Lucien
Kandel
Professor of Historical Singing - Renaissance Vocal Ensemble
Lucien Kandel, singer and artistic director of the Ensemble Musica Nova, has specialized in early music repertoires after studying classical singing at the CNSMD of Lyon. He honed his skills with Marie-Claude Vallin, Gérard Geay, Dominique Vellard, and others, obtaining his advanced diploma in 1996. He quickly joined prestigious ensembles such as the Huelgas Ensemble, Doulce Mémoire, A Sei Voci, and Les Solistes de Lyon Bernard Têtu.
He has also collaborated with Le Concert Spirituel under Hervé Niquet, Ensemble Jacques Moderne (Joël Suhubiette), and Elyma with Gabriel Garrido. Kandel has participated in numerous contemporary creations, notably with Daniel D'Adamo within Ensemble Poïésis, and has commissioned works from various composers such as Daniele Ghisi, Henry Fourès, and Saed Haddad.
Since 2003, he has led Ensemble Musica Nova, assembling a team of singers to revisit and refine masterworks of the repertoire, including the famous Mass of Machaut. Their recordings have won numerous awards and high praise, including the Diapason d'Or of the Year 2003 and the Editor's Choice from the British magazine Gramophone in 2007.
Since 2011, he has taught historical singing practice at the Haute école de musique de Genève and the DMA. He regularly gives masterclasses in various academies (Royaumont) and conservatories, covering a range from medieval to baroque singing.
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Béatrice
Martin
Professor of Harpsichord
Born in Annecy, Béatrice Martin began studying harpsichord at the age of six. Her musical journey led her to study with prominent harpsichordists such as Christiane Jaccottet at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève, Kenneth Gilbert, and Christophe Rousset at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. She obtained numerous first prizes with highest honors and completed an advanced cycle of studies there. She also received valuable guidance from Huguette Dreyfus, Ton Koopman, and Lars-Ulrik Mortensen during masterclasses.
In 1998, she won first prize at the International Harpsichord Competition in Bruges, along with the Audience Prize and the Bärenreiter Prize. The following year, she was named a Revelation by ADAMI at MIDEM in Cannes.
Highly regarded for her skills as a continuo player, she has performed at numerous festivals and with a variety of ensembles. She has been a close collaborator with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants for twenty years.
Recognized for her teaching abilities, Béatrice Martin established the harpsichord class at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona and currently serves as a guest professor at the Juilliard School in New York.
In 2000, Béatrice Martin co-founded Les Folies françoises with Patrick Cohën-Akenine, actively contributing to its development.
Learn more about Béatrice Martin.
Alexei
Ogrintchouk
Professor of Oboe
Born in Moscow in 1978, Alexei Ogrintchouk studied at the Gnessin School of Music in Moscow under Professor I. Pushechnikov. In 1995, a French government scholarship enabled him to enter the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, where he studied with Maurice Bourgue, Jean-Louis Capezzali, and Jacques Tys. In 1999, he received two first prizes unanimously from the CNSM jury in oboe and chamber music.
A laureate of the National Wind Instrument Competition of Russia (1st Prize in 1991), the International “Concertino-Prague” Competition (1992), and the UFAM International Competition in Paris (1st Prize in 1997), he won the First Prize and special prizes at the CIEM International Competition in Geneva in 1998. In 1999, he won the European “Juventus” Prize.
Under the auspices of UNESCO, with the Les Nouveaux Noms Foundation, as a soloist of the Gnessin Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, and in a duo with Vladimir Spivakov, Alexei Ogrintchouk toured numerous countries.
As a soloist and chamber musician, he has performed with musicians such as Radu Lupu, Gidon Kremer, Vladimir Spivakov, Christophe Coin, and the Kocian and Sine Nomine Quartets. He has played under the direction of conductors such as Fabio Luisi, Kent Nagano, Albert Kaiser, and with many orchestras. He has been a guest at several renowned festivals.
In May 1999, Alexei Ogrintchouk was selected as the principal oboe of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Valery Gergiev. Since 2000, he has been supported by the NATEXIS Foundation. During the 2000/2001 season, he was chosen as an artist for the Rising Star program, which led him to prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and the Cité de la Musique in Paris. In January 2002, he received two Victoires de la Musique Classique awards: “Revelation Foreign Artist of the Year” and the audience award. Starting in the 2011 academic year, Alexei Ogrintchouk succeeded Maurice Bourgue at the Haute école de musique de Genève.
