Biography
The Oliver Schnyder Trio, established in 2012 under the leadership of Swiss pianist Oliver Schnyder, has produced significant recordings devoted to essential 19th-century chamber works. Born in Brugg in 1973, Schnyder obtained a music education qualification from the Swiss Music Pedagogic Association in 1994 before shifting focus to performance and earning a solo diploma from the Zurich University of the Arts in 1998. He subsequently pursued advanced training in the United States, studying with Ruth Laredo at the Manhattan School of Music and with Leon Fleisher. Schnyder has appeared in solo recitals and as concerto soloist at major venues worldwide, among them halls in Taipei, Taiwan, and Seoul, South Korea. Within Switzerland he founded Piano District, an initiative aimed at presenting classical performances in abandoned industrial locations throughout the canton of Aargau.
The ensemble, occasionally referred to as the Schnyder Trio, gave its inaugural performance at the Zurich Tonhalle in the year of its formation and soon secured a contract with RCA Red Seal. Its first release for the label, a 2013 recording of Schubert’s piano trios, earned praise from Aargauer Zeitung as Switzerland’s Classical Album of the Year and was described by Die Bühne as a “new benchmark.” A subsequent disc featuring Brahms trios received comparable critical recognition. The group has also distinguished itself in an accompanimental capacity, collaborating on two projects with German tenor Daniel Behle: the album Winterreisen, chosen by Opernwelt as CD of the Month and notable for its uncommon voice-and-piano arrangement of Schubert’s song cycle, and the 2017 release Mein Hamburg. The Oliver Schnyder Trio maintains a schedule of yearly tours across the Far East as well as Swiss and German cities, and has joined forces onstage with Behle, violinist Vilde Frang, and additional artists.
The ensemble, occasionally referred to as the Schnyder Trio, gave its inaugural performance at the Zurich Tonhalle in the year of its formation and soon secured a contract with RCA Red Seal. Its first release for the label, a 2013 recording of Schubert’s piano trios, earned praise from Aargauer Zeitung as Switzerland’s Classical Album of the Year and was described by Die Bühne as a “new benchmark.” A subsequent disc featuring Brahms trios received comparable critical recognition. The group has also distinguished itself in an accompanimental capacity, collaborating on two projects with German tenor Daniel Behle: the album Winterreisen, chosen by Opernwelt as CD of the Month and notable for its uncommon voice-and-piano arrangement of Schubert’s song cycle, and the 2017 release Mein Hamburg. The Oliver Schnyder Trio maintains a schedule of yearly tours across the Far East as well as Swiss and German cities, and has joined forces onstage with Behle, violinist Vilde Frang, and additional artists.
Albums
