Ensembles (engl.)

1) Lied Duo Christine Simolka, soprano, and René Wohlhauser, piano

Christine Simolka
Born in Basel, she completed an eight-year course of vocal training in Basel with Nicole Andrich and Raymond Henn. During this time she also attended numerous courses with Kurt Widmer, Andreas Scholl and Hanno Müller-Brachmann, as well as opera classes at the Music Academy Basel. Further studies with Marianne Schuppe. Regular concert performance. Christine Simolka’s repertoire includes a wide range of musical styles. Besides Lieder of the baroque and classical periods, one of her specialities is Schubert. She has recently begun to devote herself more and more to contemporary music (Holliger, Henze, Wohlhauser). In addition, she improvises in diverse styles (jazz, klezmer, blues, rock, free improvisiation).

René Wohlhauser
Born in 1954 and raised in Brienz, René Wohlhauser is a very versatile musician with a broad stylistic spectrum, who has created a voluminous compositional oeuvre that includes over 1000 works. Long experience as a rock- and jazz musician, improvisor, Lied accompanist, as well as composer of radio drama music have accompanied his main profession as composer of contemporary music. Since finishing his studies at the Music Academy Basel and with Klaus Huber and Brian Ferneyhough in Freiburg, he has been teaching composition, music theory and improvisation at the Music Academy Basel. Further piano study with Stéphane Reymond. Several international prizes for composition. Numerous international performances. Lectures, publications, culture-political commitment.

Repertoire of the Lied Duo
Classical (Mozart), romantic (Schubert, Schumann), turn-of-the-century (Mahler), contemporary (Holliger, Henze, Wohlhauser), jazz, klezmer, blues, rock, oldies (with mandoline instead of piano), free improvisation.

2) Ensemble "Polysono"
According to the projects, the Duo can be extended with other instruments becoming the ensemble "Polysono".

Repertoire of the extended ensemble "Polysono"
Mainly contemporary music, e.g. by Messiaen, Berio and Ferneyhough.

contact: Wohlhauser / Simolka, Schillerstr. 5, 4053 Basel, wohlhauser@freesurf.ch

English translation: Gail Makar