Philippe
Spiesser
Professor of Percussion - Chamber Music with Percussion - Coordinator of the Percussion Class
More than just a percussionist, Philippe Spiesser is an atypical and captivating musician. Coming from a family of musicians, he studied percussion at the Conservatoire de Musique de Strasbourg. Winner of the European Young Talents Competition in 1997, he has continually evolved by embracing new experiences and collaborating with creators from diverse backgrounds.
A universally recognized pedagogue, Philippe Spiesser has been a professor of percussion and coordinator of the percussion class at the Haute école de musique de Genève (HEM) since 2009. Previously, he taught at the Alfonso X University in Madrid, the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Palma de Mallorca, and the Conservatoire National de Région de Perpignan. He gives numerous masterclasses around the world: Juilliard School in New York, McGill in Montreal, Royal Academy of Music in London, Esmuc in Barcelona, Royal Conservatory in Brussels, Santa Cecilia in Rome, Musikhochschulen in Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Karlsruhe, CNSMDP in Paris, China Conservatory and Central Conservatory in Beijing, Superior Conservatories in Shanghai, Shenyang, and Dalian, Hong Kong University of Music, Lima University of Music, and Izmir University of Music.
Since 2012, Philippe Spiesser has led several research projects on new musical technologies and gesture capture, such as the GeKiPe project developed at HEM in partnership with IRCAM Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Ensemble Flashback. Through this work, he is the dedicatee and performer of numerous immersive and multimedia shows written for this gesture capture tool. In 2022, he created "Virtualis," the new concerto for solo percussion, ensemble, video, and gesture capture using the Gestrument tool, invented and developed by Jesper Nordin. His research has also led him to work with the Centro Ricerche Musicali in Rome, where he developed a solo repertoire with two acoustic instruments, the SkinAct and the Feed Drum, treated electronically and invented by Michelangelo Lupone.
A polymorphic musician, he performs worldwide in numerous international festivals such as Electronic Music Week in Shanghai, Percussion Festival in Beijing, Música in Lima, Arte Scienza and RomaEuropa in Rome, Ars Musica in Brussels, Musica in Strasbourg, Présences in Paris, Ritmo Vital in Madrid, Gaida Festival in Vilnius, Italy PAS in Pescara, CERN Festival and Archipel in Geneva, Aujourd’hui Musiques in Perpignan, Memmix in Palma de Mallorca, Ponte in Ulm, and Frequenz in Kiel, where he promotes new repertoire and creations by Ph. Hurel, P. Jodlowski, J. Nordin, A. Schubert, M. Matalon, B. Mantovani, Ph. Manoury, B. Letort, K. Narita, JM. Lopez Lopez, M. Lupone, and A. Vert. Philippe Spiesser is also invited to perform as a soloist with orchestras such as Lemanic Modern Ensemble, Norbotten NEO, Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata de France, Beijing Symphony Orchestra, and Shenyang Symphony Orchestra.
He serves as a jury member for numerous international competitions, including Shanghai IPEA, Beijing PAS, Palma IMC, Italy PAS, and was the president of the jury for the International Geneva Competition in 2019.
Learn more about Philippe Spiesser
Giulia
Genini
Professor of Baroque Bassoon
Born in Lugano, Switzerland, Giulia Genini began her recorder studies at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana with Giorgio Merati. Her interest in early music and period instruments led her to Basel, where she continued her studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with Conrad Steinmann. At the same time, she began studying the dulcian and baroque bassoon with Josep Borras and Donna Agrell. In 2008, she received her recorder diploma (performance and pedagogy) with distinction, and in 2010, her Master's degree in historical performance practice in baroque bassoon and dulcian, also with distinction.
She performs as a recorder player and bassoonist with numerous international ensembles and works with renowned conductors. As a soloist, she has performed with the Venice Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Andrea Marcon at the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Schleswig Holstein Musikfestival, Settimane Musicali di Ascona, Geneva Victoria Hall, Carinthischer Sommer Festival Ossiach, and New York's Carnegie Hall.
Since 2015, she has often been invited as a guest coach at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano, coordinating wind sections for orchestral projects on historical performance practice. She also works there as a co-director of studies in the field of performance.
She is a founding member and artistic director of the ensemble Concerto Scirocco as well as the artistic director of the Festival CaronAntica.
Learn more about Giulia Genini.
Sarah
Verrue
Professeure of harp - chamber music with harp
Belgian harpist Sarah Verrue made a name for herself early on as a prize winner at the Dutch International Harp Competition, the Rotary Competition, the UFAM and the Martine Geliot Competition. At the age of 24, she became principal harpist of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra under the baton of Paavo Järvi. Since 2019, she has been guest harpist with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra.
