|
The Swiss conductor, Willi Derungs, graduated from the Bündner Kantonschule in Chur. He completed his multi-faceted music studies (conducting, trumpet, piano, singing, percussion, counterpoint, jazz and composition) at the Konservatorium Biel and the Hochschule für Musik in Bern (today HKB) and graduated with the conductor diploma, among others. He completed further studies in choir and orchestra conducting with Dr. hc. Ewald Körner. Various international master-classes complemented the practical training. Studies in musicology, history, pedagogy and German studies followed at the Universität Bern and Universität Zürich.
Willi Derungs has worked with numerous soloists, choirs and orchestras and works as a guest conductor, teacher, speaker and music expert throughout Switzerland and in neighboring countries. As the initiator, founder and artistic director of Canto Classico (since November 2006), he has a special connection with the activities of Canto Classico. He has also been in charge of Jahren Singwochen (Singing Weeks) in his home town of Graubünden for many years. He is also the artistic director and founder of the Voces Illiande singing projects (since September 2012). As a conductor, Willi he worked with numerous instrumental and vocal soloists. In addition to the Orchestra Classica Bern, which he founded (2009), he also led orchestras such as the Sinfonieorchester Biel, Barockorchester Capriccio Basel, Novocanto (since September 2016), etc, maintaining concert repertoire in various formations. The ensemble has performed in numerous locations in Switzerland and in Vaduz FL and has given several world premieres of Swiss music. He also heads the semi-professional vocal ensemble of Musica Classica (since 2016), which mainly maintains a secular repertoire from opera to musicals.
In addition to his conducting activities, Willi Derungs works as a research assistant at Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK) since August 2009.
His rich experience in dealing with amateur and professional musicians, paired with a wide range of specialist knowledge and a mature artistic sensibility, is a guarantee for high-quality interpretations. With his passionate manner, Willi Derungs succeeds in conveying commitment and a sense for artistic work to the musicians and in inspiring and spurring them on to special achievements. |
