Franco-American violinist Chloé Kiffer has received enthusiastic praise by The New York Times for her « pure and beautiful tone » and The Greenwich Sentinel for being « …a star in every sense: performance, exquisite technique and beauty ».

Performing solo and orchestra engagements throughout Europe, North and South America, the Middle East, and Asia, Kiffer has appeared at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, Beethoven Hall in Bonn, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Hall, Tel Aviv Opera, and Beijing National Center. In October 2015, Kiffer made her Carnegie Hall debut performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in Stern Auditorium. Kiffer has collaborated with artists including Philippe Muller, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Timothy Eddy, the Emerson String Quartet, and pianist Alexandre Moutouzkine.

Kiffer is on the violin and chamber music faculty of the Manhattan School of Music, and was previously a violin professor at the University of North Texas. Her students have won prizes at national and international competitions. She is a sought-after guest teacher and faculty member for conservatories and festivals around the world—the Heifetz International Music Institute, Miami Music Festival, Beijing International Music Festival and Academy, Chamber Music International in Texas, MusicFest Perugia in Italy, Paris International Music Academy and MusicAlps in France.

Kiffer is a laureate of the Bleustein-Blanchet Foundation. She graduated from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and earned postgraduate degrees from the Manhattan School of Music under Patinka Kopec and Pinchas Zukerman. Kiffer received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University. In 2019, she released an album of the Ravel violin sonatas on the Steinway & Sons label with pianist Alexandre Moutouzkine.

Chloé Kiffer performs on a violin that was made for her by luthier Samuel Zygmuntowicz (Brooklyn, NY, 2023).

Born in 1979 in the Bordeaux region, Julien-David Petit began his musical training at the age of six with the clarinet. He continued his studies at the CNR of Bordeaux with Jacques Net, then at the National Superior Conservatory of Paris in the classes of Claude Delangle, Nicolas Angelich, Jean Mouillère and Marie-Françoise Bucquet, where he obtained his First Prizes in saxophone and chamber music. Winner of the most prestigious International Competitions for saxophone, including 2nd Prize at the Adolphe Sax International Competition in Dinant (Belgium), 3rd Prize at the ARD International Competition in Munich, and prize-winner at the International Competitions of Bayreuth, Limoges, Gap…, he has been invited to perform in concerts and festivals in numerous countries throughout Europe, Canada, the USA, Asia, Russia, and has performed as a soloist with the National Orchestra of Bogota, the Hofer Symphoniker at the Bayreuth Opera, the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, the Belgian Royal Air Force Band, the Republican Guard Orchestra, the Krasnoyarsk Philharmonic Orchestra…

Several musical programs have been dedicated to him, notably on Radio France, Radio Classique, RTL, France Inter, France 2, and Mezzo. He is also a laureate of the Natexis Foundation Groupe Banque Populaire, recipient of the Tremplin Jeune Selmer scholarship, named a « Revelation » by Classica magazine in 2003, and released his first album in 2004, « La escapada » with pianist Vincent Balse, featuring music by Manuel De Falla, Isaac Albéniz, and H. Villa-Lobos (Lyrinx label). At the request of Karlheinz Stockhausen, Julien-David Petit recorded « Saxophon, » a solo album featuring new pieces for saxophone by the composer, several of which were created and dedicated to him (Stockhausen edition).

Numerous encounters and collaborations with renowned musicians such as Avi Avital, Frank London, Nemanja Radulović, Alexandre Brussilovsky, Markus Stockausen, Giora Feidmann… have enabled him to explore a wide repertoire and develop a strong identity on the soprano saxophone. Julien-David Petit was a member of the saxophone quartet Carré-Mêlé (3rd Prize FNAPEC, Grand Prize of the Forum de Normandie) with which he recorded « Saxophones et Sémaphores » featuring creations by Breton composers Didier Squiban, Antoine Hervé, Roland Becker, and Benoît Menut (distributed by Harmonia Mundi).

Also passionate about traditional Klezmer music and Oriental music, he recorded « Mosaïque » with cellist Béatrice Reibel-Petit and the trio Klezele, an album blending classical and Klezmer music (2007, Intégral distribution). In the same spirit, he created a musical show « Une voix dans le désert » (A Voice in the Desert), combining music, dance, sand drawing, and spatial staging; this was the subject of a 2008 tour across Russia from Moscow to Vladivostok. With the trio Klezele, he released « Freyleh from Vladivostok » in 2009 (Intégral distribution).

Pedagogy is an integral part of his musical activity; he regularly teaches master classes at venues such as the Festival International des Graves, the European University of Gap, the Habanera Academy, and in Madrid, Cologne, Glasgow, Tokyo, Moscow, Paris… Holder of the CA (Certificate of Aptitude), he teaches chamber music at the CRR of Aubervilliers and receives French and foreign students each year who come to perfect their training and prepare for entry into the professional world. Julien-David Petit is a Selmer artist.

