Face to face

Swiss-Italian soprano Laurence Guillod is a regular performer on international stages, both in opera and in concert. Her career has taken her to the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Opéra de Toulon, and in Switzerland to the TheaterBasel, the Opéra de Lausanne, the Opéra de Fribourg, the Casino de Bâle and the Victoria Hall. In 2020, she was invited by the Orchestre National de Lyon for a series of concerts at the Auditorium de Lyon, conducted by Ben Glasberg, as well as by the Orchestra of the Cameristi della Scala di Milano, to perform the MatthäusPassion under the baton of Wilson Hermanto.

She has successfully taken on the roles of Ilia (Idomeneo, Mozart), Adina (L’Elisir d’amore, Donizetti), Juliette (Roméo et Juliette, Gounod) and Marguerite (Faust, Gounod), Violetta Valéry (Traviata, Verdi), Micaela (Carmen, Bizet), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni, Mozart). More recently, she made her debut in the Puccinian roles of Liù (Turandot, Puccini), followed by the roles of Tosca and Mimì (La Bohème).

Laurence frequently performs the religious repertoire, including Brahms’ Requiem at the Victoria Hall in Geneva, Fauré’s Requiem at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Schubert’s Mass in E at the Salle de Musique in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Mozart’s Mass in C, Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Petite Messe solennelle. 

She is also a keen recitalist, working with pianists Christian Favre, Riccardo Bovino and Edward Rushton, at the Festival Lied et Mélodies in Geneva and in the Stimmen zu Gast season at Liestal, among others, where she tackles the Romantic and post-romantic repertoires. 

Laurence Guillod has worked with conductors such as John Nelson, James Gaffigan, Andrea Marcon, Roberto Rizzi-Brignoli, Antonio Pirolli, Axel Kober, Facundo Agudin, Wilson Hermanto, Cyril Diederich, Gabriel Feltz and stage directors Jérôme Deschamps, Omar Porras, Bruno Ravella, David Bösch, Elmar Goerden, Benedikt von Peter.

A top-level graduate of the Haute Ecole de Musique in Lausanne, Laurence was awarded the Max Jost prize for outstanding studies, and then spent a season with the Opera Studio in Basel. She has received several awards, including a grant from the Colette Mosetti Foundation and a study prize from the Migros Cultural Percentage, and won the Claudio Abbado Special Prize and second prize at the Umberto Giordano International Competition (IT).

Born in Italy, Valerio Contaldo grew up in Switzerland. After training as a classical guitarist in Sion and Paris, he studied with Gary Magby at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne where he obtained a Master degree in singing performance. He has been among the finalists of the Leipzig Bach Competition in 2008 and attended masterclasses with Christa Ludwig, Klesie Kelly, David Jones and Julius Drake.

Very active and versatile, his oratorio repertoire includes the most important works of sacred music from Monteverdi to Frank Martin, including  Bach (Passions, Cantatas), Mozart (Requiem, Davide Penitente, C minor Mass), Haydn (The Creation, The Seasons), Rossini (Petite Messe Solennelle, Stabat Mater).

He performs in major European Festivals and concert halls such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Musikverein in Vienna, Beaune and Ambronay festivals, Mozartwoche in Salzburg, Les Folles Journées in Nantes, Bilbao, Warsaw and Tokyo, MA Festival in Bruges, Oude Muziek Festival in Utrecht  and at the opera, on the stages of the Opéra de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the theaters of Biel/Solothurn, the Opéra de Nice, the Opéra de Bordeaux, the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, as well as at the Festivals of Edinburgh, Aix-en-Provence and Graz (Styriarte).

In 2017, he has had the chance to perform the title role in L’Orfeo by Monteverdi, with Concerto Italiano (R. Alessandrini) in Barcelona, Adelaide, Shanghai and Beijing, as well as with the Cappella Mediterranea (L. García Alarcón) in Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris (Festival Saint-Denis), and on tour in South America (Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo).

Recently, he has also been heard at the Opéra de Bordeaux and the Opéra Comique in Mârouf, Savetier du Caire by Henri Rabaud, as well as L’Orfeo by Monteverdi, in Budapest, Vicenza and Geneva in a version by Iván Fischer or in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and in Haydn’s Creation at the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, under the baton of Leonardo García Alarcón.

