From Duo to Nonet
K.R. Florey’s special love is chamber music. Starting with music at home in the family, to chamber music with experienced amateurs during her studies, to top-class lessons with professors Walter Levin and Hatto Beyerle (Basel, CH), as well as with Leonard Hokanson and Menahem Pressler (Bloomington, USA), chamber music has always been an essential element in K.R. Florey’s musical activity. Her violin studies were shaped by chamber musicians as well: she received her first violin lessons from the second violinist of the Schweyda Quartet, Margarethe Schweyda; at the University of Music in Graz she studied viola with the violist of the Sinnhoffer Quartet, Herbert Blendinger; in Vienna she completed her concert diploma with Gerhard Schulz of the Alban Berg Quartet, and completed her master’s studies with Shmuel Ashkenasi, the primarius of the Vermeer Quartet. Being part of the prestigeous Marlboro Music Festival was a highlight for K.R. Florey. There she played chamber music with members of the Beaux Arts Trio, the Guarneri Quartet, with Joshua Bell, Pamela Frank, Paul Tortelier, among others.
K.R. Florey was first violin of the Vienna Quintet, the Camerata Quartet (Feldkirch), and the Trio Assiano (Kassel). She gave violin-piano recitals with Katrin Arzberger, Takako Agarie, Anna Adamik, Irina Puryshinskaja, Gerhard Zeller, a.o., and she performs in various ensembles from duo to nonet.
K.R. Florey coaches chamber music as part of her teaching responsibilities at the Vorarlberg State Conservatory, as well as at various summer music workshops:
In France: Le Pinacle, St. Valerin, Burgundy, from 1998 until 2002,
Italy: Buggiano Castello 2003, 2005 and 2006; at Lago d’Orta 2004,
Switzerland: Ernen, Wallis, from 2004 until 2010,
USA: Raphael Trio chamber music workshop New Hampshire from 2009 until 2011,
Austria: St. Gilgen 2001, 2002, Zell a. d. Pram 2004, Admont 2008, Feldkirch from 2009 until 2011, and 2014.
In 2009, K.R. Florey moved the chamber music course she had personally organized to Weinberg Castle in Upper Austria. Within 12 years, this course evolved into the successful Chamber MUSIC FESTival.
Chamber MUSIC FESTival
Weinberg Castle, an educational institute run by the government of Upper Austria, towers picturesquely above the village of Kefermarkt (Mühlviertel region). It is equipped with ideal conditions for making music. The inspiring atmosphere, the enthusiasm of the musicians and the increasing involvement of the audience have made it possible for K.R. Florey to establish the annual Chamber MUSIC FESTival in 2009 and to further develop it over time.
Regionality: Meanwhile, the Chamber MUSIC FESTival has become an integral part of the Upper Austrian “Cultural Summer”. In 2013, it was acknowledged as a contribution to the Upper Austrian “State Exhbition”; in 2014 the “Mühlviertel TV” paid a visit. Every year, the diverse programs of the final concerts attract not only the regular local audience, but also guests from other provinces and from abroad. Thus, for several years now, more than a hundred listeners have filled the “Knights’ Hall” of Weinberg Castle each time. The consistent participation of teachers and students of the Vorarlberg State Conservatory has created a cooperation between Vorarlberg and Upper Austria, which forms the core of the international ensembles.
Internationality: K.R. Florey’s professional contacts throughout Austria and abroad have led to the assembly of international groups of musicians at the Chamber MUSIC FESTivals, which represents a lasting benefit to all. This way students from Vorarlberg have been able to make contact with students from Lyon, Paris, Florence, London as well as from New York’s Juilliard School. And they have had the chance to meet at eye level with professionals and highly talented amateur musicians from Europe, Asia, America, Australia and New Zealand.
Idealism: The idealistic concept of this special Chamber MUSIC FESTival is that advanced music students and experienced amateur musicians are given the opportunity to rehearse directly in the same ensemble with professional musicians, to perform together in concert, and to grow beyond themselves in the process. Thus, the Chamber MUSIC FESTival at Weinberg Castle realizes a positive social utopia by bridging through chamber music various contrasting differences (gender, nationality, ethnic origin, age, professional background) . This project is made possible by the unselfish attitude of all musicians and the support of the municipalities of Kefermarkt and Feldkirch, the provinces of Upper Austria and Vorarlberg as well as private sponsors. All of them deserve great thanks!