Sarah holds a Master's degree in music and chamber music from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris under the direction of Isabelle Moretti. She was a member of the Munich National Opera Academy in 2012 and, a year later, she took classes with Marie-Pierre Langlamet and played at the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Sarah has performed as a chamber musician at renowned festivals such as the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Salzburg Festival, the MDR Musiksommer, the Festival van Vlaanderen and the Festival de Menton.
As a soloist, Sarah has performed with the Munich Chamber Orchestra, the Nieuwe Philharmonie Utrecht, the Graubünden Chamber Orchestra and the Cannes Symphony Orchestra.
Sarah has often worked in musical theatre at the Philharmonie du Luxembourg, in productions such as Cendrillon and Wolkenwanderer. In Zurich, she is involved in specialised schools for children with disabilities. In the summer, she is a coach at the Verbier Festival Orchestra, where she teaches and supports young musicians.
Gerardo Gustavo
Vila
Professor of Chamber Music – Coordinator of Chamber Music (NE)
Born in Buenos Aires, Gerardo Vila showed remarkable talent from a young age. He developed an intense musical career, earning the diploma of "National Superior Piano Professor" from the National Conservatory of Music and winning six first prizes, including the "Vicente Scaramuzza" competition, which allowed him to perfect his skills in Europe.
He continued his studies at the Conservatoire de Genève with Maria Tipo, where he obtained the first prize in virtuosity with distinction and the Henry Broillet prize. Later, he worked with Karl Engel at the Conservatory of Bern and participated in masterclasses with Louis de Moura Castro, György Sandor, Tatiana Nikolayeva, Vlado Perlemuter, and Maurizio Pollini.
Winner of numerous international piano competitions, he received, among others, the first prize at the "Maria Canals" competition in Barcelona, the second prize at the "Alessandro Casagrande" competition in Terni/Italy, and the "World Piano Competition" in Cincinnati/USA.
Vila has undertaken numerous tours in Europe, Latin America, and the United States, performing in venues such as Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Palau de la Música in Barcelona, Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris, Théâtre Roma in Warsaw, Kleine Musikhalle in Hamburg, Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Kaufleutensaal in Zurich, University Hall in Helsinki, Omni Hall of Mirrors in Cincinnati, Casino de Berne, Casino Kursaal in Interlaken, Max-Joseph-Saal in the Residenz in Munich, Fondation Pierre Gianadda in Martigny, Salle Métropole in Lausanne, Slovak Philharmonic Hall in Bratislava, Herkulessaal in Munich, and the Sydney Opera House.
He has performed as a soloist with renowned orchestras such as the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Perugia Orchestra, the AMSA World Symphony in Cincinnati, the Barcelona City Orchestra, the Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra, the Dresden Philharmonic, the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, and the Bern Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of conductors including Arpad Gerecz, Jun Märkl, Albert Rosen, Frank Cramer, Dennis Burkh, Jörg Peter Weigle, Miguel Gómez Martínez, Christian Arming, Laurent Gendre, Carlos Kalmar, Hans Zender, and Michel Tabachnik.
Gerardo Vila has had the privilege of performing in recitals with the prestigious pianist Karl Engel and playing in the Camerata Lysy with Sir Yehudi Menuhin. He possesses extensive experience in chamber music, having played with Ana Chumachenko, Alberto Lysy, Radu Aldulescu, Rachel Harnisch, Alexandru Gavrilovici, Thomas Friedli, Patrick Demenga, Gyula Stuller, Marcio Carneiro, Karl Engel, and Davide Bandieri.
For many years, he has given masterclasses in Switzerland, Romania, and Latin America.
Vila is a member of the ensemble "I Salonisti" and the 676 NuevoTango Quintet. He continues to perform as a soloist and with various chamber music ensembles.
He has made several recordings for VDE-Gallo, Zytglogge, Vox, Naxos, and Brillant Classics.
Since its inception, Vila has been a professor of chamber music at the Haute École de Musique de Genève, Neuchâtel site, where he also serves as the coordinator.
Learn more about Gerardo Gustavo Vila
Miguel
Da Silva
Professor of Viola
Miguel da Silva trained at the Conservatoire National de Région de Reims before joining the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he studied with Serge Collot and Maurice Crut. He received a first prize in chamber music and a first prize in viola, both unanimously and with a special jury vote. In 1985, he won the Premier Grand Prix at the International Chamber Music Competition in Paris and joined the Orchestre de l'Opéra de Paris.
In 1987, he left the Opera to form the Ysaÿe Quartet with three friends. After working with the Lasalle, Amadeus, Italiano, and Berg quartets, the ensemble won numerous first prizes, including the Evian Competition in 1988, and began a successful international career. After debuting with Harmonia Mundi, the quartet signed an exclusive contract with Decca, for whom they recorded, among others, the complete Mendelssohn quartets, two discs dedicated to Fauré, and collections featuring Debussy and Ravel. Contemporary creation is essential for the ensemble, which has premiered numerous works by Pascal Dusapin, André Boucourechliev, and Noam Sheriff.
