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Gershwin Piano Quartet

Mischa Cheung // André Desponds

Benjamin Engeli // Stefan Wirth

shedsnew light on themusicof George Gershwin. Itfeatures 4 pianists on 4 grandpianos, playing, arrangingandimprovising on someofGershwin’smostpopularsongsand orchestral works, such as „Rhapsody in Blue“, „An American in Paris“, and „I GotRhythm“.The originalsarerescoredfortheunfamiliarcombinationof 4 pianosbythemembersofthequartetthemselvesandmakefor a novelandexcitinglisteningandviewingexperience.

The Gershwin Piano Quartet was foundedby André Desponds in 1996andhaspresenteditsprogram in Europe, South America, China andtheMiddle East withgreatsuccessandtobroadcriticalacclaim. SomeoftheplaceswheretheQuartethasperformedincludethe Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (Germany), the KKL Lucerne (Switzerland), the Festival de Menton (France), the Athens International Festival (Greece), theBaalbek International Festival (Lebanon), theOriental Art Center Shanghai (China) andthe Sala São Paulo (Brazil).

In itsnewprogram, thequartetdoes not limititselfsolelytothemusicof Gershwin but also includesimportantworksbysomeofGershwin’scontemporaries, namely Igor Stravinsky’s „Petrushka“ and Maurice Ravel’s „La Valse“. In thisway, themanycross- referencesbetweentheoldworldandthenew, betweenclassicalmusicand jazz, classicalballetand Broadway theater, becomeapparent, thuscreating a livelyandhighlyvirtuosicconcertevening.

André Desponds(b. 1958) isoneofthefewpianistswhofeelequally at home in a Bach fugue, a Chopin Ballade andGershwin’s „I GotRhythm“.At theearlyageof 16 he was admittedtotheclassof Sava Savoff at the Musikhochschule Zürich andhassincebeenawardednumerousprizes in national and international competitions.AndréDespondshasperformed in many international venues, includingthe Gasteig, Munich, the St. Petersburg Philharmonyandthe UN Headquarters in New York. He hasmaderecordingsfor Swiss televisionandradioaswellas a numberof CD- productionsandcollaboratesregularlywithmanynotedartists, such asNoëmiNadelmann,Thomas Dobler, Simon Estes,Andreas Vollenweider and Bettina Boller. In addition,AndréDespondshasdeveloped a widespectrumofmusicalactivitiesas a jazz improviser, silent film accompanistandas acomposerfortheatreand film.

Someofhisprojectshaveincludedthefoundingofthe Gershwin Piano Quartet (1996), thetheatricalproject „L’hommeorchestre“ withthe Clown Dimitri at theLucerne Festival aswellasnumerouseducationalorchestrapresentations. In 2006, togetherwiththedancer Andrea Herdeg, he created „Zal“, a playbased on thelifeandmusicof F. Chopin thatcombineselementsofmusic, danceandtheatre. Despondsis a professorforimprovisationandchambermusic at the Hochschule der Künste Zürich.

Stefan Wirth (b. 1975) isoneofthemost versatile Swiss musiciansofhisgeneration.As a soloist he hasperformedwiththe Czech Chamber Orchestra, theBerneseChamber Orchestra andtheMalaysian National Philharmonic Orchestra amongstothers. He isespeciallydedicatedtocontemporarymusic, bothas a composerandas a performerwiththe Collegium Novum, Zurichandthe Ensemble Contrechamps, Geneva. Finally, he has also worked in theatrewithdirectors such as Christoph Marthaler and Frank Castorf ascomposer, arrangerandperformer.

Stefan Wirth receivedhistrainingas a pianist at the Konservatorium ZurichwithHadassa Schwimmer and Irwin Gage. He pursuedhisstudies in the USA at the New England Conservatory, Boston and at Indiana University Bloomington, where he studiedwith Leonard HokansonandreceivedhisMaster’sDegree in 2001. He haswonnumerousprizes: at the Swiss National Youth Competition, fromthe American Society of Arts and Letters, or, togetherwiththeviolinist Jakub Dzialak at the International Chamber Music Competition Thessaloniki. Additionally, he hasparticipated in masterclasseswithHomeroFranceschand Bruno Leonardo Gelber.

Mischa Cheung (b. 1984) istheyoungestmemberoftheQuartet. Of Swiss-Chinese parentage, he startedplayingthe piano at theageof 3 andreceivedhisearlytrainingfromhisfather. Sincegraduatingfrom high school he hasbeenstudying at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste withtherenownedpianist Konstantin Scherbakov, where he receivedhis "Master of Arts in Music Performance" in 2009 withdistinctionaswellas a "Master of Arts in Specialized Music Performance" in 2011. Since 2009, he hasbeenappointedassistanttoScherbakov.

Mischa Cheung haswonnumerousprizes: 1st prize at the piano competitionofthe Basel Musikakademie, 1st prizewithspecialdistinction at the Swiss National Youth Competition, 2nd prize at theConcours Géraldine Whitaker, soloist- andspecialaudienceprize at the Schenk- Competition 2010, 1st prize at theKiwanis-Competition 2011, 3rd prize at the 2012 Prokofiev Competitionofthe IBLA Foundation New York, Ist prize at theAllround Piano Competition 2013 Zurich.He has also receivedmanyscolarshipsandsponsorshipawardsfromprestigiousfoundations such asthe LYRA Foundationandthe Fritz Gerber Foundation.

Mischa Cheung hasappearedas a soloistwithvariousorchestrasincludingthe Junge Münchner Philharmonie andthe Collegium Musicum Basel, and he hasperformed in many countries of Europe aswellas in Asiaand South America. Sincethe end of 2011, he isthepianistof Spark, theclassical band (awardedwiththe ECHO Klassik 2011).

BenjamiEngeli(b. 1978) comesfrom a musicalfamilyanddeveloped an earlyinterest in a greatnumberofinstruments. He didn’tbeginregular piano lessonsuntiltheageof 15, studyingwith Adrian Oetikeruptohisgraduationfromthe Musikakademie Basel. At the same time he also studiedhorn at the Musikhochschule Lucerne. In 2000 he enrolled at the Musikhochschule Zürich withHomeroFranceschandgraduatedwith a soloist’sdiploma in 2003.Additionally, he hastakenlessonswith Lazar Berman, Andrzej Jasinki, MauriziPollini, Menahem Pressler andAndràs Schiff. As a prizewinnerofnumerouscompetitions Benjamin Engelihasperformed in most European countries aswellas in India, North and South America. He has also appeared at festivals in Chicago, Davos, Gstaad, Ludwigsburg, Lucerne etc. andhasperformed at prestigiousvenues such astheConcertgebouw Amsterdam, theWigmore Hall (London), theTschaikovskyConservatory (Moskow), the Herkulessaal Munichandthe Konzerthaus Wien.

Manyofhisperformanceshavebeenbroadcast on radioand in 2010 Solo Musicareleased a CD with piano sonatasby Ludwig van Beethoven, whichmetgreatcriticalacclaim.As a memberoftheTecchler Trio he wonfirstprize at the International ARD- Competition in Munich in 2007.Today he isactive in severalfreeformations, ismuch in demandasvocalaccompanistandholds a teachingpositionforchambermusic at the Hochschule für Musik in Basel.

2015/16season(Exklusive management Germany, Switzerland, Austria)

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