Samuel Niederhauser | Cellist
Samuel Niederhauser is a Swiss cellist and prizewinner, trained in Zurich (ZHdK) and at the Basel Music Academy. He won 1st Prize at the George Enescu International Competition (2026), is a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition (2022), received the Guy Fallot Prize at the Concours de Genève (2021), and won 3rd Prize at the Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki (2023). Since the 2022/23 season, he has been principal cellist of the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester.
From an early age, Samuel Niederhauser’s talent and passion for music were evident. At the age of six, after receiving his first cello, he could hardly be separated from it.
He was taught by Matthias Walpen, Cliodhna Ni Aodain, and Rebecca Firth before beginning his Bachelor studies at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) with Thomas Grossenbacher in 2016, which he completed with distinction in 2020. He then continued his education at the Basel Music Academy, earning his Soloist Master’s degree under Thomas Demenga.
He gained further inspiration from attending masterclasses with renowned cellists such as Frans Helmerson, David Geringas, Louise Hopkins, Jens-Peter Maintz, and Troels Svane. In addition to winning numerous first prizes at national and international competitions, he won First Prize in the Cello Section at the George Enescu International Competition in 2026, received the Guy Fallot Prize at the Concours de Genève in 2021, became a laureate of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2022, and won third prize at the Paulo Cello Competition in Helsinki in 2023.
His other accolades include the Göhner Music Prize of the Kiefer Hablitzel Foundation (2022), the Migros Culture Percentage Study Award (2020), first prize at the CIMA Competition Vienna (2019), the Acoustica Records Youth Award (2013), as well as performances at numerous festivals in Switzerland and abroad. Since 2007, he has regularly appeared as a soloist with orchestras such as the Basel Symphony Orchestra, Gstaad Festival Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Biel-Solothurn Symphony Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, and the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie.
Since the 2022/23 season, Samuel has served as principal cellist of the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester.
Shih-Yu Tang | Pianist
Born in Taoyuan, Taiwan, Shih-Yu Tang currently serves as Head of the Keyboard Department at Musikschule Konstanz, Germany, and as a lecturer in collaborative piano at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), Switzerland. She also serves as President of the Wagner-Verband Konstanz e.V. Tang began her musical training in Germany at the age of 12 under Prof. Pi-Hsien Chen. She later studied at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, where she earned degrees in performance and music education, with piano studies under Prof. Chen and viola studies with Prof. Sylvie Altenburger. She subsequently pursued advanced piano studies with Prof. Konstantin Scherbakov at ZHdK, graduating with highest distinction and earning both a Master of Arts in Music Performance and the Solistendiplom.
Alongside her work as a soloist and chamber musician, Tang has extensive ensemble and collaborative experience. During her studies, she served multiple times as principal violist of the ZHdK Pre-College Orchestra and led string sectionals. She has regularly served on the jury of Jugend musiziert and, in 2024, was invited to adjudicate the inaugural International New Music Youth Competition in Romania. In addition to her teaching appointments, Tang maintains an active performing career across Europe, appearing in Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Norway, Estonia, Belgium, and Finland.