Spanish music on the Swiss label VDE Gallo. The duo often commissions new works, and in 2016, the Swiss composer Jean Froidevaux dedicated a work to them. With her new ensemble, Pianofolie, Julia performs with three other pianists atone piano, combining music and comedy.
Alongside her concert career Julia shores her passion for music through teaching, notably as Professor of piano al the lnstitute de Ribaupierre (EML) in Lausanne.

As an accomplished artist Julia also expresses herself through painting. Her work con be found on her online art gallery, JuArt, and al regular exhibitions and concerts combining music and art.

Pianist Emma Saskia Baehler

Emma Saskia Baehler began playing the piano before the age of four. At just six, she gave her first official concert, performing Chopin mazurkas and works by Brahms with brio. Her first teacher and mentor, her mother Sibylle Bähler, accompanied her on this concert, underlining the importance of family heritage and teaching in her musical development. Emma’s precocity and talent already point to a promising career in the world of classical music.

Emma Saskia Baehler has already given concerts in several Swiss cities, including Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Avenches, Sigriswil, Zurich and Thun, playing as a soloist as well as in duo with her mother for four-hand pieces. Her virtuosity and talent also led her to perform in Germany, where she captivated audiences with her refined and moving interpretations. At such a young age, Emma has already built up an impressive track record of performances.

Since 2017, she has partnered with Swiss violinist Alexandre Dubach several times. She has already won several first prizes, including in June 2018, the first prize at the Steinway Piano Competition.

Emma Saskia Bähler playing Robert Schumann Aufschwung, op. 12 Nr. 2

In late February and early March 2019, Emma Saskia Bähler gave her first concerts with orchestra, marking a milestone in her young career. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree at the Bern University of Music, where she continues to perfect her art and enrich her repertoire.
Emma Saskia Bähler’s brilliant combination of academic achievement and professional experience is a testament to her dedication and passion for music. Undoubtedly an artist to keep an eye on.

Svetlana Ponomarëva – Concert pianist

Svetlana Ponomarëva was born in the Siberian city of Omsk, Russia. From the age of three, she played the piano with her fingers on the table, and was subsequently accepted with the highest mark at Moscow’s prestigious Gnessin Academy of Music. Svetlana studied in the classes of Professor Alexander Satz and Professor Alexander Alexandrov.

In 1993, she was a finalist in the Young Concert Artist competition in New York and reached the semi-finals of the Esther Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, Canada, in 1996. In 2004, Svetlana made her New York debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, a landmark moment in her career. Since then, she has released eight CDs, showcasing her virtuosity and musical sensibility.

Svetlana has performed as a soloist, with orchestras and chamber music ensembles in Russia, Germany, Canada and the USA. She has collaborated with such eminent conductors as Sergey Skripka, Oleg Burakov, Yuri Nikolayevsky, Dmitry Vasiliev, Vladimir Rylov, Valery Khalilov and Sergei Durygin. His performances are hailed for their emotional depth and impeccable technique, captivating audiences the world over.

In addition to her concert career, Svetlana is also a dedicated teacher, sharing her expertise with the next generation of pianists. She regularly organizes masterclasses and workshops, inspiring young musicians to achieve musical excellence.

In 2007, Svetlana Ponomarëva published a book by Svetlana Gordeevtseva entitled “Touching a Mystery”, about articulation in the keyboard music of J.S. Bach. She has lectured on this subject in Vancouver and Omsk, Russia, sharing her in-depth knowledge and expertise with passionate audiences.

In 2016-2017, Svetlana was invited to perform at the prestigious Spasskaya Tower Festival in the Moscow Kremlin. This iconic event provided an ideal platform to showcase her exceptional talent and reinforced her position as a respected musician on the international stage.

With a career rich in memorable performances, distinguished collaborations and academic contributions, Svetlana Ponomarëva continues to influence and inspire the world of classical music. Her passion for music and her art continue to shine through every note she plays and every student she trains.

During 2020-2021, together with her son Antoine Villéger – composer and pianist – she participated in various International online competitions in Russia, Europe (Italy, Spain, UK, Luxembourg) and Turkey earning numerous prize-winning places, as well as eight Grand-Prix, in Piano (solo and ensemble), Composition and Acting Skills nominations.

