The Musicians of Leymen

Leymen has recently become home to a number of musicians, including singers, harpists, lutenists and flautists.

TFL interviewed Margarita and Aura, two mezzo-soprano singers, both graduates of Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel.

Margarita and Aura have together established the Leymen choir, which is still in its infancy. (More information below).

Margarita Slepakova

Margarita performed the part of Poppea in L'incoronazione di Poppea (Opernfest 2018, Berlin). At the same time she was granted a place in the Monteverdi Apprentices Programme under the direction and mentorship of Sir John Eliot Gardiner, performing solo and with Monteverdi Choir in the UK and during their European tours. In the beginning of the 2019/2020 season she sang as a soloist with B’rock Orchestra in Opera Vlaanderen in Antwerp and Ghent, in a production of “Cantus Firmus/Mea Culpa” by Jeanne Brabants and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and performed recitals in St. Petersburg, London and Basel with the repertoire of French and Italian baroque.

2019/2020 sees her working with La Cetra, Monteverdi Choir, B’rock Orchestra and Zürcher Sing-Akademie in venues including Carnegie Hall, Harris Theatre Chicago, Zurich Opera House, Festival BBC Proms, Barbican, KKL Lucern, Magaron Athens and others. 

She pursued her vocal studies in the prestigious Schola Cantorum Basiliensis obtaining two diplomas of Master (2018) and Specialized Master of Arts (2019) in historical performance in the classes of Gerd Türk and Rosa Dominguez. Before this she obtained her Bachelor diploma in singing at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in the class of prof. Jadwiga Rappé, and another bachelor diploma in Culture Studies at the Warsaw University. 

Her other recent solo engagements include alto parts in Haydn’s “Missa in Angustiis”, Porpora’s “Salve Regina”, and “Stabat Mater” of Brunetti, Pergolesi and Vivaldi,  performed in Switzerland, France and Italy, and the part of Ariel in Purcell’s The Tempest in Collegium Nobilium.

Aura Gutiérrez

Was born in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). She studied Lyrical Singing at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá with Maria Olga Pinieros and Carlos Godoy. In 2012, she successfully completed the Master in Early Music Performance Program at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (Switzerland). In 2009 and 2013 she completed a Tournées in France with the Ensemble "La Boz Galana" (Baroque music from Latin America and Spain). In 2015, Aura sang her debut as Abra in "Juditha Triumphans" in Theater Basel (CH), conducted by Andrea Marcon. She is currently working in the ensembles La Cetra Vokalensemble and La Boz Galana, and she also conducts various amateur choirs in the region of Baselland (Ad Hoc Chor Zeglingen) and Solothurn (Gemischterchor Leimental and Männerchor Witterswil). With her own ensemble Lagarzamora Ensemble (Latin American Volkmusik), Aura organises musical projects with social purposes for children in Cartagena. In September 2017 Lagarzamora recorded its first album “Chambacú. El Origen”, Lullabies and other Songs on Afrocuban and Afrocolombian rhythms.

TFL: What brought you to the Basel area?

Margarita:

Since I began my singing studies in Warsaw, where I grew up, I've always known I would like to study in Schola Cantorum Basiliensis – a world-renowned performance and research academic institution specialising in early music. I've always been drawn to baroque music and I wanted to learn about historically informed performance practices from the best teachers. After I completed my Bachelor in Fryderyk Chopin Music University in Warsaw, I got accepted to Schola for my Master and then Specialised Master studies. The experience of studying there was life-changing for many of us who went there. Among other things, it was in Basel that I discovered choral music, which doesn't have a very strong tradition where I come from. Before this, I was mostly singing solo. Now my engagements vary from solo to consort (a form of chamber ensemble which can be vocal or instrumental), and choir music. After my studies I also got to learn a great deal, as well as having the pleasure to cooperate with some great European groups.

Aura:

During my studies in Bogotá, Early Music was always a main subject and the repertoire that I preferred to sing.  From 2013 until 2015, I participated in Masterclasses and concerts as a soloist, that teachers and students from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis offered in Bogotá. Every year was a great opportunity to learn more about this period of the music history and also, performing in a very authentic and historical way. So I decided to come to Basel to study, and specialise myself in one of the world’s most important schools of Early Music.

TFL: What are your major projects for 2020

Aura:

At this moment, my major project is to raise my little girl, who is now one year and a half. I am still working with my amateur choirs. I am also very excited to sing “Gloria” with La Cetra Vokalensemble on stage with Ballet Basel from April to June 2020, in the Theater Basel, with choreography by Richard Werlock, directed by Andrea Marcon.

