Viviane Chassot

Born in Zurich, Viviane Chassot received her first accordion lessons as a 12-year-old. In 2006 she completed her accordion performance degree (Konzertdiplom) at the University of Arts in Bern with Teodoro Anzellotti. Her artistry on the accordion has been recognized through various scholarships and awards. Among other plaudits, she has won the renowned Kranichstein Music Prize for New Music. She has attended master classes given by Alfred Brendel, Ferenc Rados as well as András Schiff and regularly gained valuable insight from Eberhard Feltz (Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin). Viviane Chassot is a soloist and chamber music partner much in demand on the concert stage in Switzerland and abroad. This is testified to by her invitations to perform with well-known orchestras and ensembles (such as the Berlin Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Modern Frankfurt, Collegium Novum Zürich) as well as collaboration with conductors and composers including Riccardo Chailly, Simon Rattle, Peter Eötvös, David Zinman, Beat Furrer and Heinz Holliger. She takes a particularly strong interest in expanding the original repertoire for accordion. She has given the premiere performances of many works and been featured in a wide range of CD recordings. For several years now Viviane Chassot has pursued the transcription of music from earlier periods for the accordion, making new repertoire accessible to the rich expressive possibilities of her instrument. Her transcriptions are primarily of works from the Classical and Baroque period. Her solo debut CD of piano sonatas by Joseph Haydn (2009) as well as her release of the Pièces de Clavecin by Jean-Philippe Rameau (2011), both on GENUIN classics, earned high praise and attracted widespread international interest. Alfred Brendel has praised her performance as one of the best recordings of the Haydn piano sonatas: “The interpretation is uniquely perfect. Panache, control and sensitivity meld together in the loveliest way.” Viviane Chassot lives and works as a freelance musician in Basel, Switzerland.

Photography: Frank Scarbata

The artist's homepage:

https://www.vivianechassot.ch