Participants 2026

Emanuel Akopian (2014, Netherlands), violin. He studies at the Davidsbündler Music Academy in The Hague. Emanuel won twice a prize at De Muziekwedstrijd (Princess Christina Competition). He received recognition at the Maassluis and Britten Violin Competitions and won the Spotlight Competition.

Rocco Barenghi (2005, Italy) is an Italian clarinetist pursuing a Master’s degree at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Harri Mäki. He previously studied in Lugano with François Benda, graduating with honours. He has attended masterclasses with Alessandro Carbonare, Fabrizio Meloni, Nicolas Baldeyrou and Yehuda Gilad. He is active as a freelancer, performing with orchestras including Tapiola Sinfonietta and Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.

Fabius Beelaerts van Blokland (2002, Netherlands) began playing the cello at the age of five. He was admitted to the Young Talent Department of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he studied with Monique Bartels and Monique Heidema. He continued his studies at the conservatorium with Maarten Mostert and Ella van Poucke, graduating in June 2026.

María Auxiliadora Bozada Waflar (2004, Spain), cello, studied at the Reina Sofía School of Music with Jens Peter Maintz and Leipzig's University of Music and Theater with Peter Bruns. She is Prize-winner of several international competitions , including the Jaime Dobato Benavente Competition ,Gustav Mahler Competition, Bratislava Cello Competition, Dotzauer Competition , Popper Competition, Fanny Mendelssohn Competition , alongside prestigious German scholarships.

Xingzhi Che (2001, China), viola, earned his bachelor’s degree at the Conservatory of South China University of Technology and is currently pursuing his master’s at the Royal Conservatory of Liège. He served as principal violist of the South China University of Technology youth symphony orchestra and took part in original opera productions at Guangzhou Grand Theatre.

Jou-I Chen (2001, Taiwan), violin, studied with Prof. Annette Unger at the Hochschule für Musik Dresden. Now in the Meisterklasse, she is an international competition prizewinner and scholarship recipient. She has attended the Malta Spring Festival and Ochsenhausen String Academy, interned with the MDR Symphony Orchestra, and currently works as a substitute with the Dresdner Philharmonie and Staatsoperette Dresden.

Rachel Darmsteter (2004, Switzerland) began studying cello at the age of six. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the Zurich University of the Arts in 2026, where she is currently pursuing her master’s degree. Passionate about chamber music, she has taken part in numerous projects, including performances with the Quatuor Terpsycordes, and has performed as a soloist on different occasions at Victoria Hall, Geneva.

Yongzhuo Fan (2002, China) I completed my bachelor’s degree in viola performance at Harbin Conservatory of Music. Now I’m pursuing my master’s in viola at the Royal Conservatory of Liège. I’m passionate about chamber music, love exploring varied repertoire, and look forward to artistic exchanges with other musicians.

Pinyi Lee (2002, Taiwan) is a Taiwanese clarinetist who earned her Master of Music at Codarts Rotterdam and her Bachelor of Music at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore. Her experience includes an internship with De Doelen Ensemble and orchestral and chamber performances. She performed with the Kona Clarinet Quartet at ClarinetFest 2026 in Incheon, South Korea.

Yun Lee (2001, Taiwan), violin, recent competition experiences: one of the 40 candidates invited to both 2026 Quadrennial Indianapolis Violin Competition and Naumburg Competitions, 37th Chimei Foundation Art Awards, semi finalist of the 2024 Princess Astrid Violin Competition in Norway and 1st place in Vienna Mozart Competition. After graduating from The Juilliard School, she is now pursuing her Doctorate of Music Degree as teaching assistant at Stony Brook University.

Julie Mattmüller (2008, Switzerland) was born and raised in Waldenburg, Switzerland, in 2008. At the age of seven, she took her first violin lessons with a private teacher before transferring to the Musikakademie Basel to study with Isabelle Ladewig. She completed the Pre-College program at the Musikakademie Basel in 2025 and is currently a student at Gymnasium Liestal, where she is focusing on visual arts.

Laura Morales Rejas (2001, Spain) violin, is based in Basel. She has performed in festivals such as Yellow Barn, Festival Pablo Casals, Festival Milano Musica and Schiermonnikoog Festival. She was awarded third prize in the Rahn Musikpreis, and was also an academist in Kammerorchester Basel during the season 2023/24. Laura is specialized in Argentinian tango and baroque music.

Samuel Müller (2007, Switzerland) grew up in Switzerland with his parents and three younger siblings. At the age of six, he began taking clarinet lessons with Lanet Flores at the Basel Music Academy. Since 2023, he is attending Gymnasium Leonhard, focusing on music, and participates in the Basel Music Academy’s talent development program.

