The pianist and composer Stefan Wirth is one of the most versatile musicians of his generation. As a pianist, he is particularly active in the field of contemporary music and performs as a permanent member of the Collegium Novum Zürich and the Ensemble Contrechamps (Geneva). He has worked together on various occasions with Heinz Holliger, including as a soloist with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana and within the framework of the Ittinger Pfingstkonzerte. Among his other activities in 2010, Wirth also celebrated his debut at London's Wigmore Hall together with the violinist Deborah Marchetti, and performed Beat Furrer's piano concert as the soloist at Warsaw Autumn. Wirth is also a member of the four-piano formation Gershwin Piano Quartet, with which he has performed at numerous important festivals (Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Festival de Musique de Menton, Mozarteum Brasileiro São Paolo, Rheingau Musik Festival, Klavier-Festival Ruhr, Menuhin Festival Gstaad et al.).
Stefan Wirth studied piano under the tutelage of Hadassa Schwimmer and Irwin Cage at Zurich Conservatory. His education continued in the USA at the New England Conservatory in Boston, and under Leonard Hokanson at Indiana University Bloomington, from where he graduated in 2001 with a master's degree in music. His education was further supplemented with master classes headed by Homero Francesch and Bruno Leonardo Gelber.
Wirth's compositional training took place primarily in the USA, where he studied under Michael Gandolfi, P.Q. Phan and others. In 1999, the Leonard Bernstein Fellowship allowed him to participate in the Tanglewood Summer Courses, where he worked with George Benjamin. He also studied under the tutelage of Oliver Knussen and Colin Matthews in 2000 at the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh, England. Between 2002 and 2006, Wirth premiered many of his own works during four tours, which he undertook in the Balkans. He was the subject of a composer portrait broadcast by Schweizer Radio DRS 2 in 2008, and the recipient of a sponsorship award offered by the City of Zurich.
Stefan Wirth has received commissions from Collegium Novum Zürich, Münchener Kammerorchester, Ensemble Makrokosmos, Ensemble ö, Ensemble Aequatuor, as well as from Westdeutschen Rundfunk for the Wittener Tage für neue Kammermusik, the Ruhr Triennale and Lucerne Festival. The Ensemble Contrechamps implemented a portrait concert of Wirth in 2011 (together with Stefano Gervanosi).
His works have twice been recorded under Grammont Séléction's 'Musiques Suisses' label, which unites the respective year's best Swiss premieres. Stefan Wirth has additionally worked as pianist, composer and arranger for various music theatre productions together with such directors as Christoph Marthaler and Frank Castorf.
Elenco delle opere
Inde per immensum (2003)
Strumentazione: für Oboe und Klavier
Durata: 13' 00" Manuscritto
5 Etüden (2004-2007)
Strumentazione: für Klavier Solo
Durata: 15' 00" Manuscritto
Yhôll/Gennff (2005-2008)
Strumentazione: für 2 Flöten (alternierend Piccolo, Alt- und Bassflöte), Altsaxophon, Klavier und grosses Ensemble (0/1/2(1.alt. Es-Klar, 2.alt. Kontrabassklar.)/1 1/1/1/0 Hfe, 2 Perc, 2 Vl, 2 Vla., 2 Vc., 1 Kb.)
Durata: 20' 00" Manuscritto
GLiM (2006)
Strumentazione: für Violine, Cello und Klavier
Durata: 6' 00" Manuscritto
Merlin (2007)
Strumentazione: für 3 Sänger, 6 Sprecher und 2 Klaviere
Durata: 14' 00" Manuscritto
Bläseroktett (2008)
Strumentazione: für 2 Ob., 2 Klar., 2 Hn., 2 Fg.
Durata: 12' 00" Manuscritto
Vitruvius Teutsch (2008)
Strumentazione: für Fl. (Piccolo), Ob., Kl., Vl., Vla., Vc., Pft.
Durata: 8' 00" Manuscritto
Konjunktionen (2008)
Strumentazione: für Violine und Klavier
Durata: 9' 00" Manuscritto
Nihtes Blôz (2009)
Strumentazione: für Vokalensemble (STTTBarBs.) und Streichorchester (6,5,4,3,1)
Durata: 10' 00" Manuscritto
Le cru et le cuit (2010)
Strumentazione: für Klavier und Ensemble (1/1/1/1, 1/1/0/0, 2 Perc., Klav. 2/2/1/1/1)
Durata: 11' 00" Manuscritto
Standards (2010)
Strumentazione: für 2 Klaviere und 2 Schlagzeuger
Durata: 15' 00" Manuscritto
von Enden fern (2010)
Strumentazione: für Sopran, Oboe, Violoncello, Klavier und Orchester (2/2/2/2, 2/2/1/0, Hfe, 2 Perc, Streicher)
Durata: 7' 00" Manuscritto
Birches (2011)
Strumentazione: für Altsaxophon, Violoncello und Klavier
Durata: 15' 00" Manuscritto
Enallagai (2012)
Strumentazione: für Ensemble (1/0/2/Sax/1, 0/0/0, Hfe., 2 Perc. Klav., 2/1/2/1)
Durata: 9' 00" Manuscritto
Lunules éléctriques (2012)
Strumentazione: für Violine und Horn
Durata: 7' 00" Manuscritto
Faims II (2012)
Strumentazione: für Klavier Solo
Durata: 5' 00" Manuscritto
Acedia (2012)
Strumentazione: für Akkordeon solo
Durata: 9' 00" Manuscritto
This glacial shore (2013)
Strumentazione: für kleines Ensemble
Durata: 14' 00" Manuscritto
Discografia
Grammont Sélection 7 (Musiques Suisses Nr. MGB CTS-M 142, 2014)