Born in Russia, Evgenia Epshtein began her violin studies at the age of six and completed the High School for Gifted Musicians with Vladimir Milshtein. After emigrating to Israel in 1990 she studied with Arthur Zisserman, Yair Kless and Irena Svetlova at the Tel Aviv Academy of Music followed by Benzion Shamir at the Rotterdam Royal Academy, where she received her Master’s Degree. During her studies in Rotterdam she won several prizes and competitions and took part in the masterclasses of Isaac Stern, Henry Mayer and Zakhar Bron.

Evgenia Epshtein is a co-founder of the Aviv String Quartet which won the 3rd Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, the Bordeaux String Quartet Competition and the Charles Hennen Music Competition amongst other top prizes. The Aviv Quartet was also proclaimed as the “Best young ensemble” by the Ministries of Culture of Germany and Israel (1999, 2000, 2003, 2008).

As a soloist she has performed with the Reconsil Sinfonietta in Vienna, the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra, theZagreb and  Zadar Chamber Orchestra, the Split Symphony Orchestra, the Bohemian Philharmonic, the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, Mexico –city chamber orchestra , Baku state chamber orchestra and  Camerata Chisinau in Moldova. She has given recitals in all major Israeli venues and radio broadcasts worldwide. She has also performed in festivals including the Estonian Baltic Festival, the Gotland Chamber Music Festival – Sweden, the Ursus Chamber Music Festival – Slovenia, the Ameropa festival – Prague, Czech Republic, the Chamber music box – London, UK and the Lunigiana International Music Festival – Italy.Osor classical evenings-Osor. Croatia, Soloist Academy –France, Montenegro. Olympus Musicus festival- Prague. Czech Republic.

As a violinist and chamber musician Evgenia frequently gives masterclasses, including the ISA International Summer Academy in Austria, the Prague Music Academy, the Shanghai Academy of Music in China, the Riga Academy of Music and Liepaja Music School in Latvia, the Sofia Academy of Music in Bulgaria, the Wroclaw Academy of Music and the Krakow Academy of Music in Poland , the University of Music and Performing arts Vienna and Arts University of the City of Vienna in Austria, the Trakai music center in Luthuania, Mexico- city universti-UNAM. Baku state cademy –Azerbajdgan.

Currently Evgenia Epshtein is working as an associated professor  at the Split Academy of Arts, professor of violin and chamber music as well as one of the leaders of Oxford Philharmonic orchestra. Founder of the ensemble of violinists KINOR.

“Béatrice Reibel is an exceptional cellist. Her lyricism and ability to transform any score into a powerful musical message make her one of France’s most promising musicians.”

This is how Philippe Muller described Béatrice Reibel-Petit, one of this generation’s most talented performers. Reibel-Petit was born in 1982. At 12 years of age, she was unanimously awarded two gold medals by the jury at the Lyon Conservatoire. She also won First Prizes in Lempdes, Nantes and Epernay. After winning the Royaume de la Musique competition, she performed as a soloist at the Radio France auditorium.

Reibel-Petit studied with Philippe Muller and Pierre-Laurent Aimard at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSM de Paris). She graduated in 2002 with prizes in cello and chamber music (first prize with the unanimous congratulations of the jury). She is a representative of France’s renowned cello school, but is also influenced by the American school (Janos Starker and Aldo Parisot) and the Russian school (studying with David Guéringas and Frans Helmerson). She completed the Concert Examination programme at Cologne’s Hochschule für Musik und Tanz, and has benefited from the teachings of Christophe Coin and Anner Bylsma. She has received support from the Natexis Groupe Banque Populaire, Cziffra, Zonta Clubs and Meyer foundations, as well as the Institut français. She has also won prizes at prestigious international competitions in Warsaw (2nd Prize, 2001), Larnaca (Special Prize, 2003), Belgrade (2nd Prize, 2005) and Helsinki (2nd Prize, 2007).

These international teachings allowed Reibel-Petit to develop a unique tone and musicality. Her instrument is a voice, which allows her to share her interpretations and express herself in many different styles. Her first CD for solo cello, Main Ouverte, combined music by Bach and work by contemporary composers such as Dutilleux, Benzecry and Maratka (she performed work by these composers and music by Karol Beffa, Yves Chauris and Piotr Moss). She also seeks to contrast formal music and popular traditions. With saxophonist Julien-David Petit, she recorded a Jewish-themed CD (Mosaïque, Integral Classic 2007) and developed Une Voix dans le désert, a performance that has toured Russia, from Moscow to Vladivostok. Building on these projects, she co-founded the KolorBach ensemble, combines Bach transcriptions, traditional music, improvisation and original compositions.

She has also recorded These three remain presenting an integral Brahms with pianist Delphine Bardin (Proclam’Art Productions, 2019).

