HunJu Sohnn, Korean born pianist, has been performing both solo and chamber music concerts in Switzerland, England, Germany, France, South Korea, Thailand, Costa Rica, as well as throughout the United States.

Highly appreciated for her qualities in collaborative work, HunJu has been invited to appear with various instrumentalists and performed with the wind ensemble Ensemble Five ±, as well as the European-based Varias Ensemble at the New Year’s Music Festival in Gstaad, Switzerland. HunJu has collaborated in masterclasses for world-famous artists such as Pinkas Zukerman, Nobuko Imai, Kyung-Wha Chung, Tabea Zimmermann, Yuri Bashmet, as well as Yo-Yo Ma, Franz Helmerson, and Ralph Kirshbaum. She has been the pianist/coordinator of the viola masterclass at the Verbier Music Festival and Academy. HunJu has participated in a television documentary featuring Nobuko Imai, which was distributed worldwide and performed with Ms. Imai for France Musique Radio program during the Verbier Festival.

HunJu Sohnn continues to perform in Europe and the US, while holding a teaching position at the Conservatoire Populaire de Musique Danse et Théâtre in Geneva. She also participated in studio recordings, most recently in a project of complete works for piano and winds by Francis Poulenc released by Kleos Classics. HunJu Sohnn received her Master's degree from New England Conservatory and holds a Doctoral degree for Piano Performance from Rice University.

“Annegret Kuttner’s playing is characterised by considerable professionalism and perfection, by her contagious electrifying joy in performing music and by the great stylistic sureness of her interpretation.”
Sächsische Zeitung

„...Kuttner's ... light-fingered playing was impressive for its airy clarity..."
Irish Times

Pianist Annegret Kuttner impresses the audience with the naturalness of her interpretation and the lightness and clarity of her playing.

After successfully participating in the Robert Schumann Piano Competition in Zwickau, Annegret has performed already at the age of 16 as a soloist in concerts in Germany and other European countries, including with the European Union Youth Orchestra. She completed her piano studies at the Dresden Academy of Music with Professor Peter Rösel, and received further musical impetus from masterclasses with Karl-Heinz Kämmerling, Pavel Gililov and Amadeus Webersinke. Annegret augmented her training with postgraduate studies on piano accompaniment (as a répétiteur) with Professor Monika Raithel as well as studying harpsichord with the internationally renowned expert on ancient music, Professor Ludger Remy.

Annegret Kuttner now teaches at the Academy of Music and Theatre, Leipzig.
In addition to her teaching post, the highly sought-after pianist regularly performs as a soloist and chamber musician in diverse musical and cultural centres in Germany and abroad.
Concert tours have taken her to the Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, Latvia, Ireland, South Africa and the USA.

Annegret performs regularly with Benjamin Schmid, Antje Weithaas, Natalia Prishepenko, Pauline Sachse, Ivan Zenaty and Robert Oberaigner. In New York, she played Beethoven’s complete works for cello and piano together with cellist Peter Bruns. This concert was extremely well received by the public and press alike (New York Sun). Various internationally acclaimed CD recordings are released, including works for cello and piano by Louis Vierne and Charles-Marie Widor, by Robert Schumann and Robert Volkmann as well as for the Beethoven anniversary in 2020 together with Peter Bruns/cello the cycle "Beethoven – Most Complete 1-3“, expanding his known repertoire of five cello sonatas and three sets of variations with another three sonatas and arrangements by Beethoven himself and by composers from his context, for instance the sonata op. 64 (!) and the "Kreutzer“- sonata arrangement for cello by Carl Czerny.

Born in 1980 in Neuchâtel (Switzerland), SIMON PEGUIRON first studied violin before turning to the piano and organ. He studied music at La Chaux-de-Fonds Conservatory, graduating with the best marks in organ and piano, and also completing a degree in music theory. He then studied organ with Guy Bovet at the Music Academy Basel, and at the High School of Music in Zurich in the piano class of Homero Francesch. He graduated in 2006 with highest honors and a soloist diploma for both instruments.

He appears regularly in concert as accompanist, chamber musician, soloist, composer, and more recently, as a conductor. He also is dedicated to arrangement and improvisation in various styles.

He has taught piano at the Conservatoire of Neuchâtel since 2006 and, after ten years of activity at the Temple du Locle, in 2009 replaced Guy Bovet as organist of the Collegiate Church of Neuchâtel.