Between 2021 and 2023 his performances include: Testo in Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (Festival d’Aix-en-Provence), the title role in Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno di Ulisse in Patria at the Opéra Royal de Versailles, the Evangelist in Bach’s Matthäus Passion, Morphée in Lully’s Atys at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, as well as Damon in Handel’s Acis and Galatea, in Paris and Amsterdam (Concertgebouw). 

He works under the baton of conductors such as: Leonardo García Alarcón, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Marc Minkowski, Michel Corboz, William Christie, Alfredo Bernardini, John Nelson, Philippe Herreweghe, Philippe Pierlot, Stephan MacLeod, Sébastien Daucé, Stéphane Fuget, Peter van Heyghen, Jean-Marc Aymes…

Among his recent notable recordings: Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo with La Cappella Mediterranea (Alpha), Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno di Ulisse in Patria (CVS), Bach’s B minor Mass with Gli Angeli Geneva (Claves) or Dafne in Lauro by Fux with the ensemble Zefiro (Arcana), Monteverdi’s  Il Setttimo Libro de’ Madrigali (Naïve) all highly acclaimed.

Since winning the Evian competition in 1985 and the Borciani competition in Reggio Emilia in 1987, the Quatuor Sine Nomine, based in Lausanne (Switzerland), has enjoyed an international career that has taken it to the major cities of Europe and America, including London (Wigmore Hall), Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), New York (Carnegie Hall) and the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Among the personalities who have left their mark on the four musicians are Rose Dumur Hemmerling, who passed on her passion for the string quartet and introduced them to its great tradition; the Melos Quartet; and Henri Dutilleux, whose encounter with the quartet during the recording of Ainsi la Nuit for Erato was particularly enriching.

The life of the ensemble is constantly enriched by regular collaborations with other musicians. Close links have been forged with a number of quartets, including the Vogler Quartet in Berlin and the Carmina Quartet in Zurich.

The Quatuor Sine Nomine has a vast repertoire, from Haydn to the 21st century, not forgetting lesser-played works such as Enesco’s Octet. They have also premiered several contemporary works dedicated to them. As well as the great classics (the complete Schubert works on Cascavelle and the complete Brahms works on Claves), Arriaga’s quartets and works by Turina (also on Claves), their discography also includes piano quintets by Furtwängler (Timpani) and Goldmark (CPO).

As well as playing in the quartet, each member is involved in intensive teaching activities at the region’s universities (Hemu, hem Ge). The quartet has also been artistic director of the Orchestre des Jeunes de la Suisse Romande since 2012.

The Quartet is supported by the City of Lausanne and the State of Vaud. Since 1994, the Association des Amis du Quatuor Sine Nomine has contributed to the development of the quartet’s career, particularly abroad. The ensemble has been the founder and artistic director of the Sine Nomine Festival since its creation in 2001.

The Quatuor Sine Nomine has chosen to be called ‘nameless’ to symbolise its desire to serve all the composers and works it performs.

Daniel Reuss studied choral conducting with Barend Schuurman at the Rotterdam Conservatory. In 1990, he succeeded Jan Boeke as Artistic Director of the Cappella Amsterdam, becoming its artistic director. At the same time he conducted the RIAS Kammerchor Berlin from 2003 to 2006, then the Estonian Philharmonic Choir from 2008 to 2013. With the Estonian Philharmonic Choir and Cappella Amsterdam, he has made two recordings: Frank Martin’s Golgotha (nominated in 2010 for the Grammy for best choral performance), and Poulenc’s Stabat Mater and Sept Répons de Ténèbres in 2014. In 2017, he and Cappella Amsterdam were awarded the Edison Klassik’ prize for Arvo Pärt’s Kanon Pokajanen. From 2015 to 2019, he was artistic director of the EVL before becoming its principal guest conductor.

Founded in 2007 by trombonist Jean-Marc Daviet and percussionist Jean-Marie Paraire, the Lemanic Modern Ensemble is the result of the two musicians’ desire to champion the modern and contemporary repertoires.

From the outset, the Ensemble has been surrounded with leading figures from the international scene to provide musical direction. Conductor and composer William Blank joined the LME shortly after the creation, followed by Pierre Bleuse in the 2016-2017 season until 2022-2023. Since September 2023, the position has been held by Dylan Corlay.

