CLEMENT GESTER – blokfluit
Aged four, Clément Gester played his first notes on the recorder. He was given by Alain Sobczak and Renata Duarte his first recorder classes alongside piano and composition at the Conservatoire of Strasbourg, his birth city, where he completed his curriculum with the best grade, still studying organ and composition as main subjects. Subsequently, he was accepted in bachelor in Susanna Borsch’s class at the Musikhochschule Trossingen. He then did his third year abroad in Pedro Memelsdorff’s class at the ESMUC in Barcelona. The DAAD awarded him a full scholarship and has supported him for the duration of his bachelor.
In July 2018 Clément graduated with the maximal mark and in 2019, he finished his master at ESMUC. From 2017 on, Clément also studied the cornetto with Frithjof Smith at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, where he finished his bachelor in 2020 and subsequently his master, which he passed with distinction. In addition to his studies, he sought to participate in numerous courses, with, among others, Michael Form, Han Tol, Kees Boeke, Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Pedro Sousa-Silva for the recorder, and Bruce Dickey, William Dongois, Jean Tubéry, Pietro Modesti and Andrea Inghisciano for the cornett… He plays regularly as soloist or in numerous European ensembles such as Abendmusiken Basel, Bach-Akademie Stuttgart, Le Parlement de Musique, Cardinal Complex, Concerto Stella Matutina, l’Arpa Festante, Ensemble 1684 and is co-founder of the Echo Temporis Consort. What’s more, Clément was selected to participate in the 2021 concert tour of the Europäisches Hanse-Ensemble. The German radio broadcasters SWR, NDR and Deutschlandfunk have already broadcast some of his performances.
Furthermore, Clément regularly does musicological work: beside his master thesis about S. Capricornus’ motet “Ich bin schwartz” for which he received a distinction, he was also employed for one year as scientific aid for Prof. Dr. Nicole Schwindt’s research for transcribing manuscripts. From 2020 to 2022, Clément took part in a musicological research project about small serpents in collaboration with the Musikhochschule and the Hochschule für Technik Basel, and in 2022, his second master thesis, a diplomatic edition of I. Donati’s Secondo Libro de Motetti a voce sola, was also awarded a distinction.
NOEMI MULLER – blokfluit
Noemi Müller, born 1995 in Basel, Switzerland, discovered the recorder at the age of seven. She had lessons with Katharina Bopp and was a multiple winner of the “Schweizerischer Jugendmusikwettbewerb” (sjmw). In summer 2018 Noemi successfully completed her Bachelor studies at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with Conrad Steinmann. She continued her studies in Basel with a pedagogical master in the class of Han Tol where she received a masters degree with distinction, followed by a master of performance in the class of Katharina Bopp which she completed in summer 2022.
In addition to her studies at the Schola Cantorum Noemi gained valuable musical experience in master classes with Michael Form, Pedro Memelsdorf, Andreas Böhlen, Jan van Hoecke, Kees Boeke, Matthijs Lunenburg, Peter van Heyghen, Jörg-Andreas Bötticher, as well as Poul Høxbro (pipe and tabor) and others. Noemi is currently doing supplementary studies on the Cornetto in the class of Frithjof Smith in Basel with a main focus on repertory from the 16th and 17th century.
She holds teaching positions at two renowned music schools in Bern and Zürich (Switzerland) where she is teaching the recorder (Solo and Ensemble). As a recorder player she performs with various groups in and around Switzerland. Her repertoire extends from the early 16th century to contemporary music.
CHARLOTTE SCHNEIDER – blokfluit
The Swiss recorder and flute player Charlotte Schneider (1997) is active as a soloist and chamber musician in Switzerland and in Europe. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in performance on the baroque flute with Marc Hantaï at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, where in 2019 she received her Bachelor’s degree on the recorder in the class of Conrad Steinmann, and in 2021, her master’s degree in pedagogy in the class of Han Tol with honours.
Charlotte has been awarded several prizes in national and international competitions such as the Moeck solo recorder competition, Schweizerischer Jugendmusikwettbewerb or the International Van Wassenaer Competition. She has performed at numerous festivals, including Festival for Early Music Utrecht / MA Festival Brugge (Fringe), Entre ciel & garrigue (Lussan, FR).
Fascinated by chamber music and scenic arts, Charlotte plays regularly with companies and ensembles as Duo Aeoline (recorder/flute and organ), Duo Schneider-Letort (recorder/flute and lute/romantic guitar), Hortus Amoris (early music), Duo sol&luna (recorder/flute and keyboard instruments), Echo Temporis Consort (Renaissance recorder consort), Ensemble Phaedrus (Renaissance flute consort), Compagnie l’Avant-Scène Opéra, Compagnie Théâtre Entracte. She is the founder and director of the association for early music Barocc’opéra in her hometown (Neuchâtel). www.schneidercharlotte.com
LEA SOBBE – blokfluit
Fascinated by the sound possibilities of the recorder, Lea Sobbe is active as a soloist and chamber musician. She is involved in early and contemporary music as well as interdisciplinary projects. In addition to her early music ensembles Amaconsort, Sonorità and Echo Temporis Consort, in 2020 she co-founded the collective [sic]nals. Through installative concert concepts with early and contemporary music and based on a philosophical approach to thematic complexes, [sic]nals questions the listening habits of a contemporary audience.
