Swiss vocal and piano music by Duri Sialm (1891-1961), Heinrich Sutermeister (1910-1995) and the world premiere of the cycle "Art and Life" by Zurich composer Tullio Zanovello (*1962).

The Bernese vocal ensemble of Canto Classico under the direction of Willi Derungs presents Swiss music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Canto Classico and its musical director are committed to the cultivation of Swiss music. This is why the choir regularly commissions works from Swiss composers. The highlight of the concert will be the world premiere of a work by Zurich composer and Gesamtkunstwerk composer Tullio Zanovello (*1962). For these concerts, he has reworked earlier opera arias and a quartet for soloists, ensemble and piano 4-hands and combined them into the 25-minute vocal cycle "Art and Life".
To mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Heinrich Sutermeister (1910 - 1995) this year, the organizers would like to commemorate this important but now rarely performed composer. His vocal quartet "Max and Moritz" based on Wilhelm Busch was composed in 1954 for Radio Bern. In it, the composer shows how humor can be translated into music. The piece is written for solo SATB, vocal ensemble and piano 4 hands.

The first half of the concert is a homage to the Grisons composer Duri Sialm (1891 - 1961). The composer from Segnas near Disentis studied organ and composition as well as piano with Otto Barblan in Geneva. He taught music at the cantonal school in Graubünden for 20 years. He also worked as a concert pianist, cathedral organist at Chur Cathedral and director of various choirs. Alongside Gion Antoni Derungs, Sialm is one of the most important composers in Graubünden and Romansh. His musical language is reminiscent of late Romanticism. The concert will feature rarely performed piano pieces and solo songs as well as songs with solos and vocal ensembles, all in Romansh.

The program will be performed in Bern and Chur. Four outstanding young vocal soloists will be taking part, with Christoph Zbinden and Darina Gilmkhanova playing the piano. The Canto Classico vocal ensemble will perform the ensemble part.


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