Miguel da Silva has also performed with partners such as Michel Portal, Pierre Amoyal, Truls Mork, Gary Hoffman, Pascal Rogé, Jean-Claude Pennetier, and Emmanuel Pahud. As a soloist, he has been invited by the Polish Chamber Orchestra, the Montpellier Orchestra, the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra of Budapest, the Sinfonia Varsovia, and the orchestra Les Siècles.
In 1993, he and the Ysaÿe Quartet founded a string quartet class at the CRR de Paris, a first in France. Their students (including the Ebène, Modigliani, Psophos, Voce, Aviv, and Incanto quartets) have won numerous international string quartet competitions. He is also the artistic director of the summer academy Musique à Flaine, artistic advisor of the Académie Musicale de Villecroze, and founder of Ysaÿe Records, a record label. A Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, Miguel da Silva plays a Cremonese viola from 1790 and is a professor of viola at the Haute école de musique.
Learn more about Miguel da Silva.
Antonello
Mazzucco
Professeur de trombone basse
Antonello Mazzucco graduated from the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome. At the same time, he attended the Konservatorium für Musik in Bern, studying under P. Bucher.
In the United States, he studied with C. Vernon, bass trombonist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, A. Jacobs, brass professor, and J. Alessi, principal trombonist with the New York Philharmonic. In Italy, he continued his studies with A. Conti, principal trombonist with the Florentine May, now principal trombonist with the Accademia di Santa Cecilia.
For about three years, he played in the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana as a bass trombonist, and for short periods with the Filarmonica della Scala and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome.
In 1995, he won the competition for tenor trombone and bass trombone with the Rai National Symphony Orchestra, where he still works today.
He has been working for over ten years at the Fondazione Fossano Musica, a music institute where he also organises masterclasses with international teachers.
He is active in the field of chamber music as a member of the Spilimbrass quintet, with whom he has also recorded a CD.
Tedi
Papavrami
Professor of Violin
Arriving at a very young age in France, Tedi Papavrami discovered a country and culture that were completely foreign to him. His natural curiosity and the need to master the French language in order to make this country his own, along with initial great solitude, drove him to devour books, always in French: Stendhal, Proust, Flaubert, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Kafka... This curiosity beyond borders, combined with intellectual and artistic demands, allowed him to bridge the gap between his original domain and other horizons, making him a rare interpreter in the musical world.
Thus, in 2000, after the passing of Albanian translator J. Vrioni, he naturally took up the mantle of translating the works of Ismaïl Kadaré, whom he had known as a child in Albania. This foray into the literary world also became a way for him to "professionally exist for the first time outside of the violin." In 2013, he continued this journey with the writing of "Fugue pour Violon Seul" published by Robert Laffont. Unanimously praised by the press, this autobiographical account narrates his journey as a child prodigy in Albania and his passage to the West, towards freedom.
However, this diversification would not have been possible without an early and singular focus on the violin from his young years. The instrument, which had always been a part of his life, was introduced to him at the age of 5 by his father, a brilliant professor with extensive pedagogical experience. Tedi's progress was rapid: three years later, he performed Sarasate's "Zigeunerweisen" with an orchestra. At eleven, he publicly performed Paganini's Concerto No. 1 with the formidable Sauret cadenza.
In 1982 in Albania, a country cut off from the world, he was noticed by flutist Alain Marion who arranged for him to be invited to Paris as a French government scholarship student. He then studied with Pierre Amoyal at the C.N.S.M in Paris for four years.
At the end of his studies, at the age of 15, Tedi pursued his musical and instrumental development independently. Shortly before, with his parents, he fled the communist regime in Albania to settle with them in France. Severe sanctions were imposed in retaliation on the rest of the family remaining in Albania, lasting until the fall of the communist regime in 1991. Tedi and his parents left Paris to avoid being within reach of Albanian embassy officials searching for them and settled near Bordeaux.
Benefiting from several awards, T. Papavrami began a career as a soloist and chamber musician from the 1990s onwards. He has since collaborated as a soloist with conductors such as K. Sanderling, A. Jordan, E. Krivine, M. Honeck, F.X. Roth, Th. Fischer, G. Varga, M. Aeschenbacher… In chamber music, he was a member of the Schumann Quartet, a piano quartet, for 9 years, and he performs in concert or on recordings with partners such as Philippe Bianconi, Gary Hoffman, Marc Coppey, Nelson Goerner, Martha Argerich, Maria Joao Pires, Viktoria Mullova, Paul Meyer, and Lawrence Power.