A cross-border ensemble based between Annemasse and Geneva, the Lemanic Modern Ensemble performs both at home – at Victoria Hall, Ansermet Auditorium, Comédie de Genève, Conservatoire de Musique de Genève or Annemasse Auditorium – and in more distant venues such as Médiathèque du Valais in Sion, Grand-Théâtre d’Aix-en-Provence, IRCAM or Abbaye de Royaumont, among others.

Acclaimed for its interpretations and mastery of the contemporary repertoire, the Lemanic Modern Ensemble has been invited to numerous festivals, including the Archipel Festival in Geneva, the Biennale Musique en Scène du Grame in Lyon, the Shanghai New Music Week, the Venice Biennale, the Festival d’Avignon and the International New Music Festival in Saint Petersburg.

An ardent supporter of new works, the Ensemble regularly works with composers including Michael Jarrell, Tristan Murail, Yann Robin, Sofia Avramidou, Hanspeter Kyburz, Hugues Dufourt, Ivan Fedele, Luis Naón, Aka Nakamura and Daniel Arango-Prada, First Prize winner in composition at the Geneva Competition.

The Ensemble’s growing reputation enables the musicians to work with conductors such as Jean Deroyer, Julien Leroy, Bruno Mantovani, Martin Matalon, Jurjen Hempel and Pascal Rophé, and soloists such as violinists Diana Tishchenko, Svetlin Roussev and Tedi Papavrami, and violist Christophe Desjardins, cellist Éric-Maria Couturier, pianists Lorenzo Soulès and Cédric Pescia, flutist Emmanuel Pahud and singers Véronique Gens, Clémence Tilquin, Marina Viotti and Cristina Branco, as well as actor Carlo Brandt, actress Fanny Ardant and actor and singer Lambert Wilson.

Celebrated for his outstanding interpretations as a soloist, his extensive exploration of chamber music with some of today’s finest musicians, and a dedication to widening the cello literature, Marc Coppey is considered one of the world’s leading cellists, and his reputation as a fine conductor is growing on the international podium.

A protégé of Lord Yehudi Menuhin and Mstislav Rostropovich, Coppey achieved his first international success at the age of 18, winning First Prize and ‘Prize for the Best Bach Performance’ at the prestigious Leipzig Bach Competition (1988).  Soon thereafter, he made major debuts in Paris and Moscow in collaboration with Yehudi Menuhin and Victoria Postnikova (captured on film by the celebrated director Bruno Monsaingeon) and performed at the Evian Festival by personal invitation of Mstislav Rostropovich.  Since then, Coppey has carved out an impressive solo career to date, working regularly with many of the world’s finest orchestras and conductors – including, amongst others, Alain Altinoglu, Lionel Bringuier, Lawrence Foster, Alan Gilbert, Kirill Karabits, Emmanuel Krivine, John Nelson, Pascal Rophé, Yan Pascal Tortelier, and Yutaka Sado.  He was made Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Cultural Ministry in 2014.

The breadth of Coppey’s repertoire testifies to his profound musical curiosity: alongside mainstream cello literature, he is a champion of lesser known and contemporary works. He has given the world premieres of cello concerti by renowned composers such as Jacques Lenot, Marc Monnet, Eric Tanguy, and the French premieres of works by Elliott Carter, Mantovani, and Erkki-Sven Tüür. Amongst those composers who have dedicated works to Coppey are such leading voices as Lera Auerbach, Christophe Bertrand, Hugues Dufourt, Frédéric Durieux, Ivan Fedele, Philippe Fénelon, Philippe Hurel, Michael Jarrell, Betsy Jolas, Frank Krawczyk, Philippe Leroux, François Meïmoun, Brice Pauset, Enno Poppe, Thierry Pécou, Michèle Reverdy, Johannes Maria Staud, and Frédéric Verrières.

Recent and forthcoming highlights include performances as a soloist with Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse/Lio Kuokman, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio-France/Kazushi Ono, Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg/John Nelson, and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra/Lawrence Foster.  As a conductor, Coppey collaborates with the Deutsche Kammerakademie and the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, amongst other leading ensembles, and has served as Music Director of the Zagreb Soloists since 2011. 2021 marked Coppey’s first year as Artist-in-Residence with the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música, performing Dutilleux (with John Storgårds), Dvořák (with Vassily Sinaisky), and Elgar (with Michael Sanderling), alongside Rhim (with Peter Rundel) and Shostakovich No.1 (with Stefan Blunier).