Athanasios (Thanos) Papathanasiou (2008, Greece) is a Greek cellist born in He studied with Christos Kozalis and Christos Kyparissis at the New Conservatory of Thessaloniki. He graduated with the highest distinction and the Prize for Excellent Performance. Winner of three national competition prizes, he has attended masterclasses with distinguished cellists, including Konstantin Heidrich and Christoph Heesch.

The Belgian violist Isabelle Piette (1963, Belgium) studied the viola with Pierre-Henri Xuereb at the Liège Conservatoire (Belgium), where she obtained a Master’s degree specialising in teaching. She currently plays in two orchestras in Namur (Belgium) and has more than one string to her bow: she also plays the viola d’amore and works as a literary translator from Swedish into French.

Tilen Porenta (2009, Slovenia) clarinet, I began my musical education with Prof. Toma? Kolar and currently study at the Ljubljana Music and Ballet Conservatory with Prof. Andrej Zupan. I participated in masterclasses with renowned clarinetists and professors, including Harri Mäki, Francisco Canto, Radovan Cavallin, Pedro Garbajosa, and others.I regularly participate in competitions, where I have received numerous prizes and distinctions.

Andrei Riazantsev (2002, Russia) is a Russian clarinetist pursuing the Soloist Master’s programme with François Benda at Hochschule für Musik Basel. A Gnessin School graduate, he studied with Charlesr Neidich at Manhattan School of Music. Winner of Concertino Praga and recipient of the Rahn Kulturfonds Award, he participated in the 2025 ARD International Music Competition and regularly performs internationally as a soloist.

Dario Scalabrini (1998, Australia), clarinet, is a freelance orchestral musician based in Helsinki. He works with eminent ensembles including the Finnish Radio, Kuopio, Jyväskylä and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras Dario studies at the Sibelius Academy with Christoffer Sundqvist and Harri Mäki. Previous studies include with Yehuda Gilad at the University of Southern California, David Thomas at the Australian National Academy of Music and Paul Dean at the Queensland Conservatorium.

Richard Schuster (2002, VS) is a United States-based clarinetist studying with Andy Hudson at the Lawrence Conservatory. He has performed on stages across North America, Europe, and Asia. Recent engagements include the 2026 Chicago Summer Opera Institute, the 2025 and 2026 Global Summer Institute of Music, and a chamber music study-abroad exchange with the University of Taipei.

Bernard Sheng (2002, VS) is a violinist based in Arlington, Virginia. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Violin Performance from Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied with William van der Sloot, and continued studying with Lynn Chang, Peter Zazofsky, and Ricardo Cyncynates of the National Symphony Orchestra. He performed at the Taipei Music Academy and Festival, Meadowmount, and Orford Musique.

Carlos Vidal (2004, Spain) is a Spanish cellist studying with Julian Steckel in Munich. He previously studied with Jérôme Pernoo and Edgar Moreau in Paris. He has won several international prizes, including the Prince of Hesse Prize at Kronberg Academy. He has performed at major festivals and concert halls worldwide, collaborating with renowned musicians and orchestras.

Hairu Wang (2005, China) is a cellist studying at the Royal College of Music with Alexander Chaushian on a full scholarship. Previously, she studied at Chetham's School of Music and the Central Conservatory of Music Middle school in Beijing. She has received international awards, performed in China and Europe, and participated in masterclasses with internationally renowned cellists

MiShan Xiao (2008, China) is a B1 viola student at the Royal Conservatory of Liège. She studied at the High School Affiliated to Sichuan Conservatory of Music. She has won prizes in many international competitions, including the Città di Massa and Melbourne International Competitions. She has taken part in numerous masterclasses, solo and orchestral performances, eager to learn and refine her playing in this masterclass.

Xuanhan Xu (2004, China), cello, is a cellist pursuing her master’s degree with Peter Bruns in Leipzig. A prizewinner of the David Popper, Pablo Casals and Chieti Classica competitions, she has performed as soloist with the Shanghai Philharmonic and other orchestras at prestigious venues including the Gewandhaus. She plays an 1842 Joseph Antonius Rocca cello on loan from the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.

İdil Yunkuş (2002, Turkey), violin, “She already brings a breath of fresh air and a distinctive sense of imagination to the stage.” Recognised with the 2024 Vioolbeurs by Het Kersjes Fonds, İdil Yunkuş is an emerging Turkish artist whose musical identity is rooted in a strong connection to her cultural heritage, combined with an artistic curiosity to bridge diverse musical traditions.

Kaoruko Yoshida (2003, Japan) is a Japanese violinist and graduate of Tokyo University of the Arts. She currently studies with Albena Danailova at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Selected for international competitions, including the Bogotá International Violin Competition, she has given recitals at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan and other venues. She is a recipient of the Munetsugu Angel Fund Scholarship.

Tingkun Zhang (2002, China), viola, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Performance from China Guangxi Art University, with extensive orchestral and opera experience. He is now pursuing his Master’s degree at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, with a repertoire ranging from classical and romantic works to contemporary pieces.