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Foto: Hans Gut
Katharina Rosenberger
Katharina Rosenberger, born in Zurich, is a professor of composition at the HEM – Haute école de musique de Genève and the co-director of the SONIC MATTER festival for contemporary and experimental music in Zurich, Switzerland.
She understands music-making as a social, anti-hierarchical act, anchored in cultural, political and spatial contexts. Her acoustic and electronic compositions, her installations and her performative works are often created through processual and experimental development approaches and question traditional forms of production, performance and reception of music.
She is the winner of the Swiss Music Prize 2023 and the Guggenheim Fellowship 2019. Her installation work was honoured with the Mediaprojects Award / Sitemapping of the Federal Office of Culture in Bern.
www.krosenberger.ch
Mentoring approach:
"In these discussions, I focus on listening and asking specific questions in order to initiate thought processes, promote independent solution-finding and develop an awareness of strengths and weaknesses within a project.
It is important for me to understand my mentees’ motivations – their backgrounds and what they want to achieve with their work – so that I can give them targeted support from these perspectives.
My approach promotes empowerment and opens up new horizons, but at the same time, it encourages people to scrutinise their own work processes and familiar ‘go-to’ strategies (e.g. their sources of inspiration, form, content or troubleshooting processes).
My mentoring centres on in-depth discussions about project work and work processes. This is complemented by visits to studios, rehearsals and concerts, exhibitions and – if the opportunity arises – joint field trips. Depending on context, I also incorporate the joint appreciation and discussion of artistic works from different areas as well as theoretical and philosophical texts.
If the opportunity presents itself, I am happy to take mentees to events where they can network for their projects."
Languages: German, English, French - also possible in Italian
Direct link to the online portal for applications to Katharina Rosenberger
Important note: Applications must be submitted exclusively via the Migros Culture Percentage online application portal. If you do not yet have a login for the application portal, you first need to create one before you can access the application form.
Foto: Alain Kilar
Xavier Dayer
Xavier Dayer, born in Geneva in 1972, studied composition in his home town with Eric Gaudibert, then with Tristan Murail and Brian Ferneyhough in Paris (IRCAM).
He has won several awards for his compositions, including the Bürgi-Willert Foundation Prize awarded by Heinz Holliger and the FEMS Prize of the Sandoz Foundation awarded by Henri Dutilleux.
He has written works for the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the Paris National Opera's Atelier Lyrique, the Festival d'Automne de Paris, IRCAM, the Lucerne Festival, the Swiss Chamber Soloists, Ensemble Contrechamps and many other ensembles and soloists.
He teaches composition and theory at the Bern University of the Arts (HKB), where he has been heading the Master of Arts in Composition since 2009.
He was a resident at the French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici in 2008-2009. In 2020, he was awarded the Canton of Bern Music Prize. In 2023, he was appointed head of the music department at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), a position he took up in August 2024.
Coaching offer:
"I'll be accompanying my 'double' in an open exchange of ideas about the creative process in the broadest sense. My interest will focus as much on thought processes, intuition and artistic choices as on questions of writing.
This support may take various forms: dialogue about drafts, reflection on possible directions, putting a project into perspective or discussion of references and contexts. The aim is to enable everyone to carve out and explore their own path."
Projects relating to concert music, interdisciplinary forms and wider contexts are welcome, with particular attention to questions of meaning, artistic positioning and the relationship between music, forms and audiences.
Languages: French, German, English
Direct link to the online portal for applications to Xavier Dayer
Important note: Applications must be submitted exclusively via the Migros Culture Percentage online application portal. If you do not yet have a login for the application portal, you first need to create one before you can access the application form.
Foto: Leslie Leon
Leslie Leon
The classical singer was born in Berlin and lives in Basel. Her repertoire ranges from baroque to modern with a focus on vocal ensemble, contemporary music and music theatre; she has performed numerous world premieres and international festival appearances. She has worked at opera houses such as Zurich, Basel, Lucerne, Hanover and Leipzig under the direction of Susanne Kennedy and Andreas Homoki and, currently, at the Lucerne Theatre under Lucía Astigarraga. She sings with the Basel Symphony Orchestra, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, Klangforum Wien and vocal ensembles such as the Basler Madrigalisten.
In addition, numerous scholarships and prizes, various CD and film productions; work as a speaker and interdisciplinary artist with dance and visual arts.
Leslie Leon’s promotion was created for vocalists in contemporary vocal music. She is a qualified speech teacher and, as a mentor and vocal coach, she accompanies not only musicians but also artists from the fields of theatre and literature. Leslie Leon is the head of the classical music programme at Kalaidos University of Applied Sciences Zurich and a communication lecturer in Fribourg.
Coaching approach:
"My coaching aims to support your various artistic and strategic steps into the professional music world. Together, we develop an individual concept for an artistic project that promotes your strengths and tackles challenges in a targeted manner.
I support you artistically and interpretatively, in concert preparation, repertoire selection and the development of concert programmes. I also help you with organisational and administrative issues, such as fundraising and concert and tour planning. I will open up my network for you and give you access to a wide range of contacts in the classical music scene.
Mental support is particularly important to me, too: stage presence, mental strength, dealing with stage fright and stress as well as the constructive confrontation with the particular reality of musicians’ lives are central topics. My aim is for my mentees to develop their own artistic voice and identity – a sustainable basis for a long-term career that goes beyond individual projects."
Languages: German, English, also possible in French
Direct link to the online portal for applications to Leslie Leon
Important note: Applications must be submitted exclusively via the Migros Culture Percentage online application portal. If you do not yet have a login for the application portal, you first need to create one before you can access the application form.