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Sophie
Gent
Professeure de violon baroque
La violoniste australienne Sophie Gent a étudié au Conservatoire royal de La Haye avec Ryo Terakado. Vivant actuellement en France, Sophie se produit régulièrement, comme premier violon, avec les ensembles les plus renommés du moment, comme le Collegium Vocale de Gand (Philippe Herreweghe), le Freiburger Barockorchester, Ricercar Consort (Philippe Pierlot), Pygmalion (Raphaël Pichon), Arcangelo (Jonathan Cohen), entre autres. Elle joue en récital et en musique de chambre, souvent avec Bertrand Cuiller, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Jean Rondeau, Maude Gratton et Pierre Hantaï.
Professeure de violon baroque au Conservatoire d’Amsterdam de 2011 à 2014, elle a également donné des masterclasses au Conservatoire d’Anvers, à l’Atelier de musique ancienne de Jérusalem, à l’Abbaye aux Dames de Saintes. Depuis 2012, elle enseigne à l’Académie de musique ancienne à Vannes et, depuis 2022, au Stage de musique ancienne à Cluny (Ensemble Masque). Elle est actuellement professeure de violon baroque à la Haute école de musique de Genève.
Sophie joue un violon de Jacob Stainer de 1676.
Patrik Vincent
Dasen
Professor of Ethnomusicology, Master’s Research Seminar, World Music Workshop
Patrik Dasen graduated in ethnomusicology from the Université Paris X Nanterre (Maîtrise, 1999) and the Université de Nice Sophia-Antipolis (Master 2, 2009), where he also completed a doctoral thesis in March 2020 entitled "Becoming and Being a Maker of Irish Bagpipes Uilleann Pipes: Between Deterritorialization and Heritage Preservation," under the supervision of Prof. Luc Charles-Dominique. His research focuses on the processes of transmission and heritage preservation of musical traditions.
He worked for ten years at the Ateliers d'ethnomusicologie de Genève as the head of educational activities and public relations. He also led, with a small team, the cataloging and digitization campaign of the Archives Internationales de Musique Populaire (AIMP, 2005-2011) by Constantin Brailoiu, which are now fully accessible at the Musée d'ethnographie de Genève thanks to this preservation effort. He has been teaching ethnomusicology and the sociology of contemporary music at the Haute école de musique de Genève since 2008.
Learn more about Patrik Vincent Dasen
Milena
Viotti
Professor of horn
Milena Viotti was born in Lausanne in 1988 and began playing the horn at the age of eight at the Forbach Music School. In 2007, she went to study at the Musik Akademie in Basel before obtaining her Master's degree with Erik Penzel and Christian Lampert in Stuttgart.
In 2010, she joined the prestigious Munich Opera Orchestra, the Bayerisches Staatsorchester, as a high horn player and also played in renowned orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Orchestre de Paris.
Milena Viotti has won numerous prizes in major international competitions, such as the Prague Spring Festival Competition and the Luxembourg Competition.
Passionate about chamber music, she gives a large number of concerts each year with various ensembles in a wide variety of formations. Eager to share her experience and expertise, she participates in numerous workshops and masterclasses in Europe each year. As a teacher, her curiosity for new pedagogical approaches and innovative solutions makes her an educator who is ready to inspire and guide her students towards musical excellence.
Sébastian
Jacot
Professor of flute
Sébastian Jacot joins the HEM as flute professor for the 2026–2027 academic year
Sébastian Jacot is an internationally renowned flutist, recognised for his demanding artistic career and unique musical approach. Born in Geneva, he trained with Jacques Zoon and began his professional career at the age of eighteen as assistant principal flute with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. He was then appointed principal flute with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, followed by the Berlin Philharmonic.
A winner of major international competitions – the Kobe International Flute Competition, the ARD in Munich and the Carl Nielsen Competition – he pursues a career as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician on the major stages of Europe, Asia and the Americas, collaborating with many leading conductors and ensembles.
Alongside his concert activities, he is deeply committed to teaching. He has taught at the University of the Arts in Bremen, the Hanns Eisler Hochschule in Berlin and the Karajan Academy, and regularly gives masterclasses internationally. He has also carried out extensive work in the field of contemporary music, notably with the Ensemble Contrechamps in Geneva. His teaching is based on a holistic approach that integrates body awareness, movement and fidelity to the musical text, informed by a concrete knowledge of current professional realities.