At international competitions such as the Van Wassenaer Concours Utrecht, the Recorder Solo Playing Competition London or the Biagio Marini Competition, Lea has won awards as a soloist and with her ensembles. In 2021 she won the Prix Credit Suisse and gave her debut concert at the Lucerne Festival.
Lea has performed in festivals such as FAMB, Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht, Laus Polyphoniae Antwerp, Felix! Festival Köln and Zeiträume Basel. After studying at the preecollege of the HfM Saar and the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg with Thomas Kügler, Lea studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis from 2014 to 2021.There she completed her studies with Katharina Bopp and Conrad Steinmann with highest distinction. Lea was supported in her studies by the Lyra Foundation.
Since 2021, Lea has been teaching as a visiting professor at the Kunstuniversität Graz.
RUI STAHELIN – luit
Rui Stähelin studierte bei Hopkinson Smith an der Schola Cantorum Basiliensis Laute. Er ist Gründungsmitglied des Ensembles Concerto di Margherita, das die historische Praxis des gleichzeitigen Singens und Spielens wieder zum Leben erweckt. 2017 bis 2019 wurde Concerto di Margherita für das europäische EEEmerging-Förderprogramm ausgewählt, welches das Ensemble mit dem Gewinn des Publikumspreises abschliessen konnte. 2021 schloss er seine spezialiserten Masterstudien mit Fokus Renaissance und Advanced Vocal Ensemble Studies der Schola Cantorum Basiliensis ab.
Darüber hinaus spielt und singt Rui Staehelin regelmäßig mit verschiedenen anderen Ensembles wie le Miroir de Musique, Novantik, und Profeti della Quinta.
Eine besondere Leidenschaft pflegt Rui Staehelin für musikalische Modelle der Renaissance und des Frühbarocks. Mit dem Violinisten Félix Verry kollaboriert er in diesem Feld unter dem Namen die Hasardeure, wobei Musik und Modelle aus der Zeit um 1600 den Interessenschwerpunkt bilden.
HALLDOR BJARKI ARNARSON – klavecimbel
Halldór Bjarki Arnarson is an Icelandic musician exploring diverse fields of the art. He studied in Hannover and the Hague, emerging in 2020 with 2 Bachelor’s degrees in the subjects french horn and harpsichord. In July 2022, Halldór finished his Master’s degree in historical keyboards from Schola Cantorum Basiliensis with highest distinction and there he goes on to pursue specialised studies in improvisation.
Besides being a keyboardist and a horn player, Halldór sings and plays traditional Icelandic instruments in the family band Spilmenn Ríkínís. He has also been active as a composer throughout his life, and his list of works includes electronic and acoustic music, spanning from solo to orchestral pieces.
His ensemble Amaconsort has received numerous awards, most notably the first prize in the renowned Van Wassenaer Competition 2021, Utrecht. Halldór has performed all across Europe on occasions such as Listahátíð í Reykjavík, Laus Polyphoniae Antwerp, Engadin Festival and Lucerne Festival.
Giovanna Baviera earned her Master’s degree in Viola da Gamba at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, under the tutelage Paolo Pandolfo in 2016. While in Basel she also pursued studies in singing with Kathleen Dineen and Ralf Ernst.
Giovanna accompanies herself on the viol, reviving the ancient art of cantar alla viola, or accompanying oneself to the viol and has an active interest in deepening the exploration of the expressive possibilities of this art, playing both old and contemporary repertoire. She is active as a chamber musician with several ensembles across Europe (Profeti della Quinta, Concerto di Margherita, Voces Suaves, Daedalus, Novantik) and has performed in a variety of festivals and venues across Switzerland and Europe (Festival Oude Muziek Utrecht, Festival Ambronay, Musikfest Bremen, Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen, Poznan Baroque Festival, Swiss Dance Days Lausanne, Harvard Institute for Renaissance Italian Studies, Théâtre Vidy Lausanne, Theater Gessnerallee Zürich….)
MATHILDE GOMAS – viola da gamba
Born in Paris in a family of music lovers, Mathilde Gomas begins to play the classical guitar at the age of 5 until completion of her training at the Conservatoire Régional de Paris in 2010.
It is only at the age of 17 that she discovers early music through the lute and other plucked strings instruments. She starts studying viola da gamba with Jean-Louis Charbonnier in Paris first, then in Versailles with Emmanuelle Guigues, while studying Musique et Musicologie at the Sorbonne university. In 2014, she enters the class of Paolo Pandolfo at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (CH) where she receives a complete education in early music, with many eminent performers such as Hopkinson Smith, Leonardo Garcia Alarcon, Pedro Memelsdorff, Andrea Marcon, Evelyn Tubb, Anthony Rooley, Baptiste Romain, Jörg-Andreas Bötticher.
Since 2015, she has been performing in Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, Romania, Austria, Belgium, Greece & the Netherlands, both as a soloist and as a member of several emerging ensembles. Since 2018, she is performing regularly with the greek traditional ensemble En Chordais (Kyriakos Kalaitzides) aswell as next to the renouned gambist Friederike Heumann. She has played on the stage of the Philharmonie in Paris, the Greek National Opera in Athens and taken part in world famous early music festivals: Bucarest, Klagenfurt (Trigonale), Bruges, Utrecht.
Since her graduation as Specialized Master of Performance with distinction in June 2019, Mathilde Gomas lives and works in Basel (CH) where she develops her own projects, including the duet Mallory with mezzo soprano Tessa Roos. In october 2021 she has been awarded the second prize at the international Bach-Abel competition in Köthen (DE). www.mathildegomas.ch