As a variation of the classic Trio d’anches, Trio Alius complement the woodwind chamber music with a rarely heard facet and move with virtuosity between original classical compositions and innovative arrangements. Due to their extraordinary line-up of flute, clarinet and bassoon the talented musicians are offering a particularly round and flexible wind sound. Frankfurt based, the trio consists of the flutist Juan De Ildefonso García, the clarinettist Moritz Schneidewendt and Viktor Petrov on bassoon. The three were linked by their studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt and their shared passion for chamber music. The international roots of the musicians – from Spain, Germany and Bulgaria, contribute to an adaptable and entertaining moderated repertoire which declared goal is to bring together the versatility of the three instruments and to convey it to an equally versatile audience.
Juan de Ildefonso García – Flute
Juan de Ildefonso Garcia was born in 1988 in Salamanca, Spain. At the age of 8, he receives his first flute lessons from Pablo Sagredo. In 2011, after finishing his studies in the “Conservatorio Superior de Oviedo” (Oviedo, Spain), he joins the Erasmus Programme for a year at the University of Music in Cologne with Prof. Robert Winn. Later he continues his studies with Thaddeus Watson (Solo- Piccolist from hr-Sinfonieorchester) at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. During his career as an orchestral musician, Juan has performed with many orchestras, like the hr- Sinfonieorchester and the Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester. His collaboration with the flutists Clara Andrada
(hr-Sinfonieorchester), Prof. Julia Gállego (ESMUC Barcelona), Prof. Stephanie Winker (HfMDK Frankfurt) und Anna Garzuly (Gewandhaus Leipzig) had big influence on his musical development. Since 2014 he is part of the Flamenco ensemble “Compañia Flamenco Solera” (Mannheim) and Zambra Calí. Furthermore he wins a scholarship by Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now with the Quintet “Viento del Sur”. At the moment Juan is playing in several chamber and flamenco ensembles and working closely with his fellow colleagues at the Trio Alius – Viktor Petrov and Moritz Schneidewendt.
Moritz Schneidewendt – Clarinet
Moritz Schneidewendt, born in Freiburg in 1989, studied classical clarinet and bass clarinet at the Music Academies in Würzburg and Weimar with Manfred Lindner and Thorsten Johanns. He completed his artistic master studies with highest honours in 2017, supported, among others, by the »Deutschlandstipendium« fellowship honouring outstanding student achievements. Further important impulses were provided by such renowned clarinettists as Ralf Manno, Martin Spangenberg, Reto Bieri, Andreas Langenbuch, Nina Janßen-Deinzer and Ernesto Molinari. While still a student, he gained his first orchestral experience by playing with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Weimar, the Philharmonie Jena and the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie and by joining the academy of the Mainz State Orchestra. This was followed by a first engagement at the Leipzig Opera, where he was assistant principal clarinettist at the Musical Comedy.
His particular passion, however, is for chamber music, especially the interpretation of contemporary music. In this context, he strives to illuminate new musical forms and instrumental possibilities; thus, as a member of several ensembles, such as ensemble via nova or Broken Frames Syndicate, for example, he champions support for New Music. Working closely with young composers, he has performed numerous world premieres and appears regularly at various festivals in Germany and abroad.
Viktor Berlioz – Bassoon
Viktor Petrov was born in 1989 in Varna, Bulgaria, where he started taking bassoon lessons at the age of 10 by Hristina Tuschieva at the National School of Arts “Dobri Hristov”. Over the course of the years he became a laureate of many national and international solo and chamber music competitions and had the chance to perform in Paris, Prague and Brussels. Viktor was honored with an award for successful achievements, several scholarships for highly gifted musicians from the Ministry of Culture and a medal for high national and international achievements in the area of the Arts. From 2008 he began his studies with Prof. Frank Forst, Principal Bassoon of Camerata Salzburg, at the “Franz Liszt” University in Weimar, Germany. After passing his intermediate diploma in 2011, Viktor continued his studies with David Petersen, Principal Bassoon of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt, where he graduated with distinction in 2015.
As a soloist, Viktor played several times with the Varna Philharmonic Orchestra and as an orchestral musician he gained valuable experience with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Frankfurt Chamber Philharmonic, Folkwang Chamber Orchestra Essen, Sinfonietta Frankfurt, Ensemble “Kapella 19” (CD recording), Jena Philharmonic, Thüringen Philharmonic, Deutsche Philharmonie Merck, etc. Furthermore, he attended master classes with renowned bassoonists as Prof. Sergio Azzolini (Basel Music Academy), Lyndon Watts (Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Bern University of the Arts), as well as Prof. Jussi Särrkä (Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Sibelius Academy Helsinki), Prof. Jaako Luoma (Tapiola Sinfonietta and Sibelius Academy Helsinki), Eckehard Kupke (Gewandhaus Orchestra), Kim Laskowski (New York Philharmonic and The Juilliard School) and Tomasz Wesolowski (University of Music and Performing Arts Frankfurt). Significant influence on his artistic development had the conductors Nicolás Pasquet, Fabio Mechetti, Johannes Klumpp und Wojciech Rajski.
Viktor is the grand prize winner of the 2nd International Competition ENKOR and moreover, as a member of Trio “Bérmice”, he won a scholarship by Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now and engagements throughout the next years. Currently he has concerts with his new classical еnsemble from Frankfurt – „Trio Alius“ as well as with his group „Trio Senso”, which are gaining popularity due to the uncommon interpretation of world-famous pieces. Besides his solo, chamber and orchestra performances, Viktor is also being employed as a bassoon and piano teacher in several schools in Frankfurt and in the Hessen province.