Samuel Niederhauser

Cello

Samuel Niederhauser's talent and passion for music became apparent at an early age. When he received his first cello at the age of 6, he could hardly be separated from it. He was mentored by Matthias Walpen, Cliodhna Ni Aodain and Rebecca Firth before embarking on a bachelor's degree at the ZHdK with Thomas Grossenbacher in 2016, graduating with honours in 2020. He then completed his training at the Basel Music Academy with a soloist master's degree under Thomas Demenga.

He receives further inspiration by regularly attending masterclasses with Frans Helmerson, David Geringas, Louise Hopkins, Jens-Peter Maintz and Troels Svane, among others. In addition to various 1st prizes at national and international competitions, he received the "Guy Fallot Prize" at the Concours de Genève in 2021, was laureate of the renowned Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2022 and won 3rd prize at the Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki in 2023. His other palmares include the Göhner Music Prize of the Kiefer Hablitzel Foundation in 2022, the Migros Culture Percentage Study Prize in 2020, winning the CIMA Competition Vienna 2019, the Acoustica Records Youth Award 2013 and performances at various festivals in Switzerland and abroad.

He has also performed regularly as a soloist with orchestras since 2007, including the Basel Symphony Orchestra, Gstaad Festival Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Biel-Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic and Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie. He has been principal cellist of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra since the 2022/23 season. Niederhauser plays a cello by Carlo Giuseppe Testore from 1690 thanks to a generous loan.

Photo: Matthias Mueller