Nathalie CHATELAIN
Born in Geneva, began to study the harp at the age of eleven. At the Lausanne Conservatoire, she continued her studies with Chantal Mathieu-Balavoine and obtained a Teaching degree in 1986, the Virtuosite first Prize in 1988 and a Licence de Concert (Performing Arts degree) in 1990. She participated in master classes given by Nicanor Zabaleta. Germaine Lorenzini, Jacqueline Borot and Marielle Nordmann.

In 1988 she was appointed harpist in the Lausanne Sinfonietta orchestra and substitute harpist in the Orchestra de la Suisse Romande.

In 1989 Nathalie Chatelain was the winner of the Maurice Sandoz Prize as well as the scholarship granted to young performers by the Radio Suisse Romande. From 1989 to 1992 she was the recipient of the grant given by the Federation des Cooperatives Migros.

Nathalie Chatelain has formed duets with flute and cello as well as with another harp and she is a member of the harp quartet "Harpège", which she founded in 1990, as well as of the quartet "Appassionata de Geneve" (Panflute, violin, cello, harp). However, her main interest is in the harp solo recital.

In addition to her solo concertizing, Nathalie Chatelain dedicates part of her time to teaching. She has been at the Bern Conservatory since 1990 and organizes summer master classes as well.

Nathalie Chatelain has recorded several CDs with various chamber music groups.

Mateo ALBENIZ (1755-1831)
Mateo Albeniz was born in the Spanish Basque Country. He was Choirmaster in San Sebastian till 1795. During the French invasion, he escaped to Logrono. Afterwards, he came back to San Sebastian where he was again Choirmaster until 1829. He composed many pieces, vespers, masses and other sacred works. He also composed many pieces for the piano and wrote a book on music theory. This short one- movement sonata was originally written in D major.

Bernard ANDRES (1941)
Bernard Andres was born at Belfort. He studied at the Conservatoire de Paris where he obtained a Performing Arts degree in harp. He was engaged as a soloist in the Orchestre Philarmonique de Radio-France, while pursuing a composing career as well. His compositions for harp are many and at all levels, among which a concerto first performed by Lily Laskine. He has won several composition prizes. His piece "Duke", is an example of jazz-harp.

Pearl CHERTOK (1918-1981)
Pearl Chertok was an American harpist to whom many contemporary composers dedicated their works. This piece, little known by the public, shows various aspects of the harp and lets the instrument "swing". The following are the texts referring to each movement from the "Around the Clock" suite.

Ten past two: "Early afternoon and you walk along the avenue. You look in the shop windows and are fascinated by the glitter and the new styles. You stop at one window and a gown - shimmering with sequins - makes you tingle with delight. Then you walk again - taking in the displays made just for you."

Beige nocturne: "Evening. You are at your vanity - choosing your perfume from the array of bottles - There is a faint suggestion of a waltz but only for a fleeting instant. The beige melody brings you back to the fragrance of the evening mood."

Harpicide at midnight: "The dance begins and the rhythm grows more and more insistent. The melody is lost and finally there is only the pulse of dancing feet."

The Morning after: "The alarm clock. You stretch and wish it could be ignored. Then you see the sun striking through the windows and the day begins in clear melody."

Jose GALLES (1761-1836)
Jose Galles was a Catalan composer and organist. He was both a priest and an organist at the "Vich Cathedral". This one-movement sonata for harpsichord was re-discovered by Joaquin Nin.

Felix GODEFROID (1818-1897)
Felix Godefroid was born in Belgium. He was a harpist, pianist and composer. He studied the harp with Nadermann at the Conservatoire de Paris. He mastered the double movement harp with Theodore Labarre and Elias Parish-Alvars. He was a great harp virtuoso and toured allover Europe. His opera, "La Harpe d'Or" was performed at the Theatre-Lyrique in Paris, in 1858. His harp method is still used today and his compositions have an important place in the 19th century harp repertoire.

Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809)
Joseph Haydn was born in Basse-Autriche at Rohrau an der Leitha. At the age of six Joseph Haydn went to Hainbourg to study singing, harpsichord and violin. In 1740 he was admitted as a chorister at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna. In 1748, after his voice had changed, he lived on his own in a loft where he studied the principles of composition and discovered the works of C.P.E. Bach which had a strong influence upon him. In 1755, a rich benefactor took him up and Haydn composed his first symphony and first 12 quartets. He was appointed Musikdirektor to count Morzin in Bohemia in 1759, but his big break came in 1761 when he was nominated to the Esterhazy court. In Vienna he came into contact with W.A. Mozart, whose works he highly esteemed. In 1798 and 1801 "The Creation" and " The Seasons" were first performed. In 1808, Haydn made his last public appearance on the occasion of the performance of "The Creation" under the direction of Salieri. For the perfection of his style and spontaneity of his works, Haydn is a great musician.

Elias PARISH-ALVARS (1808-1849)
Elias Parish-Alvars was born at Eli Parish in Teignmouth, England. He studied under F.J. Dizi, N.C. Bochsa and Theodore Labarre. In 1834 he settled in Vienna and toured mainly in Europe. This great virtuoso, referred to as the "Liszt of the Harp" by Hector Berlioz, tested out all the technical possibilities of his instrument, and composed more than a hundred pieces. This serenade is one of the three pieces which he published after having spent a winter's day in Italy (1844-45); it reminds us of the "Dolce Vita" atmosphere of the mid-19th century.

Giovanni Battista PESCETTI (1704-1766)
Giovanni Battista Pescetti was born in Venice, where he studied organ under Lotti, a composer and 'organist at the San Marco Basilica. From April of 1736, we find him in London as a harpsichordist, where he substituted Porpora as director of the " Opera of the Nobility", Haendel's rival Company. He wrote operas and pastiche arias and, in 1739, published a series of sonatas for harpsichord. In 1747 he returned to Italy. His lyric arias are known for their unadorned melodic lines, with simple and short accompaniment, and clearly articulated phrases. The second movement of this harpsichord sonata is a good example of this technique.

Ottorino RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Ottorino Respighi was born in Italy. He studied composition under Torchi and Martucci. During his stay in Russia he took lessons from Rimsky-Korsakov who had a great influence on his compositions, especially regarding orchestration. In 1913 he was appointed professor of composition at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. In 1924 he was nominated director of that institution. During the last years of his life, he continued teaching and performing his works in various countries, as well as accompanying his wife, the singer Elsa Oliviri-Sangiacomo. His famous orchestral compositions are: Fontane di Roma, Pini di Roma, Sinfonia drammatica and Trittico Botticelliano. He composed opera as well: Belfagor, Re Enzo, Semirama. This Sicilienne was arranged after a 16th century lute piece.

Franz-Anton ROSSLER-ROSETTI (1746-1792)
Frantisek Antonin Rosetti was born in Bohemia. He was ordained priest but in 1775 he left the monastic life to dedicate himself entirely to music. In Paris he was Director of Prince Wallenstein's orchestra where he met regularly Gluck and Piccinni. He wrote several symphonies, a Requiem in memory of Mozart, serenades and oratorios. Rosetti was a prolific composer. In his early works, he combines both baroque and classical elements; his style is quite close to Haydn's early compositions. His harp sonatas, published in 1785, are charming and elegant in style.