Mark Weber a virtuoso on the chromatic harmonica, started his music education on the violin at age 6. A couple of years later, fascinated by its technical possibilities and similarities to the sound of the violin, he became interested in studying the chromatic harmonica.
In 1989, after becoming runner-up at the Hohner World Harmonica Festival in Germany, he made the decision to study the instrument on an academic level.
In New York, he enrolled at the Mannes College of Music and New School Jazz program, taking classes from harmonica virtuosos Robert Bonfiglio and Howard Levy, among others. His performance activities in New York brought him to places like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
Mark has a strong interest in the legacy of the harmonica in classical music. Through his research, he was able to discover Jean Berger’s lost Concertino for Harmonica and Chamber Orchestra, which he recorded for this CD.
In 1989, after becoming runner-up at the Hohner World Harmonica Festival in Germany, he made the decision to study the instrument on an academic level.
In New York, he enrolled at the Mannes College of Music and New School Jazz program, taking classes from harmonica virtuosos Robert Bonfiglio and Howard Levy, among others. His performance activities in New York brought him to places like Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
Mark has a strong interest in the legacy of the harmonica in classical music. Through his research, he was able to discover Jean Berger’s lost Concertino for Harmonica and Chamber Orchestra, which he recorded for this CD.
Robert Schmidt studied classical piano in Cologne and tango music in Buenos Aires. Since 1994, he has achieved international renown as a tango pianist.
He performs with esteemed ensembles such as Tango Real, Gran Orquesta Sabor a Tango, Tango Federal, Cuarteto Tango Bravo, and in his solo concerto, Pianotango, giving concerts across Europe and South America. Additionally, Schmidt conducts workshops for tango orchestras, curates concert series, and launched the Ur-Tango project in Switzerland.
His compositions have gained significant recognition, with several of his works released on CDs in recent years.
He performs with esteemed ensembles such as Tango Real, Gran Orquesta Sabor a Tango, Tango Federal, Cuarteto Tango Bravo, and in his solo concerto, Pianotango, giving concerts across Europe and South America. Additionally, Schmidt conducts workshops for tango orchestras, curates concert series, and launched the Ur-Tango project in Switzerland.
His compositions have gained significant recognition, with several of his works released on CDs in recent years.
A special thank you goes to the Avantgarde Ensemble Zurich. Their excellent collaboration made this project a reality.
The Avantgarde Ensemble Zurich features talented musicians from all over Switzerland.
The Avantgarde Ensemble Zurich features talented musicians from all over Switzerland.
| Violin I | Viola |
| Mireille Faist | Yu Li |
| Leon Felix Schlagintweit | Kinga Fekete |
| Desirée Albicker | |
| Isabel Kriszun | |
| Cello | |
| Beate Schnaithmann | |
| Violin II | Fabia Sutter |
| Angelika Bühler | |
| Michèle Rüegg | Bass |
| Petra Barbaric | Seba Noya |
| Piano | Robert Schmidt |