In 2017, he was appointed as conductor and music director of the Orchestre de Chambre de La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Iryna was born in Kyiv on May 17, 2006. She studied at Kyiv Lysenko State Music Lyceum with Olha Korinets and Vadym Borysov. Since 2022 she studies at the Haute Ecole de Musique Geneve/Neuchatel (violin class of prof. Sergey Ostrovsky).

Iryna is a laureate of international violin competitions in Ukraine, Poland, Belgium, Estonia and Switzerland, including the Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition.

She took part in masterclasses by B. Garlitsky, B. Kuschnir, V. Sokolov, M. Bouchkov, V. Gluzman, U. Wallin, D. Schwarzberg, D. Sitkovetsky, K. Troussov, and others.

Iryna participated in the Ukrainian National Art Project "I AM A VIRTUOS!" (2019, 2020, 2021), where she performed solo with the Ukrainian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
In the 2021–2022 concert season, she had solo performances with the Kyiv Chamber Orchestra, the Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, and the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra.

She participated in the Young Classic Dialog Berlin Festival (Germany), Allegra Festival (Bulgaria), Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra, FestiVal d'Anniviers, Festival Puplinge, and Primeurs Musicales (Switzerland).

She has been supported by the LYRA Foundation, Rahn Kulturfonds, the Foundation Jean Tanner and the Marescotti Foundation (Switzerland).

Since 2022 she receives grant support from the VERE MUSIC FUND.

Since December 2022, Iryna plays the violin made by Augustino de Planis (Venice, 1771) from the collection of the LALIVE Foundation.

British violinist Andrew Samarasekara is known for his artistic sensitivity, accomplished technique, and communicative style. He is a first-prize winner at the Fanny Mendelssohn and International Salzburg music competitions and has received special prizes at the Eastbourne Young Soloist and Gisborne International Music competitions. His performances
were further acknowledged when he reached the semi-finals of the Bartok World Competition and ARS Classica and was a selected candidate for the 8th Sendai International Violin Competition. He made his concerto debut at age 12 and has since performed as a soloist with the London Concertante, Dorking Philharmonia, Ipswich Philharmonic, and Orchestra Cameristi della Scala.

Andrew has performed extensively across Europe and North America at renowned venues, including the Yale Morse Recital Hall, Woolsey Hall, Jordan Hall, Cadogan Hall, Franz Liszt Academy, Berlin Konzerthaus, Wigmore Hall, Kaufman Centre, Société de Lecture Geneva, Menuhin Hall, and Schloss Nymphenburg Munich. His festival appearances include Schiermonnikoogfestival, Geneva String Academy, IMS Prussia Cove, NUME Academy, Yale Norfolk Chamber Music Series, ECU Four Seasons Winter Workshop, Garda Lake String Academy, Mendelssohn on Mull Chamber Music and Crans Montana Classics. A keen advocate for chamber music and collaboration, Andrew has shared the stage in concert with Shlomo Mintz, Sergey Ostrovksy, Noémie Bialobroda, Ida Kavafian, Tai Murray, Colin Carr, Ettore Causa and the Emerson, St Lawrence and Doric Quartets.

A former student at theYehudi Menuhin School and the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Lutsia Ibragimova and Paul Biss respectively, Andrew completed his graduate studies in 2024 at the Yale School of Music in the class of Ani Kavafian. At Yale, he received the prestigious Yale Raymond M. Plank Prize, a sponsored artist residency at the UCROSS Foundation, and the Yale Alumni Association Prize twice.

Andrew has participated in masterclasses led by Augustin Hadelich, Philippe Graffin, Mi-Kyung Lee, Steven Isserlis, Frank Huang, Aaron Rosand, Lukas Hagen, Ida Kavafian, and Hagai Shaham. He also received mentorship and guidance from Miriam Fried and members of the Brentano Quartet and Emerson Quartets. Andrew performs on a 1731 Nicolò Gagliano violin and W. Hill bow generously provided by a private benefactor.

GISA Ambassador: Contact Alessandra Yang

Violist Alessandra Yang currently studies at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität (Vienna, Austria) in the studio of Jennifer Stumm and attended Juilliard Pre-College under the tutelage of Hsin-Yun Huang. She frequently participates in chamber music festivals and masterclasses, including Taos School of Music, Perlman Music Program, Newburyport Chamber Music Festival, Prussia Cove, and Saline Royale Academy, and she regularly performs in baroque ensembles across Europe and the United States.