In 2021 Svetlana participated in the International Scientific Conference in Moscow with her presentation “The Art of Interpretation: Artistic Analysis of Piano Concerto #2 (op. 16 in G Minor) by Sergey Prokofiev”, for the composer’s 130th Anniversary.

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Antoine Villéger, composer and pianist

Vancouver-born prodigy Antoine Villéger is already an accomplished composer and pianist. A graduate of the DipLCM in Performance (Recital) at the London College of Music, University of West London, as well as the Royal Conservatory of Music (ARCT), Antoine demonstrated a mastery of his art from an early age.

He began his composition studies with Alexander Pechenyuk, where he quickly demonstrated an exceptional talent for creating music. Antoine had the honor of working under Juno Award-winning composer Michael Conway Baker, who greatly influenced his artistic development. Currently, Antoine continues his piano studies under the tutelage of pianist Svetlana Ponomarëva, perfecting his technique and musical interpretation.

Antoine is a prizewinner in numerous international and national composition and piano competitions. He has won prestigious awards in Canada, Europe (Spain, Luxembourg) and Russia. These achievements testify not only to his talent, but also to his determination and dedication to music.

His impressive career at such a young age promises a bright future, and it is certain that Antoine will continue to enchant the world of classical music with his exceptional compositions and performances.

His orchestral compositions have been performed in Canada by Lions Gate Sinfonia and conductor Clyde Mitchell, with works including “The Battle” in 2015, “Song without Words” in 2018, “The Story of a Theme” in 2019, and “North Shore Waltz” in 2020. In 2019, his compositions were also performed by the Kessler Academy at the Music on Main concert series in Vancouver.
Through these performances, his work has reached a wider audience and received significant recognition. Each performance has been praised for its emotional depth and technical mastery, reflecting the diversity and richness of his musical style. Antoine Villéger is emerging as an influential figure on the musical landscape, helping to enrich the scene with his captivating compositions.

Antoine‘s choral composition “The Butterfly and The Bee”, inspired by a poem by E. Dickinson, was premiered in 2019 by the Vancouver Chamber Choir under the direction of Jon Washburn. This work was presented at the 14th Biennial Young Composers’ Competition, where it won two prestigious prizes: First Place in the Elementary Division and the “Barbara Pentland Award for Outstanding Composition”.

This success confirmed Antoine’s talent as a composer of choral music, highlighting his ability to transform poetry into captivating musical compositions. The recognition he received at the competition reinforced his reputation in the world of classical music and demonstrated his artistic potential.

Antoine freely speaks English, French and Russian and in his free time likes to play tennis and chess, reading and acting.

The Story of a Theme 2017 (…just audio)

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Antoine Villéger – Road to Spasskaya

Road to Spasskaya (tower)

written by Antoine Villéger had it’s world premiere on March 20, 2022 with the Omsk Symphony Orchestra (conductor Dmitry Vasilyev). The magnificent piece, full of Slavic soul and written with outstanding finesse, shows us wonderful orchestral abilities of the young composer.

This piece was written following Antoine’s visit to the Military Music Festival of the Spasskaya Tower in Moscow. In his score he has phrased the impressions of a trip to this major festival of music and cultures.

We invite you to discover this beautiful interpretation of the Omsk Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Dmitry Vasiliev.

Link to the complete concert

Dmitry Vasiliev is artistic director and principal conductor of the Siberian Symphony Orchestra since 2005. You can read his biography here :

http://dmitryvasiliev.ru/

Jean Froidevaux – The mysterious painting of Cheng-Bo

Jean Froidevaux wrote a wonderful story by bringing together the piano and the harpsichord, two instruments with dissimilar sounds. Originally the promise of a composer to two musicians to compose a work for them. From this promise springs a story. China for the crystalline sounds of the harpsichord, an initiatory tale that allows all the nuances of the piano.

The famous painter Cheng-Bô saw his soul mate one night and stopped painting: his hand was tightened and could no longer even hold a brush. From then on, Cheng-Bô never stopped finding this woman seen in a dream…

The book is beautifully illustrated in watercolour by the French-speaking painter Gilles-Emmanuel Fiaux (www.gef-art.ch).

The CD of Jean Froidevaux allows you to hear this tale through the voices of Vincent Favrod (reciter and percussion) and the storyteller Daphnée Béguin. And to appreciate the musical work, a marriage of the piano of Hjalmar Berg, professor at the Vevey Conservatory, and the harpsichord of Martine Reymond, organist at the Saint-Vincent temple in Montreux.