Reibel-Petit has been invited to play at many festivals. She has appeared at Prades, the Rencontres Musicales de Haute-Provence, Aix-en-Provence, the Festival International des Graves, the Concerts Jeunes Solistes du Théâtre Mogador, the Auditorium du Louvre and the Festival Musique en Brionnais. She has performed alongside Jean-Guihen Queyras and François Salque under the conductor Pierre Boulez (at the Festival de Fontainebleau). She has played in Belgium, the United States, Canada, Germany, Sardinia, the Netherlands, Poland and Russia. She has played as a soloist with the Orchestre de la Garde Républicaine, the Camerata Varsovia, the Filharmonia Poznańska, the Filharmonia Śląska of Katowice, the Oulu Symphony Orchestra, the Tapiola Sinfonietta, and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

She has played several radio programmes for France Musique, Radio Classique and France Culture, with presenters Arièle Butaux, Gaëlle Le Gallic, Mitsou Carré, and Michel Schaeffer.

Reibel-Petit helped found Proclam’Art, a cultural centre in Clamart that hosts experimental artistic projects, a recording studio and music lessons.

www.beatricereibelpetit.com

Sandrine FRANCOIS studied music at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in the class of Pierre-Yves Artaud where she was unanimously awarded a First Prize in flute and a First Prize in chamber music. She continued her studies in the USA at the Oberlin Conservatory in Michel Debost’s class thanks to a Lavoisier grant from the French government.
She obtained her CA as a flute teacher in 1995 as well as her pedagogy diploma from the CNSM of Paris.
Winner of the Bucharest International Competition, she was first principal flute of the Philharmonie de Lorraine in Metz, then principal flute of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg and Professor at the Conservatoire since 1996.
Passionate about pedagogy, she also teaches at the Haute école des arts du Rhin de Strasbourg (HEAR) for Bachelor and Master students and created the International Flutissimo course from 2005 to 2008.
She trains future professionals in the orchestral profession as well as in teaching, and also acts as a jury member or in various training sessions.
She is regularly invited to give master-classes in the USA, China, Korea, Japan, England, Canada, Poland, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Latvia, Czech Republic, Italy, Paris…
She regularly performs as a soloist with various orchestras and in chamber music in eclectic repertoires in duo with harp, percussion, cymbalum and piano and with the Ensemble Accroche-Note.
In 2008, she recorded “Bluesy prélude” with pianist Philippe Barbey-Lallia, and in 2013 the CD “Aubade à la lune” for flute, string trio and harp was released with the Ensemble Aeneas.
In 2016 she created the children’s show “La flûte de la Salute” based on a text by Marie Malherbe, which allows her to combine music and theatre.
She teaches every summer in different academies such as Groix or Nancy.

• Concertist

Accompanying pianist at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon, and piano teacher at the Conservatories of the VIIth and XVIth districts of Paris.

Born in Osaka, Japan, she began playing the piano at the age of four with her pianist mother, then became a student of Nobuyosi Kato until she graduated from the Toho-Gakuen High School of Music. From this first “Japanese” period, we remember her performance of Chopin’s second concerto at the age of fifteen with the New City Philharmony of Tokyo. She then chose to turn to the country she had dreamed of since her childhood: France. She moved to Paris in 1996 and went directly to the Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris in the class of Olivier Gardon where she was unanimously awarded the First Prize in 1997.

She then entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique (CNSM) in Paris where she won prizes in piano (in 2002) with Georges Pludermacher, Claire Désert, François-Frédéric Guy, and in chamber music with Christian Ivaldi and Itamar Golan. She continued her piano studies at the CNSM in Lyon with Géry Moutier and completed her chamber music training with Paul Meyer and Eric Le Sage. Since 2004 and her meeting with Patrick Cohen, she has developed her passion for historical instruments such as the fortepiano, the romantic piano and the clavichord.

She has won several international competitions and was sponsored by the Cultural Office of Japan between 2003 and 2005.

She regularly gives concerts as a soloist or chamber musician in France, Japan and abroad. She was heard live on France Musique during a meeting with Aldo Ciccolini in Montpellier. She has also played several times with Paul Meyer and Patrick Cohen. She has performed on several famous stages: Lyon Opera, Théâtre Mogador, “Piano Passion” or “Musikalia” festivals, Lyon Auditorium where she played Beethoven’s triple concerto with the National Orchestra of Lyon under the direction of Ludovic Morlot or Tchaikovsky’s first concerto with the CNSM Orchestra of Lyon under the direction of Peter Csaba. But also the Esplanade of Saint-Etienne with the Saint-Etienne Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Martin Lebel. She also opened up to contemporary creation with the choreographic show “L’intrus” under the direction of Jean-Marie Adrien.

In parallel to her career as a performer, she worked as an accompanist pianist at the CNSM in Lyon and then at the Conservatories of the VIIth and XVIth districts of Paris.

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LANGUAGES: Classes are given in French and Japan