Music
Duo David e Mia
Maike Clemens & David Volkmer
As graduates of the two renowned music universities of Vienna David e Mia have been performing regularly for six years in and around Austria. With more than 100 concerts in 10 different countries (including Italy, Spain, UK, Israel), they are one of the most sought-after ensembles in Austria. The duo received two international awards ("Enrico Mercatali Competition" in Gorizia, "Florence Guitar Competition" in Florence). They regularly participate in children's concerts at the Vienna Konzerthaus and the Vienna Musikverein. As musicians for the Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Foundation, they regularly give concerts in old people's homes and schools in order to bring music to places where access to the arts is limited.
Their joy of playing does not end with the classical repertoire. Through popular music they show in an innovative way the possibilities that can be created with only two instruments.
The two musicians playfully expand the possibilities of their instruments and create a world in which everything seems to be possible. Cello and guitar? - I can't imagine that working. - A typical sentence from listeners before they see David e Mia in action for the first time. The cello sings the melodies, the guitar fills the evening air with harmony and rhythm.
Rubik Quartett
The Rubik Quartett was formed in January 2022 in Vienna. We are four friends from quite different cultural and educational backgrounds, with our members having studied in Moscow, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Vienna. Our aim is to blend these varying experiences and approaches to explore a sound as diverse and colourful as the world we live in.
The Rubik Quartett is mentored by Quatuor Ébene in Munich, and in addition to this takes lessons with Johannes Meissl. In June 2022, the Quartett was participating in Musethica under the guidance of Avri Levitan, and have been invited to take part in the International Sommerakademie der MdW (ISA) with Johannes Meissl. Members of the Quartett are past participants in the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA), International Menuhin Music School and the Summer Academy of Wiener Philharmoniker. They are regular guest artists at the Joie de Vivre and Chopin Festivals in Austria, and collaborate regularly with the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (MdW) on varied projects, from cross-disciplinary performances with the Theatre Department to recording days with the Sound Production department.
Sofia Labropoulou
Sofia Labropoulou is a kanun player, composer and improviser who has developed a distinct sound by merging the worlds of Greek and Mediterranean folk, classical Ottoman, western Medieval, experimental and contemporary music. Although she is classically trained, having studied piano and classical percussion since the age of 8, it was love at first sight when she first encountered the kanun almost a decade later. With her Byzantine music studies degree in hand, she moved to Istanbul in 2003 to pursue her love of the kanun and study Ottoman music. As a soloist, she collaborates with renowned composers, musicians, and orchestras from all over the world, she composes music and presents Kanun and Greek folk music master classes worldwide. After eight years of playing together with the guitar player Vassilis Ketentzoglou, they released the duet’s first CD “Butterfly” in 2019 (Odradek Records). Her first personal album “Sisyphus” was released in December 2020 (Odradek Records). She currently lives in Vienna, Austria.