Michaela Paetsch’s playing has been described as "gloriously charged…beguilingly velvety" (The Strad). Her captivating artistry was celebrated for the soaring vitality and the personal commitment she showed her audiences. She grew up in a musical family on a mountain in Colorado Springs. "Making music and performing with my family chamber ensemble was the most important part of my development as a performing artist," Michaela said. "I grew as a soloist as well as a chamber musician. These experiences set me up for life!"
Vladyslava Luchenko
From an early age Vladyslava Luchenko developed a deep love for music and she was from the beginning keenly aware of wanting make it her life’s dedication. This spontaneously expressed wish was lovingly nurtured by her parents: just five years old, she received her first piano and violin lessons at the local music school. Her rapidly discovered perfect pitch connected with a rare innate musical intuition were developed immediately and attentively. With these unusual predispositions Vladyslava was admitted at the age of seven to the Lysenko Music School for highlygifted children in Kiev where she studied until 2006.
Lilia Leutenegger
Lilia Leutenegger (Chepikova) was born in Russia in 1985. She started to play the violin at 5 years old. In 1999, she entered the Moscow Central Music School. In 2003, Lilia continued her musical education at the Moscow State Conservatory where she was awarded a Master's degree. In 2008, Lilia moved to Tampere, Finland to study at the Turun Amattikorkeakoulu (Turku University of Applied Sciences) with Alexander Vinnitsky.
Since 2009, Lilia has been in Switzerland. She studied at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève with Professor Sergey Ostrovsky and in 2011, entered HEMU in Lausanne with Prof. Gyula Stuller and later with Pierre Amoyal. During the 2014/2015 academic year Lilia has been studying with Madame Barbara Doll at the Hochshule der Künste Bern.
Now Lilia Leutenegger lives in Geneva. She currently works at the Sinfonie Orchester Biel Solothurn and she performs as soloist with the Chamber Orchestra GAIA based in Rotkreuz where she also holds the concertmaster position.
Rolf-Dieter Gangl
Born in Stuttgart, Rolf-Dieter Gangl started his musical journey early. After serving in the army with the German Army String Quartet, he studied with Professor Max Rostal at the Bern Conservatory and with Christoph Schiller at the Zurich School of Music.
His talent led him to the Swiss Chamber Orchestra and the prestigious Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich. Since 1991, Rolf-Dieter has been an assistant principal viola of the Biel Symphony Orchestra TOBS.
His love for chamber music has flourished and he has collaborated with renowned ensembles such as the Biel String Quartet, the Biel Piano Quartet, vvv-trio.ch, the Transatlantic Quintet and the Pilgerweg Strings founded by Michaela Paetsch.
In addition to his musical activities, Rolf-Dieter has been actively involved in the life of Pilgerweg Bielersee Parish as a vice-president and member of the concert committee.
His captivating performances are showcased on a remarkable viola made by Karlsruhe craftsman Florian Geyer.
Michel Faivre
Michel Faivre's musical journey began at the ZHdk, mentored by the renowned Walter Grimmer. Continuing his pursuit of excellence, he honed his skills under the guidance of Thomas Grossenbacher at Musikhoschschue Winterthur. To earn a soloist diploma at the Haute École de Musique Neuchâtel, Michel studied with the esteemed Luc Aeschlimann.
His remarkable talent has been recognized with numerous prizes and competition awards. As an orchestral and chamber musician, Michel's performance has been an invaluable asset on stages across diverse countries.
Beyond his performances, Michel Faivre also dedicates himself to nurturing the next generation of musicians. Since 2008, he has been sharing his knowledge and passion as a cherished educator at the conservatory in Fribourg.
Luc Chatelet
Luc Chatelet's musical journey began at the esteemed Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique in Geneva. His dedication to excellence led him to Denmark and Zurich, where he earned the prestigious 1st prize for virtuosity. For three decades, he graced the Biel TOBS symphony orchestra with his talents.
Today, Luc's passion lies in chamber music, where he unveils the depth of his artistry across diverse musical genres. A virtuoso of versatility, he continues to captivate audiences with his extraordinary performances.
