Concerts
2026
The Seetal Classics Toky regular season is finally about to begin.
Oliver Schneider Trio & Friends will present you
with magnificent chamber music.
Young musicians aspiring to become professionals
were selected through auditions.
Taking a rehearsal style master class and
This will provide you with the opportunity
to perform alongside international artists.
Beni & Friends
Andreas Janke / アンドレアス・ヤンケ violin
Paul Westermayer / ポール・ウエスタマイヤー viola
Benjamin Nyffenegger / ベンジャミン・ニフェネガー cello
Kaoruko Masuya / 増矢 馨子 piano
Thu. 27. Mar. 2025 19:00
Ginza OJI HALL
Artist talk starting at 18:00
All seats reserved ¥ 6,600 Student ￥3,300
ticket : eplus.jp
contact seetalclassics.tokyo@jcom.zaq.ne.jp
Program
J. Brahms Piano Quartet No. 3 in C ｍinor, Op.60 "Werther"
L. v. Beethoven Trio for violin, viola & cello in G major, Op. 9-1
F. Schubert Trio for violin, viola & cello in B major, D.471
Profile
Oliver Schnyder Trio Oliver Schnyder Trio
The Swiss piano trio Oliver Schneider Trio (OST) was formed in 2012 and has been receiving international acclaim since its debut at the Tonhalle Zurich. Their debut CD (RCA Red Seal) of Franz Schubert's Piano Trios was praised by specialist publications as "a new reference recording", and their subsequent recordings of Brahms, Beethoven, Smetana, Dvorak and others have received high praise. The members of the trio are Oliver Schneider (piano), Andreas Janke (violin) and Benjamin Niffenegger (cello). Each member is active as a soloist or chamber musician, performing at renowned music festivals and in the world's major concert halls. In recent years, they have undertaken a wide range of projects, including Mendelssohn and Shostakovich trios, a piano quintet with Julia Fischer and Nils Mönkemeyer, and a recording of Beethoven's "Triple Concerto" with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. OST has established a solid reputation as one of Europe's leading piano trios.
Oliver Schnyder piano
Swiss pianist. Internationally acclaimed for his sophisticated musicality and wide repertoire. He has performed with leading orchestras such as the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra (London), Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra (Moscow), and WDR Symphony Orchestra (Cologne), and with renowned conductors such as Semyon Bychkov, Philippe Jordan, and Roger Norrington. His playing has been described as "musical with aristocratic dignity," and he is especially known for his interpretations of German Romantic works. In addition to his work as a soloist, he is also active in recording, releasing many albums on well-known labels.
Andreas Janke violin
Andreas Janke, is the principal concertmaster of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. He is currently thriving as a member of the Oliver Schnyder Trio. He was born into a family of German and Japanese musicians in Munich and studied in Igor Ozim’s masterclass at the Salzburg Mozarteum and with the Hagen Quartet. Even as a young musician he was already winning prizes at international competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, the Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna and the Prague Spring Competition. As a solo artist he has appeared in many leading venues in Europe and Asia, including Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Munich Philharmonie, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Zurich Tonhalle and the Taipei National Concert Hall, while the orchestras with which he has performed include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Belgian National Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. He is additionally a welcome visitor both as a soloist and as a chamber recitalist at many national and international festivals. Among his chamber partners have been Julia Fischer, Nils Mönkemeyer, Martin Grubinger, Vilde Frang, Jörg Widmann and Martin Fröst. In 2013 he was appointed professor of violin at the Zurich University of the Arts. He gives regular masterclasses both at home and abroad. Andreas Janke performs on the “Hozier–Andrews” violin made by Carlo Bergonzi in Cremona between 1733 and 1739 and placed at his disposal by Mercedes-Benz Automobil AG of Zurich.