Coppey is a much-acclaimed recording artist, working exclusively with the audite classics label. 2021 saw the release of Shostakovich: Cello Concertos (with Polish Radio Symphony/Lawrence Foster), and 2022 saw the release of Kodály: Music for Solo Cello, and The French Cello (Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg/John Nelson). All three albums received exceptional reviews, universally placing Coppey on a par with the greatest cellists in history.

Coppey’s recordings have received exultant critical acclaim, including a Diapason d’Or and “Choc” in the Monde de la Musique for his recording of the Dutilleux Cello Concerto (with Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège/Pascal Rophé), and the highly sought after “ffff” from Télérama, amongst other awards. Coppey has also recorded extensively for the Accord/Universal, Aeon/Outhere, Decca, Harmonia Mundi, K617, Mirare, and Naïve record labels. In the streaming sphere, Coppey’s performances can be found on both Arte.tv and Medici.tv.

Passionate about inspiring future generations of musicians, Coppey is a Professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, and is regularly invited to give masterclasses across Europe, Asia, and both North & South America. Since October 2020, he has been Artistic Director of the Saline Royale Academy d’Arc-et-Senans: a state-of-the-art new music education facility in France.

Marc Coppey is also a passionate chamber musician, and former member of the Ysaÿe Quartet (1995-2000). He now serves as Artistic Director of the annual festival Les Musicales de Colmar. Coppey collaborates regularly with pianists such as Nelson Goerner, Stephen Kovacevich, Kun-Woo Paik, and Maria-João Pires, leading string players including Ilya Gringolts, Vadim Gluzman, Viktoria Mullova, Alina Pogostkina, and Lawrence Power, and the internationally acclaimed flautist Emmanuel Pahud. Coppey’s regular sonata partner is esteemed Russian pianist Peter Laul.

Marc Coppey performs on a cello by Matteo Gofriller (Venice, 1711), known as the ‘Van Wilgenburg’, and resides in Paris.

Trumpet, piano, guitar, bass, harmonica, ondes Martenot, tap-dance, bassoon : Dylan Corlay has been musically diverse since he was a child ! Throughout his studies and experiences on stage, he patiently paved the way to becoming an orchestra conductor.

Before winning the“6th international Jorma Panula Conducting Competition” in 2015, he won his spurs as a trumpet player in a reggae band, a bassoon player in prestigious orchestras, a teacher, an improviser, a composer and a comedian.

In recent seasons, he has been invited to conduct the Orchestre National de France, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Ensemble lntercontemporain, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Orchestre National d’Île-de-France, Orchestre de chambre de Paris, Joensuu City Orchestra in Finland, Berner Sinfonieorchester, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne…

His performances as conductor on opera productions have been acclaimed by musicians and critics alike, particularly at the Frankfurt Opera for Berlioz’s Les Troyens. He regularly collaborates with Les Frivolités Parisiennes (Le Testament de la Tante Caroline and Le Diable à Paris). He is invited to conduct projects uniting symphony orchestras and jazz or contemporary music artists such as Bireli Lagrène, André Ceccarelli, Mélody Gardot, Matthieu Chedid, Sanseverino…  Since 2018, he has been conducting the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France for the “Hip-Hop Symphonique” project at the Maison de la Radio. Dylan Corlay is driven by the desire to create genuine moments of artistic communion. Whether in the presence of spectators, in front of orchestra musicians or with students, his aspirations remain unchanged – to exchange, transmit and federate.

In 2019, Dylan Corlay premiered his Concerto pour Pirate with the Orchestre Victor Hugo Franche-Comté. In this show, which he imagined and composed, he is actor, musician, conductor, sound-painter and pirate. This project is a co-production with the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, the Orchestre National de Metz and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France.

In 2021, created “Tour d’orchestre à bicyclette” with the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Tours: a concert-show featuring an astonishingly diverse repertoire combining musical arrangements, juggling, tap-dancing…  For each performance, Dylan Corlay travels by bike to the concert venue, sharing the journey with motivated cyclists from each city hosting the show.

As part of the cultural events linked to the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the “Tour d’Orchestre(s) à Bicyclette” project aims to mobilize and unite musicians and sportsmen and women throughout the metropolitan area, around a sporting practice – cycling – and a type of music – symphonic music – as part of a popular and inclusive event.

