GREAT CHINA TOUR CHAMBER MUSIC Albek Duo, Switzerland, 2013 | Albek Duo, Switzerland, 2013 |
 
Tour Dates: 31 May - 17 June, 2013 Twin sisters Ambra and Fiona Albek were born in Lugano, the Italian part of Switzerland where they had their school and music education for the first time.
Tour Dates
5 June, Nankai University, Private Concert Ambra Albek, violin and viola Twin sisters Ambra and Fiona Albek were born in Lugano, the Italian part of Switzerland where they had their school and music education for the first time. As a Duo, Ambra and Fiona attended Pier Narciso Masi's chamber music classes at the International Piano Academy in Imola, Italy, where they successfully graduated with Masters' Degrees. They have performed as soloists as well as in different chamber music formations, and as a duo with orchestra (Mendelssohn, Perry-Gemini) in various music festivals and cultural events in Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Austria, France, England (London), Germany, USA (New York etc.), and Australia (Sydney), in prestigious venues such as Olympic Theater in Vicenza, Tropenmuseum Music Hall in Amsterdam, Mozarteum in Salzburg, St. James's Church and St. Peter's Church in London, Sydney Opera House among many others. TV documentaries have been made in Switzerland and abroad about their musical activities. Several prominent composers have written music specifically for the Albek Duo. The Italian composer Alessandro Lucchetti wrote various Fantasies from the opera repertory. They already premièred the following opera arrangements: Tosca, Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, Barbiere di Sevilla, La Bohème in 2012 Switzerland. The well-known American composer William Perry wrote his Gemini Concerto: An Entertainment for Violin, Piano and Orchestra, Nightingale in the Park and various other works for them. The première of the Gemini concerto was in May of 2010 and it was then recorded for distribution on the Naxos label with the RTE Dublin Symphony Orchestra, directed by Paul Phillips. The CD has been released in August 2011. The duo recorded their first CD with Eroica in 2010. In November 2011, the duo toured extensively along east coast of US which received overwhelming acclaim. Ambra started violin at 7. Her teachers were Igor Karsko with whom she graduated at the Swiss Italian Music Academy in Lugano and obtained the Violin diploma with merit. Later, she studied with M° Alberto Lysy of the Menuhin Academy in Gstaad/Switzerland. Thereafter, she entered the violin concert-class of Prof. Rudolf Koelman and the viola class of Prof. Wendy Champney at the Musikhochschule of Winterthur/Zurich in Switzerland; she graduated in 2004, obtaining the Concert Diploma with top marks and distinction. She continued to attend master-classes in chamber music with Nora Chastain at the Musikhochschule in Zürich and with Prof. Pier Narciso Masi at the well-known International Music Academy in Imola/Italy. She successfully graduated in 2007 as a Duo with Masters' Degrees (and with her twin sister Fiona). In addition, she attended various Chamber Music courses in London with M° Emanuel Hurwitz, with Alberto Lysy in Argentina, Prof. Gérard Poulet in Paris, as well as attending summer sessions with Ingolf Turban. For several years, she also had the privilege of being able to enhance her musical and cultural education under the guidance of a great personality, the late violinist, M° Peter Rybar. Her latest mentors were Robert Cohen, Friedemann Rieger. Fiona started to play piano at 7; when she was 12, she entered the class of Prof. Nora Doallo, obtaining her piano diploma from the Swiss Italian Music Academy in Lugano/Switzerland with merit. Thereafter, she has been studying at the Musikhochschule in Winterthur/Zurich, Switzerland attending the piano classes of Prof. Friedeman Rieger, for chamber music and lyric singer accompaniment, graduated in 2005 with highest marks and distinction. She then attended the well-known International Music Academy in Imola/Italy under Prof. Pier Narciso Masi where she successfully graduated in 2007 as a Duo with Masters' Degrees (together with her twin sister Ambra). In addition, she also attended master-classes held by Prof. Sergio Fiorentino, Paul Badura-Skoda, Prof. Pier Narciso Masi, Nora Chastain and Robert Cohen. Together with her twin sister Ambra, she was prize winner at the international chamber music competition in Tortona/Italy. Various TV portraits had been made available about the twins in Switzerland and abroad. Review "This is a superbly produced and executed disc. The Albek Duo (identical twins Ambra and Fiona) provide a varied discs of music performed with real panache both are evocative and absolutely delightful. A splendid recital." - Fanfare Magazine "The enchanting and delightful performance by the Albek twins in Assisi was full of grace, bravura and originality in a demanding program. These sisters from Switzerland from the very beginning have captured the public's attention with their spontaneous freshness and interesting program choices." - Il Corriere dell'Umbria |