Benjamin Nyffenegger cello
Benjamin Nyffenegger, has been principal cellist with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra since 2008. He is currently thriving as a member of the Oliver Schnyder Trio and Julia Fischer String Quartet. His international career as a soloist and as a chamber musician – including as cellist with the Julia Fischer Quartet – has taken him to leading centres of music in Europe and Asia. Among these venues have been London’s Wigmore Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Munich’s Prinzregententheater, the Vienna Musikverein, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Zurich Tonhalle and the Taipei National Concert Hall. Among the major international festivals where he has performed are the Schwetzingen Festival, the Prague Spring Festival, the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, the Frankfurt Festival, the Linz Bruckner Festival, the Septembre Musical Festival in Montreux, the Schwarzenberg Schubertiade and the Pärnu Festival. Among the chamber musicians with whom Benjamin Nyffenegger has shared a platform are Leif Ove Andsnes, Yulianna Avdeeva, Daniel Hope, Marc Bouchkov, Sarah Chang, Wolfram Christ, Vilde Frang, Roberto Gonzalez-Monjas, Maximilian Hornung, Daniel Müller-Schott, Alina Pogostkina, Maxim Rysanov, Jörg Widmann and William Youn. As a soloist he has performed with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the Berne Symphony Orchestra, the Winterthur Musikkollegium, the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra of Heilbronn, the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra and the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. He has also worked for numerous public broadcasting corporations throughout the whole of Europe. His first teacher was Magdalena Sterki-Hauri, after which he studied with Walter Grimmer at the Zurich University of the Arts, where he completed his studies under Thomas Grossenbacher in 2005, graduating with a diploma in concert performing. Benjamin Nyffenegger is artistic director of the SeetalClassics series of concerts at Seon in Switzerland. In 2023, he was appointed artistic director of the Swiss traditional Bosville Festival, together with violinist Julia Fischer. In 2024, he will become the artistic director of SeetalClassics Tokyo.
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Paul Westermayer viola
After graduating from the Zurich University of the Arts, he won the competition sponsored by the Kiwanis Foundation in Switzerland. He has been active as a guest violist with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and major orchestras within Switzerland. Additionally, he excels in chamber music, collaborating with prominent ensembles such as the European String Quartet, the Bernina String Quartet, Ilios String Quartet, Schweizer Octet, and participating as a key member in events like the Lucerne Festival.
With a deep understanding of Japanese culture and arts, he is an enthusiast of Japan and regularly visits to perform while also contributing to the development of young musicians. Born in
New Zealand, he holds Swiss citizenship.
In 2024, he established the Westermayer Music & Arts Association as a public interest corporation and assumed the role of representative for SeetalClassics Tokyo.
Beni & Friends
Andreas Janke / アンドレアス・ヤンケ violin
Paul Westermayer / ポール・ウエスタマイヤー viola
Benjamin Nyffenegger / ベンジャミン・ニフェネガー cello
Kaoruko Masuya / 増矢 馨子 piano
Thu. 27. Mar. 2025 19:00
Ginza OJI HALL
Artist talk starting at 18:00
All seats reserved ¥ 6,600 Student ￥3,300
ticket : eplus.jp
contact seetalclassics.tokyo@jcom.zaq.ne.jp
Program
J. Brahms Piano Quartet No. 3 in C ｍinor, Op.60 "Werther"
L. v. Beethoven Trio for violin, viola & cello in G major, Op. 9-1
F. Schubert Trio for violin, viola & cello in B major, D.471
Profile
Oliver Schnyder Trio Oliver Schnyder Trio
The Swiss piano trio Oliver Schneider Trio (OST) was formed in 2012 and has been receiving international acclaim since its debut at the Tonhalle Zurich. Their debut CD (RCA Red Seal) of Franz Schubert's Piano Trios was praised by specialist publications as "a new reference recording", and their subsequent recordings of Brahms, Beethoven, Smetana, Dvorak and others have received high praise. The members of the trio are Oliver Schneider (piano), Andreas Janke (violin) and Benjamin Niffenegger (cello). Each member is active as a soloist or chamber musician, performing at renowned music festivals and in the world's major concert halls. In recent years, they have undertaken a wide range of projects, including Mendelssohn and Shostakovich trios, a piano quintet with Julia Fischer and Nils Mönkemeyer, and a recording of Beethoven's "Triple Concerto" with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. OST has established a solid reputation as one of Europe's leading piano trios.
Oliver Schnyder piano
Swiss pianist. Internationally acclaimed for his sophisticated musicality and wide repertoire. He has performed with leading orchestras such as the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra (London), Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra (Moscow), and WDR Symphony Orchestra (Cologne), and with renowned conductors such as Semyon Bychkov, Philippe Jordan, and Roger Norrington. His playing has been described as "musical with aristocratic dignity," and he is especially known for his interpretations of German Romantic works. In addition to his work as a soloist, he is also active in recording, releasing many albums on well-known labels.