A lover of sound, eager to work, passionate about sharing… Insatiable!

Combining tradition with innovation in sound, Nicolas Bolens’ work places the spotlight on the material and subjects that present themselves to him. His music is often tied to other elements: a text, a film, a place, an invocation. But each project has the same aim: creating an authentic and unprecedented artistic experience.

For instance, with the Ensemble Batida, Bolens created “Welcome to the Castle” (2017), three musical acts for musicians moving through the Château des Allymes near Amberieu-en-Bugey. For the Gémeaux Quartett, he wrote “La Ville Oblique” (2013), a string quartet designed as a musical extension of Dali and Buñuel’s short film Un Chien Andalou.

Written text, mostly poetry, runs throughout Bolens’ work. He has composed music to poems by Celan, Sachs, Mallarmé, Char, Blok, Khayyam, Michaux, Éluard, Basho, Neruda, Rilke, Adonis, Shakespeare, and others. These authors, hailing from various countries and time periods, have led him to incorporate many languages into his work, drawing as much on their sonic potential as their semantic content.

Orchestration also plays an important role in Bolens’ work, in particular in rethinking the instrumentation of historical works. In 2018, he re-orchestrated Mahler’s “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” and 4th Symphony for the Lemanic Modern Ensemble under the direction of Pierre Bleuse. Commissioned by the Ouverture Opera association, his recent reworking of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” follows the same approach.

Nicolas Bolens has collaborated with the Ensemble Batida, the Lemanic Modern Ensemble, the Swiss Chamber Soloists, the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne, the Ensemble Vocal Polhymnia, the Ensemble Vortex, the Basler Madrigalisten, and the Ensemble Vocal Sequence.

Born in Geneva, Bolens first studied piano at the Geneva conservatory, before completing his training in Jean Balissat’s composition class. He further refined his skills under Rudolph Kelterborn, Klaus Huber, Edison Denisov, and Eric Gaudibert. He is the recipient of numerous composition awards, including from the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra (1993) and the Banque Cantonale Neuchâteloise (2002), as well as a grant from the Leenaards Foundation (1998).

A dedicated teacher and committed artist, he teaches counterpoint, 20th century writing, and composition at the Haute École de Musique de Genève. He is involved in several institutions related to musical creation in Switzerland, including the Swiss Musicians Association, the Archipel Festival Association, the Nicati-de-Luze Foundation, and the Artistic Council of the Geneva Competition.

An insatiable artist with a discography of more than twenty records, Pierre Fouchenneret dedicates several years of his life to interpreting the work of a single composer, surrounding himself with the finest chamber musicians and, more often than not, recording the composer’s complete works. In 2016, he recorded Beethoven’s complete sonatas for violin and piano with Romain Descharmes for Aparte. In 2018, he released the first volume of a complete set of Gabriel Fauré’s chamber music with Simon Zaoui and Raphaël Merlin. He also embarked on the ambitious project of playing all of Brahms’ chamber music together with the Strada Quartet, Eric Lesage, Florent Pujuila, Adrien Boisseau, and others. This complete set was released by B-Records between 2018 and 2021. In the spring of 2020, his recording of Schubert’s and Raphaël Merlin’s octets was released, featuring Nicolas Baldeyrou, David Guerrier, and Marc Desmons, among others.

A child prodigy, Pierre Fouchenneret won his first prize in violin and chamber music at the Paris Conservatory (CNSM) at the age of 16 in the classes of Olivier Charlier and Daria Hovora. He then won the Grand Prize at the Bordeaux International Chamber Music Competition, the Georges Enesco Grand Prize from Sacem, and became a laureate and an associate of the Natixis Foundation.

Invited to perform all over the world, the “extraordinary bow” (Le Figaro) of Pierre Fouchenneret quickly led him to play with exceptional musicians such as the Fine Arts Quartet, Jean-François Heisser, Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, Zong Xu, Julien Leroy and Nicolas Angelich. In 2013, he founded the Strada Quartet with Sarah Nemtanu, Lise Berthaud, and François Salque.

A consummate and avid artist, Pierre Fouchenneret is recognised by French and international orchestras for his audacity and his unique vision of the repertoire. He has been invited to collaborate with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de Bordeaux, the Brno Philharmonic, the Philharmonic of Nice, the Baltic of Saint Petersburg, and the Orchestre de Chambre Nouvelle-Aquitaine. A renowned pedagogue, Pierre Fouchenneret teaches at the Haute école de musique de Genève.

