Alas Quartet - Chamber Music Classics

The four members of the Alas Quartet met in 2023 at the Zurich University of the Arts. The three female violinists had previously formed the string trio Calla before they now eagerly dedicate themselves to piano quartet literature. They receive regular input at the Zurich University of the Arts from Thomas Grossenbacher, Wendy Enderle, and Christoph Berner. In their founding year of 2023, the Alas Quartet won the special prize for the best interpretation of a work by Paul Juon at the 1st Paul Juon Chamber Music Competition in Appenzell. The award concert was recorded by SRF Kultur. Since then, they have been actively performing concerts, including their recent appearance at the Lucerne Festival 2025. In Villa Falkenhorst, the quartet presents a program featuring works by G. Fauré, V. Fung, and J. Brahms.

Marlies Schmid, violin, born in South Tyrol, received her training in Bolzano and at the Zurich University of the Arts with Rudolf Koelman, where she obtained two master's degrees in 2022. She has received important artistic impulses from, among others, Lukas Hagen and the Armida Quartet. Several awards at Prima la musica, along with her active chamber music activities, shape her profile.

Swiss violist and violinist Mattea Anderes studied in Basel, Bern, and Zurich, among others with Corina Belcea and Wendy Enderle, and graduated with distinction. She gained orchestral experience with the Bern Symphony Orchestra. Today, she is actively involved in chamber music, including in the Alas Quartet and several established ensemble formations.

Carolin Salome Eychmüller studied in Hamburg with Sebastian Klinger, in Brazil with Fábio Presgrave, in Lucerne with Christian Poltéra, and in Zurich with Thomas Grossenbacher. She is a scholarship holder of the Villa Musica Foundation and the International Music Academy Liechtenstein. Since 2024, she has been a permanent member of the St. Gallen Symphony Orchestra and also performs intensively as a chamber musician.

Brazilian pianist Ariel Lima studied after his training in Belém at the École Normale de Musique in Paris and at the Zurich University of the Arts with Konstantin Scherbakov, where he graduated with a bachelor's and master's degree with distinction. In addition to his solo and chamber music activities, he creates innovative, interdisciplinary concert formats. For his project The Grass, he received the ZHdK Promotion Award in 2024.