Patrick Demenga

Violoncello

 

Born in 1962, Patrick Demenga studied at the Conservatory of Bern, with Boris Pergamenschikow in Cologne, and with Harvey Shapiro in New York. Several awards mark the beginning of his career, and today he is considered one of the most renowned cellists internationally.

​

As a soloist and chamber musician, he regularly performs at major festivals and in famous musical centers such as the Megaron in Athens, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Berlin Philharmonie, or the Lucerne Festival. He collaborates with prominent musical personalities (such as Armin Jordan, Heinz Holliger, Norbert Brainin, Leonidas Kavakos, Mario Venzago, Dennis Russell Davies, Alexander Lonquich, Erich Höbarth, Melvyn Tan, Christian Altenburger, Natalia Gutman, and many others) and orchestras (such as the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, RSO Wien, Camerata Bern, Münchner Kammerorchester, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Kremerata Baltica, Ensemble Modern, Zürcher Kammerorchester, and many others).

​

Numerous radio and television recordings, as well as vinyl and CD releases, have made him known to an international audience. Among these are recordings of the two Haydn cello concertos, which he recorded with the Camerata Bern under the direction of Erich Höbarth for the Novalis label, and Mendelssohn's two piano trios in a recording with Leonidas Kavakos on violin and Enrico Pace on piano for Sony Classical. The recording of Harald Genzmer's cello concerto, performed with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Ariane Matiakh, brings attention to a lesser-known composer.

​

Since 1995, Patrick Demenga has been a professor of cello at the Haute école de musique in Lausanne (HEMU) and teaches in various international masterclasses. Since 2020, he has also taught at the Music Academy of Pinerolo (Italy). From 1995 to 2015, he was the artistic director of the Four Seasons Concerts in Blumenstein (CH), which he founded, and since 2005, he has been the director of the Meiringen Music Festival. From 2002 to 2006, he was also the artistic director of the VIVA CELLO Cello Festival in Liestal.

​

Patrick Demenga enjoys exploring lesser-known rarities alongside great composers and major works. He finds the allure of musical exploration in the connection between these two worlds and discovers his extraordinary expressive power.