QUARTETTamENDEderZEIT
Symphonic Chamber Jazz reimagined
- ABOUT US -
In the fall of 2022, four outstanding artists came together under the name "quartet at the end of time". Their mission: to cross boundaries, create connections, and create new sound worlds.
What happens when these versatile talents unite?
An Austrian violinist with Japanese roots who effortlessly switches between violin, viola, and the rare violoncello da spalla, contributing her multi-stringed expertise.
A world-renowned saxophonist who masterfully masters soprano to baritone with his virtuoso sounds and original compositions.
A cosmopolitan pianist who excels with stylistic versatility and subtle sound culture between classical and jazz, captivating audiences with virtuoso expressiveness.
A chamber musician with Hungarian roots who brings the tuba and cimbasso to life, exploring new avenues in concert design.
The answer is a unique program they themselves describe as "symphonic chamber jazz." Here, original compositions merge with innovative arrangements of well-known works from classical and popular music. The repertoire ranges from J.S. Bach and Astor Piazzolla to Béla Bartók and Johann Pachelbel, as well as contemporary works by Etienne Crausaz and original compositions by the ensemble members.
With passion, curiosity, and the shared breath of music, the quartet builds a bridge between baroque and beatbox, between classical and jazz improvisation. An experience full of emotion, joy of playing, and artistic dedication that you can experience up close. Quartet at the End of Time invites you to be part of a musical journey that transcends boundaries and ushers in a new era.
- VIDEO -
- Ensemble -
Roger Hanschel
SAXOPHONE
Roger Hanschel has long been considered a representative of saxophone playing that, starting with jazz, developed far beyond its own genre boundaries. His warm and clear tone, his understanding of complex rhythms and ultimately his own compositions have led to the fact that people now associate a clear idea with Roger Hanschel's music. Like no other, he is able to move towards other musical genres without slipping into superficial attitudes, as is often the case with so-called cross-over His musical movements are deeper and at the same time more natural." (Emmerich Hörmann) "Whether in his own bands like Heavy Rotation or Trio Benares, or as a soloist in other bands, Roger Hanschel, born in Wolfsburg in 1964, always stands out as an independent stylist on the alto saxophone. Virtuosity isn't a mere etude-like masterpiece for him. Rather, his astonishing mastery of the instrument gives him the ability to ad hoc channel the flow of his ideas and direct them in every conceivable direction. His tone is sharp and clear even in the highest registers, and he emotionalizes his sound through various playing techniques unusual in jazz." (WDR) WDR JAZZ AWARD 2018 According to the jury, he is "the dream of a virtuoso stylist, someone who does his thing, constantly develops and perfects it, and once he's there, disappears around the next corner to explore another musical world."
Naomi Binder
VIOLIN, VIOLA
As a violinist, Naomi Binder combines classical Viennese sound culture with modern influences and impresses with her versatility. She received her first violin lessons at the age of 3 in her native Vienna and found her home in music, which has accompanied her everywhere. After studying violin in Japan, she continued her studies at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts with Prof. Klaus Maetzl. String quartet studies with her "Prisma Quartet" under Walter Levin and Rainer Schmidt expanded her chamber music knowledge. On stage, she delights audiences as a soloist and guest musician with renowned orchestras and ensembles such as the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Electronic ID, and Ensemble Ruhr, as well as in theater productions such as "Holtrop" at the Vienna Burgtheater. As a crossover violinist, she enriches numerous musical projects and bands with her personal sound and the chamber music experience she has gained through collaborations with renowned artists in a wide variety of musical contexts.
Gero Körner
PIANO
As an ambassador of sound culture, Gero Koerner mediates between musical worlds with a sense of style and rhythm. He uses the piano as a diplomatic platform for surprising artistic encounters between jazz, classical, and pop. His unbiased exploration of the piano's diverse expressive possibilities forms the programmatic foundation for his enormous stylistic range. In his own projects, such as the GERO KÖRNER TRIO, Gero Körner devotes himself to mapping musical boundaries, exploring the possibilities of a genre, seeking cross-connections, and creating new sonic spaces. Other ensembles with Körner range essentially from mainstream jazz to classical: The ELLINGTON TRIO (Barbara Barth - vocals, Caspar van Meel - double bass) delicately reduces Ellington's original arrangements to a chamber music trio setting. In a duo with trombonist Hansjörg Fink (Glenn Miller Big Band), he explores the range from classical chamber music to modern jazz with virtuoso skill. He is also a sought-after sideman and guest soloist for renowned artists of all musical disciplines. He regularly performs as a soloist or in a chamber music ensemble at classical music events. Since 2010, he has been a piano lecturer at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen.
Attila Benkö
TUBA
Born in Konstanz, Attila Benkö initially worked as a mechanical engineer before studying tuba in Karlsruhe, Freiburg, and Hanover. From 2008 to 2011, he completed postgraduate studies with Wilfried Brandstätter (Mnozil Brass, among others). He is a lecturer for tuba and brass chamber music at the University of Siegen. A Villa Musica scholarship holder and multiple competition winner, he enriches concert stages with innovative projects. Solo performances and activities in the field of contemporary music complement his spectrum. He has been a tubist with the Südwestfalen Philharmonic Orchestra since 2005. His love for the most archaic instrument in symphonic music, the tuba, and his penchant for cross-genre, audience-communicative concert programs are expressed in his exuberant enthusiasm for playing. Benkö and the tuba – it's a love story.