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
Sergey
Ostrovsky
Professor of Violin
Sergey Ostrovsky was born in 1975 in Nizhny Novgorod into a family of musicians. His first violin teacher was David Lapidus. He then studied with Lazar Gantman and Yury Gluchovsky before emigrating to Israel with his family, where he continued his training with Yair Kless and Irina Svetlova. In 1996, he founded the Aviv Quartet, with which he first trained at the Hochschule für Musik in Cologne with members of the Alban Berg Quartet, and at the Rotterdam Conservatory with members of the Daniel Quartet. He also participated in master classes with renowned musicians such as Isaac Stern, Herman Krebbers, Dorothy Delay, and Ivry Gitlis.
With the Aviv Quartet, he won the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition (a grand prize and four special prizes), the Bordeaux String Quartet Competition, the Aviv National Competition in Tel Aviv, and the Rodolfo Lipizer Prize. Whether as a chamber musician or soloist, Sergey Ostrovsky has performed in major venues (Carnegie Hall in New York, the Library of Congress in Washington, Wigmore Hall in London, the Louvre Auditorium and Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and the Sydney Opera House) and in many countries (Israel, Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, China, Canada, and Brazil). His solo repertoire includes works by Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Lalo, Chausson, and Sibelius, among others. He has also played with numerous orchestras conducted by maestros such as Zubin Mehta, Yoel Levi, Philippe Entremont, Maxim Vengerov, and Uriel Segal.
Sergey Ostrovsky has recorded for Naxos and EMI Classics, notably with Maxim Vengerov and the UBS Verbier Chamber Orchestra. He is the first violinist of the Aviv Quartet, performing major classical and romantic quartets, and the concertmaster of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He plays a Giovanni Grancinno from 1716 and teaches violin at the Haute école de musique de Genève, Neuchâtel site.
Learn more about Sergey Ostrovsky
François
Desforges
Professeur of Percussion
François Desforges began studying percussion with Daniel Ardaillon in Montluçon and continued his education with Didier Benetti and Frédéric Macarez in Paris. Concurrently, he studied Latin percussion with Miguel Fiannaca.
In 1992, François Desforges was admitted to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris in the class of Jacques Delecluse and Jean Geoffroy. He graduated in 1995 with a unanimous First Prize. That same year, he joined the Orchestre National de France and obtained the Certificate of Aptitude for teaching percussion.
In 1998, he also received a First Prize in chamber music at the CNSM de Paris in the class of Jacques Ivaldi and Michel Cals.
Within the Orchestre National de France, he holds the position of Solo Timpanist. With this renowned ensemble, he has participated in numerous projects and international tours under the baton of prestigious conductors such as Charles Dutoit, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Osawa, Kurt Masur, Daniele Gatti, Bernard Haitink, and Cristian Macelaru, the current music director.
Beyond his orchestral activities, François Desforges is passionate about pedagogy. After many years of teaching at the conservatory of the 5th arrondissement of Paris and at the CRD of Créteil, he joined the prestigious Haute école de musique de Genève in 2016 to teach timpani. This esteemed institution allows him to share his passion with students from around the world. He is regularly invited to give masterclasses on orchestral timpani.
As a chamber musician, François Desforges is a member of the ensemble Ad ONF, comprised of percussionists from the Orchestre National de France. This variable-geometry ensemble was created in 2004 around the project "Ballet Mécanique" by Georges Antheil, initiated by René Bosc, then director of musical creation at Radio-France. Since its creation, Ad ONF has been a regular guest at numerous festivals such as the Présences Festival at Radio-France, La Roque d’Anthéron, Les Folles Journées de Nantes, and the Bel Air Festival in Chambéry. Many artists have collaborated with Ad ONF, including Marielle and Katia Labèque, Bertrand Chamayou, Jean Frédéric Neuburger, Magali Mosnier, Markus Lindberg, Thierry Escaich, and Thomas Adès.
François Desforges also performs with various other partners such as the "inclassifiable" group Quai n°5, the Accentus Chamber Choir directed by Laurence Equilbey, the Sequenza 9.3 vocal ensemble directed by Catherine Simonpietri, the "family" Artie’s, and more recently with the Consuelo Orchestra under the direction of Victor-Julien Laferrière.
Learn more about François Desforges.
