Clair-obscur, the renowned German classical saxophone quartet, welcomed Harcsa Veronika in Berlin last December on their concert series. For their program, embracing seven centuries of music history, they have selected songs from composers as John Dowland, Gustav Mahler, or even the rock group Nirvana. On their Budapest première, at the Opus Jazz Club, Veronika and Claire-obscur introduce also new songs of their repertoire.

The main focus of Clair-obscur is chamber music. With the support of their mentor and teacher, viola player of the Artemis String Quartet, Prof. Friedemann Weigle, the quartet has developed into a highly sought after ensemble, playing venues such as the Philharmonie, Berlin and the Carnegie Hall, New York, first playing here in 2006. The ensemble concentrates not only on original works written for saxophone quartet but also greatly expands and enriches its repertoire with unexpected transcriptions and stunning arrangements.

Clair-obscur is however, not only well known for chamber music but also for their individual, original and self produced Music Theater works. They are often found on stage performing Camille Saint-Saens Carneval of the Animals together with the actor Boris Aljinovic. Even more theatrically demanding is their version of the ballet The Wedding on the Eiffel Tower (Les mariés de la Tour Eiffel) by Jean Cocteau, in which the concert becomes a caberet and the musicians, actors. Here they not only impress with musical virtuosity but also with mimic, wit and body language.

As well as this, the four quartet members can regularly be heard in orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic. Clair-obsur have been rewarded for their artistic excellence with prizes in competitions such as the International ADMC Competition Illzach (2007), the Gaudeamus Music Competition (2007) as well as the Prize of the Friends of Jeunesses Musicales 2008.

clair-obscur.de 

Singer, songwriter Veronika Harcsa graduated from the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest in 2008, and got her Master degree in 2014 at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Being a uniquely versatile artist, she is featured in quite different projects, from her duo with guitarist Bálint Gyémánt, to her experimental electronic trio Bin-Jip, as well as in different musical and literary projects. In 2014 she became permanent artist in residence at the Valley of Arts Festival in Hungary, where she is responsible for the jazz program of the cultic ten days festival. In 2014-15 Veronika ran a monthly concert series in Berlin, inviting guests from the local scene. Musicians such as David Friedman, Julia Hülsmann, Samuel Blaser or David Helbock accepted her invitation. She has recently been involved in classical music projects as well. She premiered in the leading role of Éléonore in Bohuslav Martinů’s dadaist opera Les Larmes du Couteau at the Martinů Festival in Basel, directed by the Academy Award winner director Jiří Menzel.