Andreas Janke violin
Andreas Janke, is the principal concertmaster of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. He is currently thriving as a member of the Oliver Schnyder Trio. He was born into a family of German and Japanese musicians in Munich and studied in Igor Ozim’s masterclass at the Salzburg Mozarteum and with the Hagen Quartet. Even as a young musician he was already winning prizes at international competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, the Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna and the Prague Spring Competition. As a solo artist he has appeared in many leading venues in Europe and Asia, including Vienna’s Musikverein and Konzerthaus, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Munich Philharmonie, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Zurich Tonhalle and the Taipei National Concert Hall, while the orchestras with which he has performed include the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Belgian National Orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. He is additionally a welcome visitor both as a soloist and as a chamber recitalist at many national and international festivals. Among his chamber partners have been Julia Fischer, Nils Mönkemeyer, Martin Grubinger, Vilde Frang, Jörg Widmann and Martin Fröst. In 2013 he was appointed professor of violin at the Zurich University of the Arts. He gives regular masterclasses both at home and abroad. Andreas Janke performs on the “Hozier–Andrews” violin made by Carlo Bergonzi in Cremona between 1733 and 1739 and placed at his disposal by Mercedes-Benz Automobil AG of Zurich.
Benjamin Nyffenegger cello
Benjamin Nyffenegger, has been principal cellist with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra since 2008. He is currently thriving as a member of the Oliver Schnyder Trio and Julia Fischer String Quartet. His international career as a soloist and as a chamber musician – including as cellist with the Julia Fischer Quartet – has taken him to leading centres of music in Europe and Asia. Among these venues have been London’s Wigmore Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Munich’s Prinzregententheater, the Vienna Musikverein, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Zurich Tonhalle and the Taipei National Concert Hall. Among the major international festivals where he has performed are the Schwetzingen Festival, the Prague Spring Festival, the Menuhin Festival in Gstaad, the Frankfurt Festival, the Linz Bruckner Festival, the Septembre Musical Festival in Montreux, the Schwarzenberg Schubertiade and the Pärnu Festival. Among the chamber musicians with whom Benjamin Nyffenegger has shared a platform are Leif Ove Andsnes, Yulianna Avdeeva, Daniel Hope, Marc Bouchkov, Sarah Chang, Wolfram Christ, Vilde Frang, Roberto Gonzalez-Monjas, Maximilian Hornung, Daniel Müller-Schott, Alina Pogostkina, Maxim Rysanov, Jörg Widmann and William Youn. As a soloist he has performed with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the Berne Symphony Orchestra, the Winterthur Musikkollegium, the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra of Heilbronn, the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra and the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. He has also worked for numerous public broadcasting corporations throughout the whole of Europe. His first teacher was Magdalena Sterki-Hauri, after which he studied with Walter Grimmer at the Zurich University of the Arts, where he completed his studies under Thomas Grossenbacher in 2005, graduating with a diploma in concert performing. Benjamin Nyffenegger is artistic director of the SeetalClassics series of concerts at Seon in Switzerland. In 2023, he was appointed artistic director of the Swiss traditional Bosville Festival, together with violinist Julia Fischer. In 2024, he will become the artistic director of SeetalClassics Tokyo.
Paul Westermayer viola
After graduating from the Zurich University of the Arts, he won the competition sponsored by the Kiwanis Foundation in Switzerland. He has been active as a guest violist with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and major orchestras within Switzerland. Additionally, he excels in chamber music, collaborating with prominent ensembles such as the European String Quartet, the Bernina String Quartet, Ilios String Quartet, Schweizer Octet, and participating as a key member in events like the Lucerne Festival.
With a deep understanding of Japanese culture and arts, he is an enthusiast of Japan and regularly visits to perform while also contributing to the development of young musicians. Born in
New Zealand, he holds Swiss citizenship.
In 2024, he established the Westermayer Music & Arts Association as a public interest corporation and assumed the role of representative for SeetalClassics Tokyo.
Program Notes
J. Brahms
A. Dvořák