Loïc Vallaeys is a young Franco-Peruvian pianist. He started playing piano at the age of 4 and has studied both in France and in Peru. At 13, he was admitted to the National Conservatory of Music in Peru, where he won first prize in his category for three consecutive years, across all instruments.

After graduating from the Conservatory, Loïc moved to Geneva to continue his studies with Nelson Goerner at the Haute École de Musique. Having obtained his bachelor’s degree, he is currently pursuing a master’s in solo performance at HEM under the same professor.

In March 2023, he won the Dominique Weber Prize, which is awarded to talented young pianists studying in Switzerland. That same year, he also received the Adolphe Neuman Prize from the City of Geneva, which is awarded to one exceptionally deserving student in the piano, violin, or cello class at HEM. In June 2024, he became a recipient of the Marescotti Scholarship by winning special prize at the Puplinge Classique festival.

Loïc has performed as a soloist in Peru, playing concertos by Bach and Mozart, and Mendelssohn’s “Capriccio Brillante.” More recently, in Geneva, he has had the opportunity to perform solo at the Palais de l’Athénée, the Lutheran Church, the Cité Bleue, and the Temple de Carouge during various festivals. He also gave a recital at the Église du Lieu during the Rencontres Culturelles de la Vallée de Joux.

In addition to his solo career, Loïc has also performed in several chamber music concerts, a genre about which he is particularly passionate. He has performed in duos, trios, quartets, and quintets, playing repertoires ranging from Haydn to contemporary music, including works by Mozart, Schubert, Robert Schumann, Brahms, Smetana, Fauré, Rachmaninov, Gustav Mahler, Dora Pejacevic, and Marc Eychenne, among others.

Arthur Noël is a 23-year-old French pianist currently studying at the Haute École de Musique (HEM) in Geneva, in the first year of a master’s in music performance under Cédric Pescia. Previously, he studied at the CRR in Paris in Jérôme Granjon’s class, where he obtained his diploma in musical studies (specialising in piano) in 2018. He then studied in Fabrizio Chiovetta’s class at HEM in Geneva, earning his bachelor’s degree in 2024. He has also worked with Brigitte Bouthinon-Dumas, Anne Queffélec, Philippe Cassard, and Bernard D’Ascoli in private lessons and masterclasses.

A finalist of the Merci Maestro International Piano Competition in Brussels in 2018, winner of the Lavaux Classic piano competition in 2022 and the Association Dominique Weber special prize in 2023, Noël has performed on several occasions in the church of Noyers-Sur-Serein during the Festival Les Rencontres Musicales de Noyers, in Nancy during the Académies Internationales d’Été, and in Tangiers, Morocco, at several private concerts.

He has also played numerous concerts at the Salle Davel in Cully, Hôtel des Trois Couronnes in Vevey, the Salle des Abeilles in Geneva, Théâtre des Rendez-Vous d’Ailleurs in Paris, Théâtre Le Regard du Cygne in Paris, Théâtre du Passage in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, and in charity concerts (at Gustave Roussy Hospital, for the Monsieur Vincent Association, and for the Dominique Weber Association).

Noël has also performed as an accompanist and actor in the play “Rosa et Bianca,” a production of the Grand Théâtre de Genève, in 2022 and 2023. He composed an opera in English, “The Muse Calls,” which premiered on June 21, 2024, at HEM in Geneva, on the University of Neuchâtel campus.

A major figure on the hip-hop scene since the early 1990s, choreographer Mourad Merzouki works at the crossroads of many different disciplines, injecting circus performance, martial arts, fine arts, video and live music into his exploration of hip-hop.

Without losing sight of the roots of the movement and its social and geographical origins, this juxtaposition opens new horizons for dance and reveals unprecedented perspectives.

Merzouki created his first dance company, Accrorap, in 1989, with Kader Attou, Eric Mezino and Chaouki Saïd, and decided in 1996 to establish his own artistic universe by founding his company Käfig – which means “cage” in Arabic and German.

Since then, he has created 39 pieces, which continue to reach an ever-expanding audience. In total, more than 2 million spectators have discovered his company’s creations over 4,000 performances across 65 countries.