She wins the special Chamber Music Prize at the Concours de Genève 2025 for Viola.

Outside of music, she enjoys exploring philosophy and has taken classes at Freogen Fellowship, the inaugural Forbidden Courses program at the University of Austin, and as a fellow of the Hertog Foundation.

Alessandra plays on a 2017 Hiroshi Iizuka viola made local in her native Philadelphia and an 1801 Michael Stadlmann Viola d'amore made in Vienna.

Violist David Kang is a Korean-American artist based in Vienna whose playing is recognized for its warmth, lyricism, and expressive depth. The first violist to win both the Thornton Bach Competition and the LAKMA Competition he has established a dynamic career as chamber musician, orchestral leader, and educator.
An active presence on the international chamber music stage, Kang has appeared at festivals including the Thy Chamber Music Festival, Geneva International String Academy, Danish String Quartet Academy, and Atlantic Music Festival. In 2021, he won first prize at the Ofeish String Quartet Competition, leading to a residency at the Rencontres Franco-Américaines de Musique de Chambre Festival with the Gateway Quartet. He has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Yura Lee, Atar Arad, Tony Nys, Andrew Wan, Peter Bruns, Annette von Hehn, and François Salque, and has served as guest artist and faculty at the Kenya International Chamber Music Festival.

Alongside his chamber career, Kang maintains an active orchestral profile. He has served as Principal Viola of the Thornton and Bob Cole Symphony Orchestras and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and Opera San Antonio. He has also appeared as guest principal with ensembles including the Recovered Voices Orchestra, American Contemporary Ballet, and Fernweh Orchestra.

Kang began his musical studies on the violin at age five before transitioning to the viola during his undergraduate years. He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the USC Thornton School of Music, where he studied under Che-Yen Chen and Yura Lee. Currently, he continues his studies at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität der Stadt Wien, where he works with Jennifer Stumm. He has also had the privilege of learning from artists such as Nobuko Imai, Thomas Riebl, Asbjørn Nørgaard, Teng Li, Tim Frederiksen, Shunske Sato, and Jay Campbell, among others.

Theresa Hořejší was born into a family of musicians in 1999. Starting with the violin, she often took part in the "Jugend Musiziert" competition and gained experience in youth orchestras and chamber music ensembles at an early age. She discovered the viola through her family. Before starting her studies, she completed a preparatory course at the music school in her home town of Mülheim an der Ruhr.

From 2018, she studied at the Cologne University of Music and Dance in the class of Matthias Buchholz and finished her studies at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne in 2024 with Tatjana Masurenko.

In the 2020/21 season, she was a trainee with the Duisburg Philharmonic Orchestra at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and then played regularly with them as a substitute. In the 2022/23 season, she was a trainee with the Sinfonietta de Lausanne.

As a chamber musician, she has worked with Jörg Widmann, the Minguett Quartet, Harald Schoneweg, Gregor Schwellenbach, Rio Arai, Robert Kulek, Daniel Haefliger and Peter Bruns among others.

She received important influences from Martin Outram, Tabea Zimmermann, Hartmuth Rode, Noémie Bialobroda, Gerard Caussé and Frédéric Kirch among others.

She also took part in recordings for the Arte film "TRANS - I Got Life", which was broadcast on television in September 2023. She has also been principal violist in the Swiss Youth Symphony Orchestra (SJSO) from 2023-2025.

In September 2023, she took part in the renowned ARD Music Competition. In 2024 she took up a 3rd solo position in the St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra. From September 2025 she joins l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande as a tutti player.

Xuanhan Xu started playing piano at the age of five and began learning the cello at eight. At the age of thirteen, Xuanhan Xu was enrolled at Hochschule für Musik Saar in Germany, where she studied as a Jungstudentin with Professor Gustav Rivinius. At the age of 16, she began her bachelor's degree at Hochschule für Musik Saar. At age of 20, she began her Master’s degree at Die Hochschule für Musik und Theater „Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ Leipzig, studying with Professor Peter Bruns.

In 2013, at the age of nine, she won the 5th David Popper International Cello Competition in Hungary. On October 20, 2020, the 16-year-old Xuanhan Xu won the first prize at the Pablo Casals International Award for Young Cellists. July 5, 2022, Förderpreise Klassische Musik 2022 by The Hans and Ruth Gießen Foundation. July 2023, 1st Prize from Chieti Classica Cello International Competition. Since February 2024, she is a Scholarship holder of der Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben Instrumentenfonds.

