Harpist Nathalie Chatelain entered the Lausanne Conservatoire in 1984 where she obtained a Teaching degree in 1986, the Virtuosité first Prize in 1988 and a Licence de Concert (Performing Arts degree) in 1990, in Chantal Mathieu-Balavoine’s class. She participated in master classes given by Nicanor Zabaleta, Germaine Lorenzini, Jacqueline Borot and Marielle Nordmann.

In 1989 Nathalie Chatelain was the winner of the Maurice Sandoz Prize and in 1998 she won the second Prize at the TIM (International Music Competition) in Rome.

She performed as a soloist and with chamber music groups in several festivals: the Journées de la Harpe in Arles, the European Symposium in Amsterdam, the World Harp Congress in Prague, Purdue Festival in Indiana (USA), the Harp Festival in Avesnois (France), the Festival Amadeus in Geneva, the Festival of the Château de Bourglinster in Luxemburg, International Festival of Music in New Caledonia.

In addition to her solo concertizing, Natalie Chatelain dedicates part of her time to teaching. She taught at the Bern Conservatory for 10 years (from 1991 to 2001). She organizes summer master classes with various teachers. Nathalie Chatelain also performs in duo with various instruments. Her recordings include several CDs with various chamber music groups and one as a soloist.

Claude Régimbald (flute) & Nathalie Chatelain (harp) have been playing together since 1995. Their repertoire extends from the baroque to contemporary music. They have performed in Switzerland with Concerts at Saint-Germain and at the American Church, both of them in Geneva, Amarcordes Concerts at the Dardagny Château, Villa Dutoit in Grand-Saconnex, Lancy Concerts, Musiclub of the CERN, Jussy Concerts, Le Lode Concerts, Heures Musicales at Bévilard, Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Jeunesses Musicales at Martigny and Schubertiade 2000 at Espace 2. In France: Pouilly Church, Versonnex Church and Journées de la harpe in Aries, where they gave the first world performance of Ivan Jevtic’s Sonata. They played as soloists in Mozart’s Concerto KV 299, accompanied by the Arcus-Coeli Orchestra at the Forum Meyrin. They have also performed in “Tribune des jeunes musiciens” broadcasted by the “Radio Suisse-Romande Espace2” and in “Musique en France” broadcasted by France-Musique.

Flutist Claude Régimbald won 3rd Prize at the 22nd International Jeunesses Musicales Competition of Belgrade in 1992. Of both Canadian and French citizenship, he studied at the Conservatoire de Musique in Montreal, where he was unanimously awarded First Prize in flute and musical analysis. He won a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts and three scholarships from the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres of Quebec. He continued his studies in Europe, where he won the Virtuosité First Prize at the Conservatoire de Musique in Geneva, studying with Maxence Larrieu. He also won Prizes at the Quebec and Canadian Music Competitions, the International Stepping-stone, the CIBC National Music Festival, the Quebec Symphony Orchestra Competition and the Journées de la Musique Française of Montreal. Claude Régimbald has given many recitals in Canada, France Switzerland and England. He performed the Jacques Ibert Concerto with the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra on Yugoslavian national television. He has also played for Radio-Canada, CBC, Radio-France and Radio Suisse-Romande. He has recorded: “La flute virtuose” for the SNE label and “La flûte au Conservatoire de Paris” for the ATMA label.

Born in Rome Italy in 1968, Michel Tirabosco settled in Geneva, Switzerland. He studied at the Geneva Conservatory, where he became the first student ever student to carry out a transverse flute certificate with the panpipes. This, as well as his Musical Diploma at the Geneva Higher Conservatory and a Panpipes Master Diploma at the Higher Institute of Music in Geneva, have awarded Michel many prizes. He currently gives master classes and teaches students in professional classes in different conservatories and academies.

Four young harpists, having brilliantly finished their music studies, met at Geneva in 1990, with the desire to play together and assemble a repertoire.

A harp quartet? that’s not easy one has to find the scores and then adapt them - which has been done so often before ( often by illustrious composers ). Isabelle Marie, a first prize winner of the Fans Academy started the work. Nathalie Chatelain, Line Gaudard, Isabelle Martin-Achard Moliet are holders of virtuoso awards of the Lausanne Academy, from the class of Chantal Mathieu-Baiavoine. The harp quartet started successfully in Geneva the aim of this formation is the research of a style different to the traditional image of a lounge harpist or the often discreet orchestra harpist.

Since 1990 the great success of the harp quartet proves the interest granted to this research.

Claudine Vellones

The harp quartet has performed many times in Geneva, in all the major towns of Switzerland. in France and Luxembourg. They were invited in March 1994 to Fans to perform at MUSICORA in a concert broadcasted live on several cultural channels. The harp quartet had already inspired several contemporary composers and wishes to further develop their repertoire as well as their instrumental and educational activities.

The Harpege Quartet still performs regularly in Europe. It received and accepted an invitation to the 1999 World Harp Congress in Prague and its four musicians pursue individual careers.

The second CD from this rare group of musicians enables them to share an enlarged repertoire.

This chamber music ensemble was founded in Geneva in 1990 by the violoncellist Marc-Andre Thiebaud. The exceptional uniting of such brilliant and varied instruments with such virtuosity and melody, favours a new approach to music. With the help of subtle sound alliance, the Quatuor Appassionata (Q.A.) subjugates their audience in a dreamy atmosphere of life and peace.

The Q.A. musicians are academy laureates and have become individually specialised with the greatest Masters of their respective instruments. They have also participated with success in international music competition and training courses. They perform frequently in concerts and participate in Radio and Television programs. They regularly record in Solo or with other musicians, and interpret original works dedicated to them. In line with their training and their name, the Q.A. repertoire wishes to be lively and varied, it stretches without limit from ancient to modern-day music.

The works performed here are not, of course, the originals. They have all been arranged by the musicians of Q.A. who have adapted them at best, to the tessitura and both technical and expressive possibilities of their instruments, with a constant will to respect the original work.

The parts of the program, devoted to Baroque music have hardly endured any modification, except for the replacement of a transverse flute (Vivaldi, Telemann), or a fipple flute (Quantz), by a Pan-pipe, and that of a harpsichord by a harp. During the periods of ancient music (Renaissance and Baroque), it was usual for a composer not to compose specifically for an instrument, be it string or wind. Consequently, the arrangements proposed by Q.A. for the Baroque period correspond perfectly with the customs of those times, despite the fact that the Pan-pipe was still little known in western Europe. With regard to the classic and romantic periods, the destination of the musical compositions was certainly more precise and strict; nevertheless, the arrangements of Q.A. are always accomplished with the objective of never betraying the composer.

Members:
Michel Tirabosco: Pan-pipes
William Garein: Violin
Marc-André Thiébaud: Violoncello
Nathalie Chatelain: Harp

 

Please contact Nathalie Chatelain via her web site www.nathaliechatelain.com

and Quatuor Harpege via their web site at www.quatuor-harpege.com

Michel Tirabosco can be contacted via his web site: www.micheltirabosco.ch

Albums - click cover for details
Patchwork	Couleurs	Quatuor Harpege 1	Quatuor Harpege 2
Appassionata Quatuor	L'ABC de la harpe	L'heure bleue