Dear visitor,
some parts of this website are available in English. Please don't hesitate to contact us in English.
Download the documentation in English (PDF)
NEXUS reed quintet
NEXUS reed quintet – an exciting and innovative woodwind quintet, with unique and attractive programming. With their fresh and in-depth interpretation, precise interaction and youthful enthusiasm, this ensemble fascinates its audience from the outset.
In many different ways, NEXUS reed quintet opens up new dimensions in chamber music. The very fact of grouping five reed instruments [oboe and bassoon being so called double reed instruments while saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet produce sound by using one single reed on their mouthpiece] offers to its spectators a new landscape. The five woodwind instruments unite to form a very special, utterly homogeneous and warm sound. The latter being shaded in a rich manner by the incorporation of english horn, oboe d’amore, e-flat clarinet, soprano saxophone and basset horn. Using a wide palette of reed instruments allows the group to represent in a well-defined way the nature of each indiviual piece.
The line-up of a reed quintet made its first appearance approximately 20 years ago. Since then this formation has remained a rarity in our musical world, which often sticks to known traditions. However, over the past number of years reed quintets have rapidly increased in popularity.
The NEXUS reed quintet was founded in the fall of 2010. The ensemble performs original interpretations and transcriptions in as many as 15 concerts a year. The quintet relies on its innovative capacity, its pursuit of perfection and its unbreakable motivation. The five Swiss musicians aged between 25 and 30 demand a great deal in the standard of their interpretations and performances. Therefore, the ensemble is helped to improve from highly experienced and worldwide known soloists and chamber musicians such as Diego Chenna, Sascha Armbruster, Simon Fuchs, Beat Hofstetter, Paolo Beltramini etc. - and participates in many chamber music competitions.
NEXUS reed quintet values of great importance the presentation of a very diverse repertoire. Many different works and styles from Renaissance through Baroque to Impressionism and Romanticism are transcribed and brought to the ears of the public by the members of NEXUS. Contemporary music in particular shall be developed – on the one hand by performing existing original compositions for reed quintet and on the other in direct collaboration with young, ambitious composers.
Since December 2012, NEXUS has been an external jury member of the CALEFAX Composers Competition for Reed Quintet [NL]. The main objective of this international competition consists of expanding the original repertoire for reed quintet. As well as judging all competing compositions, NEXUS reed quintet performs the two winning pieces in its concerts during the following year and has access and stage rights to all new works, each time about 50!
NEXUS reed quintet was awarded the Selmer Special Prize at the European Chamber Music Competition Musiques d’Ensemble 2014 in Paris, France. In 2013, the group recieved the single first prize at the ORPHEUS Chamber Music Competition 2013 [Lucerne, Switzerland]. In addition to a generous sum of money, the ensemble was allowed to commission a new composition [offered by the Swiss Culture Foundation Pro Helvetia]. Furthermore, they performed this commissioned piece as well as other works in a concert at the Swiss Chamber Music Festival Adelboden 2013. The live recording of this acclaimed concert can regularly be heard on Swiss Radio SRF 2.