From the shores of the Swiss lakes to the shores of Pembrokeshire

Added: (Thu Apr 10 2008)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Wales and Switzerland have more in common than breathtaking landscape and linguistic and cultural diversity the two small nations also produce talented musicians.

On Wednesday evening 26 March, the West Wales Arts Centre in Fishguard played host to two young Swiss flutists from the French speaking canton and city of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, Barbara Minder and Matthieu Amiguet. Also performing was the well known North Pembrokeshire cellist Nicola Thomas who with Bach’s Prelude in D Minor from Suite No 2 set the tone to a superb musical treat offered to the audience.

Barbara Minder and Matthieu Amiguet are both members of the versatile and talented flute trio les Chemins de Traverse, created 10 years ago in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. The ensemble has a wide repertoire of music from the 17th century to contemporary music. Both play several flutes, the concert flute, piccolo, alto and bass flute. On Wednesday night the duo’s polished performance using all their different flutes was highly appreciated by a select audience which included among other distinguished guests, the Mayor of Fishguard and Goodwick, the Head of Culture at the Embassy of Switzerland in London, Denis Charrière, who accompanied the duo to Wales and the new and first Honorary Consul of Switzerland in Wales, Ruth Thomas-Lehmann.

It is not the first time the Arts Centre has hosted Swiss musicians. In February this year the Swiss Pianist Nadia Lefert, now living in Cardiff, performed a unique recital presenting works written by Robert Schuhmann during his journey through Switzerland as a young man.

The performances in West Wales by Swiss artists is the result of the collaboration of the new Consulate of Switzerland in Cardiff (which was launched at the Senedd by the Swiss Ambassador Alexis Lautenberg last year) and of Myles Pepper, the Director of the West Wales Arts Centre in Fishguard who attended the Consulate launch.