Now based in Geneva, Switzerland, Tedi holds a position as Professor of Violin at the HEM. He plays on a violin made in 2022 for him by luthier David Leonard Wiedmer.
Learn more about Tedi Papavrami
Pablo Ernesto
Cernik
Professor of Keyboard Harmony and Jaques-Dalcroze Writing - Instrumental Improvisation - Physical and Mental Preparation: Bodily Approach to Music through Jaques-Dalcroze Eurhythmics - Jaques-Dalcroze Eurhythmics - Jaques-Dalcroze Solfège
Pablo Cernik is currently employed as an adjunct professor, teaching in the Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, and CAS programs in the Music and Movement Department at the Haute école de musique de Genève (HEM). He collaborates with the department's administration on tasks related to the visibility of the programs and also with the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze in coordinating the Diplôme Supérieur.
He is the director of the Dalcroze Certificate programs in Italy, Spain, Chile, and Argentina. He has significantly contributed to the dissemination of the method by conducting workshops and conferences in various regions and countries across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. As an opera, chamber music, and dance pianist, his presentations have placed particular emphasis on multidisciplinary creation. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Arts at the Universidad Nacional de las Artes (UNA) in Buenos Aires. He is a member of the Jaques-Dalcroze College and the central committee of the International Federation of Eurhythmics Teachers (FIER). He is also the president of the Dalcroze Association of Argentina.
Afonso
Venturieri
Professor of Bassoon
Afonso Venturieri was born in Belém, Brazil. With a scholarship from the German government, he studied under Helman Jung at the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold, where he passed the Künstlerische Reifeprüfung exam with high distinction in 1984. He completed his training with Milan Turkovic at the renowned Hochschule für Musik Mozarteum in Salzburg.
In 1989, he won the First Prize at the International Competition for Wind Instruments organized by the Swiss Union of Musicians (USDAM). After serving as a bassoonist with the Ensemble Modern in Frankfurt, Afonso Venturieri became a member of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in 1987, where he holds the position of principal solo bassoon.
He regularly conducts workshops and masterclasses in South America and Europe. He is also dedicated to the training of young musicians, serving as a coach for the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, among others. He performs as a soloist and as part of various chamber music ensembles.
Learn more about Afonso Venturieri.
Clémence
Tilquin
Professor of Voice
After studying cello and singing at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève with François Guye and Danielle Borst, earning two Master's degrees with Distinction, Clémence Tilquin embarked on a dual career in Europe and Japan. As a laureate of the prestigious Leenaards Foundation, she decided in 2010 to fully dedicate herself to singing and further honed her skills in London, Oslo, Brussels, and Milan.
Soon, engagements began pouring in. The young soprano made her debut at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie as Papagena and later joined the young troupe of the Grand Théâtre de Genève. In 2012, she performed as Adina in Donizetti's opera in Austria, appeared in "La Fille de Madame Angot" in Liège, and portrayed the Princess in Ravel's opera at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. She also played roles such as Poppea in Monteverdi's works under Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon, Drusilla in Monteverdi's opera and Elettra in Mozart's works at the Opéra de Montpellier, Elvira in Rossini's opera, Gabrielle in Offenbach's opera, Frasquita in Bizet's opera at the Opéra d'Avignon, Brigitte in Offenbach's opera at the Opéra de Nancy, Lucinde in Gounod's opera at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Lauretta in Puccini's opera, Fiordiligi in Mozart's opera, Fannì in Rossini's opera, and Alcina in Vivaldi's opera at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées.
In concert, Clémence Tilquin has performed Neukomm's Requiem with Jean-Claude Malgoire, Pierrot Lunaire by Schönberg and Dallapiccola at the Musiekgebaw in Amsterdam, Stravinsky with the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris, Mendelssohn's Elias and Rossini's Stabat Mater with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Sturzenegger's Anakrôn, Gounod at the Palazetto Bru Zane in Venice, Mozart's Comtesse at the Opéra Royal de Versailles, Saint-Saëns's Ascanio at the Grand Théâtre de Genève (recording), and Saint-Saëns's Proserpine with the Bayerischen Rundfunk in Munich.
She has performed under the baton of conductors such as John Nelson, James Loughran, Wolfgang Rihm, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Emmanuel Krivine, Michail Jurowski, and Gabòr Takacs (Cinderella by Franck Martin, recording).
In 2019, she portrayed Vitellia in Mozart's "La Clémence de Titus," Berenice in Rossini's "L'Occasione fa il ladro" at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées, and upcoming performances include Mozart conducted by François-Xavier Roth, Strauss's "Four Last Songs," the role of Fannì in Rossini's opera, and Beethoven's "Christ on the Mount of Olives" in Montreal.
Learn more about Clémence Tilquin.
