Daniela Achermann
Composer
In her creative work, the Swiss composer Daniela Achermann moves within a dialogue between transparent structures and fluid sonic colours. Her work combines a powerful intensity with a search for connection, silence, and space. Her scores are designs for acoustic sanctuaries – sustained by a profound closeness to nature and the exploration of its living form.
for piano, accordion, and percussion (2015)
Ensemble SARGO
2015, Neubad Lucerne
for ensemble (2024)
Ensemble Montaigne, Andreas Brenner, conductor
2024, Pauluskirche Basel
for chamber orchestra (2015)
inTakt Youth Chamber Orchestra, Andreas Brenner, conductor
2015, Matthäuskirche Lucerne
for orchestra (2018)
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Philippe Béran, conductor
2018, Victoria Hall, Geneva; recording with Radio Espace 2
from «Dreizehn Szenen nach Tiergedichten von Franz Hohler»
for organ (2019)
Daniela Achermann, organ
2025, Sursee City Church
For full audio recordings or score inquiries, please contact the composer directly.
Instrumentation: Fl, Ob, Cl, Hrn, Fg, Vln I, Vln II, Vla, Vcl, Db
Commissioned by IGNM Zentralschweiz (for the programme "A Watery Star")
Premiere: 01.11.2024, Pauluskirche Basel (Ensemble Montaigne, conducted by Andreas Brenner)
Premiere: 22.08.2018, Victoria Hall, Geneva (Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conducted by Philippe Béran)
Recorded by Radio Espace 2
Premiere: 30.10.2015, Matthäuskirche Lucerne (Junges Kammerorchester inTakt, conducted by Andreas Brenner)
Awarded the Harald Genzmer Composition Competition Prize, Munich
Commissioned by musica aperta Winterthur (Pro Helvetia New Talent Promotion)
Premiere: 31.03.2017, Landgasthof Riehen (Egidius Streiff, violin – Luiz Guilherme Pozzi, piano – Segantini Quartett)
Recorded at Radiostudio Zürich
Premiere: 27.06.2015, Neubad Lucerne (New Music Days, Ensemble SARGO)
Song project with staging and puppetry
Premiere: 01.02.2014, Südpol Lucerne (Szenenwechsel Music Festival, Pamela Berzé, soprano – Eva Vorobjova, piano)
Commissioned by Christoph Blum
Movements: I (frequenzen) – II (farben) – III (windspiel)
Premiere: 24.10.2020, Muri Abbey Church (50th Anniversary of the Great Organ Restoration, Johannes Strobl & Daniela Achermann, organs)
Performance: 19.03.2021, Bern Conservatory (Swiss Youth Music Competition SJMW, Jieming Deng, organ)
Published in «Die innovative Orgelschule», Vol. 4, by Dr. Andrea Kumpe
Commissioned by the association "Kinder an die Orgel" and the Basel Music Academy/HSLU FHNW
Premiere: 06.09.2020, Casino Basel (Basel Organ Festival, organ classes of Yun Zaunmayr and Nicoleta Paraschivescu)
Premiere: 14.05.2017, Schenkon Chapel ("Barock und Jodel" by Klangraum Sursee, Nuria Richner, soprano/yodel – Stefan Wieland, countertenor/yodel – Daniela Achermann, organ)
Premiere: 19.11.2016, City Church of Sursee («Weltenwandel» project, Daniela Achermann, organ)
Performance: 19.06.2014, Lukaskirche Lucerne (Master's recital in Organ Performance, Daniela Achermann, organ)
Arranged for harp and string quartet (2022)
Arranged for saxophone quartet (SATB) (2021)
Arranged for mezzo-soprano and string orchestra (2014)
Premiere: 04.05.2014, Meggen Community Hall
Annual Concert of the Foundation for Young Musical Talents, Stephanie Szanto, mezzo-soprano – Lucerne Chamber Orchestra
Score incorporated into the library collection of the HSLU School of Music
Premiere: 04.05.2014, Meggen Community Hall
Annual Concert of the Foundation for Young Musical Talents, Stephanie Szanto, mezzo-soprano – Lucerne Chamber Orchestra
Score incorporated into the library collection of the HSLU School of Music
For score inquiries and full audio recordings, please contact the composer directly.
(Audio recordings are available for selected works)
Nicoleta Paraschivescu, organ
Daniela Achermann, chest organ
Aliza Vicente, violin
Rahel Wittling, violin
Lukas Hamberger, viola
Johannes Kofler, cello
Dina Kehl, violone/viola da gamba
Stephanie Schacht, traverso
Olga Marulanda, oboe
Martin Roos, horn
Patrik Gasser, horn
Thomas Ragossnig, harpsichord
Daniela Achermann, harpsichord
Jolanda Steiner, storyteller
Maria Rösti, flute
Daniela Maranta, organ
Andreas Wüest, organ
Daniela Achermann, organ
Daniela Achermann was born in Basel and grew up in Putaruru, New Zealand.
After learning to play the piano, organ, and guitar in her youth, she went on to study various instruments: piano at the Music Academy of the City of Basel, earning a teaching diploma in piano under Laszlo Gyimesi in 1996, and organ at the HSLU - Music, earning a Master of Arts in Music, Performance Organ, under Elisabeth Zawadke in 2014.
She has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and accompanist in concert series at the Lorenzkirche in Nuremberg, Musik in der Klosterkirche Muri, and the International Organ Symposium in Zurich, among others.
A special interest in improvisation and composition led Daniela Achermann to study classical North Indian music (2003-2009) at the Ali Akbar College of Music Basel with Ken Zuckerman and at the Ali Akbar College of Music San Rafael, USA, with Ali Akbar Khan (sarod and vocals) and Swapan Chaudhuri (tabla).
For several years, she assisted Ken Zuckerman at the Ali Akbar College of Music Basel as a teacher of sarod. Concerts as a sarodist in classical Indian music.
This was followed by composition studies with Dieter Ammann (2011-2016) and composition courses with Wolfgang Rihm and Isabel Mundry, among others, as well as musicology studies at the University of Basel.
Since 2013, her works for orchestra, music theater, chamber music, and solo instruments have been performed by the Lucerne Theater, the Lucerne Chamber Orchestra, the young chamber orchestra inTakt, and the Ensemble Montaigne, among others. In 2018, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande made a recording with Espace 2 possible.
Awards: Alois Koch Prize (2013); 1st prize at the international competition «Organ Compositions for Children» organized by the association «Kinder an die Orgel» and the Basel Music Academy (2019); 1st prize at the Harald Genzmer Composition Competition (2020).
Daniela Achermann is currently principal organist at the Stadtkirche St. Georg in Sursee, director of the «Klangraum Sursee» concert series, and initiator and co-founder of the «Orgelschule Sursee.« She teaches piano and organ at the Musikschule Region Sursee.