First Prize of 5,000 CHF went to the Spirea Quartet, all of whom are students at Basel’s Hochschule für Musik
The 2022 edition of Switzerland’s Orpheus Chamber Music Competitionwhich has been held annually for the last 49 years at the Haute École de Musique de Genevehas recently come to a close.
First Prize of 5,000 CHF went to the Spirea Quartetwhich is made up of Nathan Kirzon other Laia Azcona Morsit (violins), Lucy Mullor (viola), and Blai Bosser Toca (cello). The quartet are all students at Basel’s University of Music.
Alongside their cash prize, the quartet will receive funds to commission a new work (sponsored by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia), as well as concert engagements at the Swiss Chamber Music Festival, the Festival Musikdorf Ernen, and the Zunftkonzerte Zürich.
Second prize went to Trio Chagall (violinist Edoardo Grieco, cellist Francesco Massimino, and pianist Lorenzo Nguyen Ba) while Third Prize went to Trio Zeitgeist (violinist Tim Crawford, cellist Martin Egidi, and pianist Martin Jollet).
The jury included Reto Bieri (chair), Benjamin Englei, Anna Gebert, Raphael Camenisch, David Pia, and Daniel skulli.