As the director of the CCN de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne (National Choreographic Centre of Créteil and Val-de-Marne) from 2009 to 2022, Merzouki developed an artistic project that was both rooted in the local region and open to the world. He forged new connections with the Pôle en Scènes project in Bron, where he has been the artistic advisor since 2016, bringing together the Pôle Pik Choreographic Center and the Espace Albert Camus. In these locations, he leads twin festivals, Karavel and Kalypso, which provide considerable visibility for hip-hop dance companies.

In January 2023, after 13 years as the head of the CCN de Créteil et du Val-de-Marne, Merzouki reestablished the Käfig company in the east of Lyon, in Bron and Saint-Priest, reconnecting with the area in which he grew up.

Kader Belmoktar started dancing hip-hop in 1993 with the group Culture Street, before joining Zoro Henchiri and Traction Avant in 1997. In 1999, Mourad Merzouki offered him the role of Frank II Louise in the show “Récital.” He continued this collaboration as a dancer in “Pas à Pas” (2000), “Dix Versions” (2001), “Corps est graphique” (2003), “Terrain Vague” (2006), “Tricôté” (2008), “Yo Gee Ti” (2012), “Pixel” (2014), “Cartes Blanches” (2016), and “Vertikal” (2018). His work with the choreographer evolved into a closer partnership, leading him to assist in the creation of “Terrain Vague” (2006), “Tricôté” (2008), “Agwa” (2008), “7Steps” (2014), “Phénix” (2022), and “Beauséjour” (2024). Kader complements his artistic approach with teaching and leading numerous workshops.

After completing a BTS in lighting design and sound engineering and working for four years as a stage manager in Lyon theaters, Yoann Tivoli created his first lighting designs in 1994 and has worked in various artistic fields: music, theater, exhibitions, and events. His dance credits include work with Inbal Pinto Dance Company, Frank II Louise, Bob.H Ekoto, Question, Pilobolus, Entre Nosotros and, since 1996, all lighting designs for Compagnie Käfig. As a co-founder of the Groupe Moi, he has participated in the creation of all their performances and manages the general and lighting direction for the tours of the creations he has collaborated on. He also serves as the technical director for several companies.

After studying landscape architecture, Benjamin Lebreton pursued a training in scenography at the École Nationale des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre in Lyon. After graduating in 2005, he worked in France and abroad as a set designer for dance, notably with Mourad Merzouki, with whom he has collaborated since 2006 on each of his creations, and more recently with Maguy Marin. For theater, he designs sets for Phillipe Awat, Catherine Heargreave, Thomas Poulard, David Mambouch, among others. In Germany, he created the scenography for A Midsummer Night’s Dream by W. Shakespeare at the StaatTheater in Wiesbaden. In parallel, he works as a graphic designer, creating visuals for the Käfig company and signage for several large buildings.

Born in Milan, Italy, Marco Ramelli is an artist of diverse interests, encompassing roles as a guitarist, composer, researcher, lecturer, and artistic director.

Marco has performed worldwide as a guitarist, appearing in important venues as a soloist and chamber musician. His artistic path has been marked by several achievements, including the first prizes in international competitions in Italy, Spain, the UK, France, and Serbia and the recording several albums for Brilliant Classics, Nimbus, and Naxos. 

In 2018, he released an album with Brilliant Classics featuring the complete solo music of Federico Mompou and Roberto Gerhard. In 2024, with the same label, Marco released the first volume of a series of four dedicated to Federico Mompou’s music transcribed for guitar.

Expanding his horizons into composition, Marco gained international recognition with the “World Guitar Composition Competition” award in Serbia for his piece “Im Nebel, homage to Kengiro Azuma.” His compositions are played globally, interpreted by celebrated soloists such as Sean Shibe, Andrea Dieci, Lorenzo Micheli, and Andrea De Vitis. Collaboration stands as a cornerstone of Marco’s artistic journey. He has nurtured enduring associations with other contemporary composers, resulting in premieres of several compositions dedicated to him.

Marco’s academic pursuit led to a doctorate in performing arts from the University of St Andrews and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (UK). As a dedicated researcher, he shares his insights through conferences and lectures at distinguished universities worldwide, and he is a keen promoter of artistic research through the organization of conferences.