Margarita:

I think one of the most exciting things will be a US tour with John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir in February. We are performing in Carnegie Hall in New York and the Harris Theatre in Chicago. I've never been to the States so this is going to be a real adventure for me.

TFL: Long-term, how do you see your future? Will you stay in the Basel area?

Margarita:

After 4 years of studying in Basel I realised it has become my home. Here are my close friends and musicians I love to work with. Because of its’ central location in Europe and the proximity of the airport and railway station, it's very convenient to travel from here to other places where I often work like UK, France, Belgium etc. 

Moving to Leymen was an experiment for me, because I've never lived in the countryside before. But I fell in love with this place and it turned out to be a missing piece of a puzzle in my life. I love being close to nature, I love people who live here and I love my apartment, which became a real home for me and my partner: although Warsaw is still our home as well. Our long-term plan is to still have a place in Warsaw, and a place in Leymen, and to go back and forth depending on our work schedules. We have private and professional ties in both cities. Luckily, today you don't need to choose to live in just one place.

Aura:

I am planning to stay long-term in the Basel area. In Leymen you can enjoy the countryside while still being very close to Basel City. I lived in Basel for seven years; I loved to take my bike and go around the town centre of Basel, visiting museums, listening to concerts, and meeting lovely and interesting people, who came from so many different places around the world. The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis is an international school and there you can learn not just about early music, but also about many different cultures and styles of living.

I met my husband during my studies there. He comes from the south of France (Provence); he is also a musician (a Harpist) and we got married in Leymen in 2014. We discovered this place more than 10 years ago as we once hiked to the Landskron castle, which we liked so much. By good fortune, we finished up living in Leymen. Here we have friends, colleagues, a wonderful Yoga Studio, a beautiful forest and now a lovely market every Friday! What else could one ask for?!

TFL: Opera singing as a career is known to be very competitive – how do you deal with the challenges?

Aura:

I believe that in life we never stop learning. We can't stop it. Learning about music, social relationships, work, career, money, love! As a musician you have to be available to learn all the time. To breathe, to organise events, to put your music scores in order, to stand up, to sit, to bow, to deal with the stress, and so on... and also to participate in a competition, because it is also a part of a learning process. Certainly, you need a lot of motivation and passion. And then you will discover people and places who inspire you to go on every day. People who work hard, despite some difficulties, with beautiful goals, always looking for new ideas, new inspiration. And for me that is the most important part of being an opera singer. There are competitions everywhere and you can decide to take part or not. If I can share what I know, and give what I love, then everything is ok.

Margarita:

I like to think I'm having adventures rather than having to deal with challenges. But it's true that the life of a musician can be challenging sometimes. Interestingly enough it's not the competition that makes this profession hard sometimes. I find my fellow singers and other musicians to be a great source of support and inspiration. Sometimes only the people in your own field can truly understand the struggles of that particular business. For musicians it’s mostly crazy schedules with working weekends and holiday seasons, constant travelling, freelance, having to be your own coach, accountant, travel agent (and sometimes a therapist too) and still be healthy, fit and always be ready to perform your best. I know it's probably a cliché but you need to really love this job. It can be unbelievably rewarding and beautiful. You get to participate in the magic which is music making, see many different places and meet incredible people. And you get used to inconveniences, getting stronger and more resilient. After years of watching my colleagues I believe that musicians can be the bravest, most generous, hard-working, passionate and modest people I've ever seen. 

TFL: What is your goal with the Leymen choir?

Margarita and Aura:

The main idea for each session is to enjoy the process of singing and music making. Singing in a choir is a lot about togetherness, voice blending, and cooperation, and those concepts will be important  in our exploration. That's why a big part of the sessions is body and breathing exercises which increase the awareness of working in a group. We will be focusing also on some elements of vocal technique to make sure the singing is healthy and enjoyable. Another important part of the process is tuning and music exercises to help us work on the pieces more efficiently, practise musical skills and memory. All of that will help when we move to the repertoire and focus on the particular aspects of musical styles, harmonies and other elements. 

In a course of a year we will be preparing 2/3 projects to perform a capella or with some accompaniment (ideas: Christmas concert, Easter concert, mid-summer concert...). That will give us motivation but, more importantly, a chance to share the music experience with family and friends. 

If you are interested in joining the choir please contact Margarita 

0041 76 234 79

margarita.slepakova@gmail.com