Biography
Recognized among the foremost clarinetists internationally, Reto Bieri maintained an association spanning several years with the ECM imprint. He has also distinguished himself as an instructor and assumed leadership of Switzerland’s Davos Festival.
Born in 1975 in Zug, Switzerland, Bieri first encountered music through Swiss folk traditions, performing in neighborhood taverns during his early years. Initially intending to become a schoolteacher, he later turned to music, enrolling at the Music Academy in Basel to study with clarinetist François Benda. Further training took him to New York’s Juilliard School, where Charles Neidich served as his mentor. Equally influential were his explorations of chamber repertoire alongside composer György Kurtág and pianist Krystian Zimerman, which steered Bieri toward a focus on contemporary works. A decisive moment arrived in 2001 when he received an award at the Tribune International des Jeunes Interprètes, the radio-sponsored European competition. That same year he issued a Pan Classics album devoted to American clarinet repertoire. His next release, a 2008 Claves recording, centered on Schubert works transcribed for clarinet.
Bieri’s performing schedule has encompassed engagements across continents, featuring appearances with Kremerata Baltica, the Bruckner Orchester Linz, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, and Switzerland’s principal ensembles. In chamber settings he has partnered with Heinz Holliger, Gidon Kremer, Zoltan Kocsis, and prominent European string quartets. During the 2010s his trajectory advanced further; after signing with ECM he issued the solo album Contrechant in 2011 and participated in additional projects on the label. In 2014 he took the helm of the Davos Festival—Young Artists in Concert, where he has left a clear imprint on its artistic direction. Joining the chamber ensemble Meta4, Bieri released Quasi morendo in 2019, an album presenting music by Brahms, Salvatore Sciarrino, and Gérard Pesson. He reappeared in 2024 on the Alpha label with the trio recital Take 3, alongside violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and pianist Polina Leschenko. Bieri holds a professorship in chamber music at the University of Würzburg in Germany and resides with his family in the Swiss Alps.
Born in 1975 in Zug, Switzerland, Bieri first encountered music through Swiss folk traditions, performing in neighborhood taverns during his early years. Initially intending to become a schoolteacher, he later turned to music, enrolling at the Music Academy in Basel to study with clarinetist François Benda. Further training took him to New York’s Juilliard School, where Charles Neidich served as his mentor. Equally influential were his explorations of chamber repertoire alongside composer György Kurtág and pianist Krystian Zimerman, which steered Bieri toward a focus on contemporary works. A decisive moment arrived in 2001 when he received an award at the Tribune International des Jeunes Interprètes, the radio-sponsored European competition. That same year he issued a Pan Classics album devoted to American clarinet repertoire. His next release, a 2008 Claves recording, centered on Schubert works transcribed for clarinet.
Bieri’s performing schedule has encompassed engagements across continents, featuring appearances with Kremerata Baltica, the Bruckner Orchester Linz, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, and Switzerland’s principal ensembles. In chamber settings he has partnered with Heinz Holliger, Gidon Kremer, Zoltan Kocsis, and prominent European string quartets. During the 2010s his trajectory advanced further; after signing with ECM he issued the solo album Contrechant in 2011 and participated in additional projects on the label. In 2014 he took the helm of the Davos Festival—Young Artists in Concert, where he has left a clear imprint on its artistic direction. Joining the chamber ensemble Meta4, Bieri released Quasi morendo in 2019, an album presenting music by Brahms, Salvatore Sciarrino, and Gérard Pesson. He reappeared in 2024 on the Alpha label with the trio recital Take 3, alongside violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and pianist Polina Leschenko. Bieri holds a professorship in chamber music at the University of Würzburg in Germany and resides with his family in the Swiss Alps.
Albums