Going beyond his performances, Marco is a driving force in music education and music promotion. He serves as the Artistic Director of renowned music festivals in Italy and Ireland and is a dedicated guitar educator, inspiring the next generation of musicians. He created several projects to promote classical music and support young performers, such as the TouchTheSound project, Residenze Erranti, and Festival Corde d’Autunno, all committed to enriching the guitar musical community.

Marco’s passion for sharing knowledge extends to his role as a lecturer at the TU Dublin Conservatory in Ireland and through masterclasses and lectures

The Swiss Youth Choir awards two scholarships to young Swiss choir conductors aged 19 to 24. The assistants work closely with the musical director, Nicolas Fink. They are also responsible for managing the choir members and handling internal communication. The position of assistant with the Swiss Youth Choir prepares young choir conductors for their professional careers after completing their studies. One of the conditions for applying as an assistant is to be enrolled in higher education (preferably in choir conducting).

Lea (born in 1999) grew up in Lucerne. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree “Musique à l’école ” and in choral conducting with Ulrike Grosch at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU). Lea conducts the “inkognito” choir in Lucerne and co-directs the Appenzell Youth Choir. Additionally, she regularly sings with the “Collegium Vokale zu Franziskanern” and the vocal ensemble “The Quire.” Starting in December 2023, she will co-direct the chamber choir “Molto Cantabile” in Lucerne with Chiara Selva.

Lydiane is from the canton of Vaud and has been singing with the CSJ since 2021. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree “Musique à l’école” from the HEMU in Lausanne, she is now studying musicology at the University of Fribourg and teaches music at the school in La Tour-de-Peilz. As a choir conductor, she is enrolled in the CH2 continuing education program offered by the Swiss Choral Association, directs the children’s choir “Croc’notes” in Attalens, and leads the youth choir “Canta Riviera” based in Vevey, which she founded in 2023.

Born in 1984, Pierre-Fabien Roubaty began his musical education by studying piano at the Conservatoire of Fribourg while discovering the world of singing in the choir of Villars-sur-Glâne. In 2006, he ventured into choral conducting by founding the Arsis choir, which he still passionately leads. At the helm of this ensemble, primarily dedicated to 18th and 19th-century music, he distinguished himself in the performance of major oratorio repertoire works, culminating in victory at the Fribourg Choral Competition in 2011.

Pierre-Fabien Roubaty had the privilege of learning from renowned masters during his studies at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Lausanne, notably Marc Pantillon, Todd Camburn, and Anthony di Giantomasso. He then continued his studies in orchestral conducting at the Hochschule der Künste in Bern, benefiting from the valuable teachings of Florian Ziemen and Ralf Weikert.

As a choir conductor or répétiteur, he has prepared choirs and soloists for numerous opera and oratorio productions, meeting many renowned musicians in the process, such as Michel Corboz, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Raphaël Pichon, Marc Minkovski, Daniel Reuss, Christa Ludwig, and Ramón Vargas.

In September 2019, Pierre-Fabien Roubaty was appointed artistic and musical director of the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne. Under his direction, the ensemble has brought exceptional projects to the stage, including the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Arthur Honegger’s “Le Roi David,” the creation of Théo Flury’s oratorio “Splendor,” and prestigious performances at the Folle Journée de Nantes. He also led the ensemble in its participation in the Festival Via aeterna at Mont-St-Michel, celebrating the millennium of this iconic site.

In 2024, Pierre-Fabien Roubaty will have the honor of being the guest conductor for both the Apollo Chorus of Chicago and the choir of the OSESP Foundation in São Paulo.

Stephan MacLeod was born in Geneva and studied singing in his native city, in Cologne and then in Lausanne. His concert career began during his studies in Germany with a fruitful collaboration with Reinhard Goebel and Musica Antiqua Köln. Since then, he has sung regularly with conductors such as Leonhardt, Herreweghe, Savall, Suzuki, Kuijken, Corboz, Brüggen, Kossenko, Pierlot, Luks, Mortensen, Harding, Junghänel, Rademann, Pichon, Van Immerseel, Coin, Rilling, Van Nevel and Bernius. He is founder and conductor of the Ensemble Gli Angeli Genève, which gives around thirty concerts a year throughout the world, and is regularly invited to conduct other ensembles (OSR, Philharmonie Zuidnerderland, Nederlandse Bachvereniging, etc.). More than 100 CDs, many of them critically acclaimed, document his work. He was singing teacher at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne from 2013 to 2023, and teaches at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève since last September.