A wonderful book, which will delight children and adults alike with its aesthetic appeal

To order the book (CD included)

About Jean Froidevaux

Jean Froidevaux studied piano with Ernest Vuillemin and organ with François Demierre. He obtained his higher diploma as an organist at the Institut de Ribaupierre in Lausanne (with honors). He then studied harmony, counterpoint, music history and composition with Aloÿs Fornerod and obtained a teaching diploma in the theoretical branches of music at the Conservatoire de Fribourg (with summa cum laude). Interested in the training of young musicians, he joined the Swiss Society of Musical Pedagogy, where he spent several years on its committee. With Mrs. Marie-Louise Sérieyx he co-wrote a treatise on counterpoint. He composed for piano, organ, harpsichord, chamber music, brass band, orchestra, voice and choir.

Ravil Islyamov – Violinist

Discover Ravil Islyamov, violinist and composer of this beautiful quintet « Once Upon a Tale » played by Svetlana Ponomaryova (piano) and the MARS Quartet:
– Ravil Islyamov (1rst violin)
– Andrey Zubenko (violin)
– Serafim Gerasimov (viola)
– Matvey Sobolev (cello)

Ravil Islyamov was born in Vladimir in 2001. A graduate of the Central School of Music at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow (class of Alexander Vinnitsky), he is currently continuing his studies at the Moscow Conservatory under the same teacher.

He won the Gold Medal at the Russian Delphic Youth Games (Tyumen, 2016; Vladivostok, 2018). In 2016, he also received the Grand Prize at the International Beethoven Competition for violin, viola and cello (Sankt Pölten, Austria).

Ravil Islyamov performs regularly in his native country as well as in Europe and the Middle East. His exceptional talent is showcased at every concert, where he currently plays on a 1735 Giuseppe Guarneri “del Gesù” violin, a prestigious instrument that adds an extra dimension to his performances.

His promising career and numerous awards testify to his dedication and passion for classical music.

Ravil Islyamov, violinist and composer

Alexandre Dubach & Sibylle Baehler Duo piano violin

Alexandre Dubach is a Swiss violinist. He began studying violin under Elisabeth Schoni at the age of 7. Within two years, he won the Concours National of the 1964 EXPO in Lausanne, followed by appearance on television and radio around Switzerland.

He proceeded to study under Eva Zurbrugg, Ulrich Lehmann, Yehudi Menuhin, Nathan Milstein, Magda Lavanchy and Salvatore Accardo. At 15 he gave his debut performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto with Armin Jordanand the Tonhalle Orchester Zurich, where he returned regularly as soloist and from 1981-1985 also as leader.

At the age of 16 he won the Migros study prize and completed his studies at the Conservatoire in Fribourg « summa cum laude ». His talent was recognised in international competitions,including Senigallia, Sion, Vienna, Naples, Gernsbach, Freiburg and Vercelli, where he won 1 st prizes, including the coveted « Premio Rodolfo Lipizer »in Gorizia.

In 2000 the town of Thun awarded him their prize for culture. In 2015 he receives the same award from the Bernese Oberland.

In 2007 Dubach performed the Swiss national premiere of Niccolo Paganini’s Third ViolinConcerto. His Claves recording of Paganini’s 6 violin concertos with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo has won great acclaim, including a listing in Jaoachim Hartnack’s Great Violinists of our Time.

Alexandre Dubach has taught in Castel del Monte, Zurich (at the master classes after A. Grumiaux and N. Milstein), Delémont and Sion and is also in great demand as a teacher in eastern Europe.

Sibylle Baehler : After obtaining her teaching certificate at the « Staatliches Seminar Bern », Sibylle Bähler obtained her teaching diploma at the « Société Suisse de Pédagogie musicale ». She completed her artistic training at the « Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt » in Weimar by taking part in « Master-Classes » with Alexander Alexandrov.

Her main fields of music activity are piano teaching and chamber music concerts. She often accompanies her daughter in four-handed works and plays in duet with violinist Alexandre Dubach. She is also a remarkable Lieder accompanist.

Deutschland, Bensberg, BenefizKonzert für Bono e.V. mit Alexandre Dubach, Emma Saskia und Sybille Bähler im Autohaus Gieraths 18.01.2019 Ⓒ Markus Bollen