Lunch Concert – Liebesgeschichten von Schumann und Schubert

Matthias Geissbuehler and Stephanie Burga - photo Nicolas Jutzi

Tuesday, October 20, from noon to 1 p.m.
Salle Polyvalente EPFL
 

  • Matthias Geissbühler, vocals
  • Stephanie Gurga, piano

In meinen Adern welches Feuer!
In meinem Herzen welche Glut!

In my veins, such fire!
In my heart, such passion!

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Like few others, Franz Schubert uses a grand finesse to embellish poetry with music, and to bring additional colours to words. Here is the German onomatopoeia in all its splendour (Lautmalerei). Pure joy for singers. Robert Schumann also has a fine sense for verses and stories. His music is poetry in itself. Alternating with music, the most colourful stories come to life.

Is there anything more beautiful than our own imagination, fed by the old masters’ marvellous poetry?

Wenn ich in deine Augen seh’, so schwindet all’ mein Leid und Weh.
When I look in your eyes, all my pain and sorrow dwindle.

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Matthias Geissbühler
graduated in 2006 as an EPFL microengineer, followed by a doctorate in the laboratory of biomedical optics LOB in 2011. His thesis focused on new concepts of high-resolution functional microscopy. In parallel, he is a baritone-bass singer. He has worked with several singing teachers including Stephanie Burkhard, Ioana Bentoiu, Stuart Patterson and Isabelle Henriquez. He was also able to follow master classes with Nora Sourouzian, Claudio Desderi, Gudrun Bär, Valérie Guillorit and David Jones. In the region, he regularly performs as a soloist in oratorios from various compositors from Schütz, Bach, Brahms to Frank Martin. He also vows a great passion for the Lied, especially for Franz Schubert’s and Robert Schumann’s cycles, that do not cease to fascinate and astonish him.


Stephanie Gurga
is an American pianist and harpsichordist. She studied at the DePaux University in Indiana (USA), at the Ecole Normale de Musique d’Alfred Cortot in Paris (France) and at the Musikhochschule of Freiburg in Breisgau (Germany). In 2009, she brilliantly obtained her diploma as a harpsichord performer in Prof. Dr. Robert Hill’s class and unanimously got her Master of Music in fortepiano with the jury’s congratulations in 2012. A very demanded chamber music partner, she performs internationally with renowned soloists. Stephanie Gruga works as a vocal coach at the Neuer Kammerchor and for “Laudate Deum” (Lausanne), and as accompanist at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Lausanne and Sion.

Admission free