Prizewinners Announced at the Orpheus Swiss Chamber Music Competition

Trio Basilea was named the overall winner and will receive 5,000 CHF

The Orpheus Swiss Chamber Music Competition, which has been running for the last 50 years, recently came to a close at the Lucerne School of Music.

In 2023, the jury comprised Heinz Holliger (chair), Benjamin Engeli, Chiara Enderle Samatanga, Sarah Rumer, Daniel Schädeli, and Lisa Schatzman.

Out of the nineteen competing ensembles, the Swiss ensemble Trio Basilea received first prize, and as a result, will receive a prize of 5,000 CHF, as well as the opportunity to commission a new work.

In addition, the group will receive concert appearances at Piano Trio Fest Bern, the Swiss Chamber Music Festival, the Zunftkonzerte Zürich, and Festival Musikdorf Ernen.

Formed in Basel in 2021, Trio Basilea comprises Laurențiu Stoian (violin), Marina Martins (cello), and Zofia Grzelak (piano). The group are current students of Anna Gebert at the Musik Akademie Basel and have appeared in masterclasses with Steven Isserlis and Péter Nagy.

Second prize of 3,000 CHF went to Trio Zarathoustra, while third prize of 2,000 CHF went to Trio Archai. All three groups are studying at Switzerland's University of Applied Sciences (FHNW).