Gustav Rivinius, Prof. Jian Wang, Prof. Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt, Prof. Gary Hoffman, Prof. Jens Peter Maintz, Prof. Claudio Borhórquez, Prof. Julian Steckel, Prof. Martti Rousi and Prof. Peter Bruns.

Xuanhan Xu has played concerts with NCPA Orchestra, National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra, and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of conductors Hubert Soudant, Yi Zhang, and Jia Lü. They were performed in Beijing at the NCPA (National Center for the Performing Arts), Suntory Hall, Tokyo, and Shanghai Symphony Hall and Beijing Concert Hall. In 2018, she was selected to play twice for the live concerts of the ARD Consortium (German National Television Consortium), recitals at the prestigious Chamber Concert Festival. In 2021, she was invited by the Fundació Pau Casals for recitals in Barcelona and Girona. In 2023, she played her own Chamber music recital in Rathaussaal Oberthal, Saarland. In 2024, she held her own chamber music concerts with Australian Pianist Tony Lee, at the Beijing Concert Hall and Shanghai Symphony Chamber Music Hall. 

In June 2025, she is going to play Schumann Cello Concerto with Maestro Hubert Soudant, together with Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra at Shanghai Symphony Hall. Shortly after, she is going to perform her own chamber music recital at Chengdu City Concert Hall.

Chiara Kaufman is an Italian-American cellist, born in New York in 2004. After moving to Italy, she began her musical studies at the G. Verdi Conservatory in Milan, where she graduated with honors. She attended the Pavia Cello Academy under the guidance of Maestro Enrico Dindo, with whom she is currently pursuing her Master’s degree at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano.

Chiara is also a student at the Stauffer Academy for Strings in Cremona, where she has worked with Antonio Meneses and is now part of the class of Frans Helmerson. Over the years, she has refined her skills through masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Jens Peter Maintz, Peter Bruns, Asier Polo, Enrico Bronzi, and Mischa Maisky. She also attended courses at Accademia Chigiana and Kronberg Academy.

Chiara has performed throughout Italy for prestigious festivals and concert societies such as Trame Sonore, Mito Settembre Musica, Milano Classica, Amici del Loggione del Teatro alla Scala, Società del Quartetto and Società dei Concerti. Notable appearances include performances at Accademia Filarmonica Romana and Milan’s Sala Verdi and Sala Puccini, where she held a recital after winning the “Young Talents Award” at the Milan Conservatory Prize, and more recently, first prize in the “String” section of the same competition.

She actively dedicates herself to chamber music experiences and forms, together with her brother and sister, the Kaufman Trio, with which she has performed across Italy, Germany, and Belgium. In November 2022, they gave the Italian premiere of Evgeny Kissin’s Trio, dedicated to Ukraine.

Chiara plays an instrument by French luthier Mathias Menanteau.

Henriette-Luise Knauer was born in Dresden in 2009 and began playing the cello at the age of four. From 2015-2021 she received lessons from Daniel Thiele until she switched to Prof. Peter Bruns at the age of twelve. She has been attending the Saxon State High School for Music since the 5th grade. She has also been a junior student at the Leipzig University of Music with Prof. Peter Bruns since 2022.

Henriette-Luise has taken part in masterclasses with Damien Ventula, Hans-Jacob Eschenburg, Jan Vogler and Thomas Grossenbacher. At the invitation of the Dresden Music Festival and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, she also took part in masterclasses with David Geringas and Steven Isserlis. She is a scholarship holder of the Liechtenstein Music Academy and takes part in the intensive weeks and activities held there.

At the national competition “Jugend musiziert” 2022 she received the highest score in the category cello solo.

In 2023, Henriette was accepted into the National Youth Orchestra of Germany after a successful audition. She gained chamber music experience at the German Chamber Music Course in Trossingen and in Kronberg at “Mit Musik-Miteinander”. In summer 2024, she was a participant at the Moritzburg Festival Academy.

Henriette-Luise was supported by a scholarship from the “Stiftung Frau und Kultur” and since 2023 she has been a scholarship holder of the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.

As a winner of the 30th competition of the German Musical Instrument Fund, she has since played a cello by Philipp Augustin, Staufen, 2019 and a Pfretzschner cello bow.