Guillem VEGA GONZALES

Guillem began studying the cello at the age of seven at the professional conservatory in Catarroja (Valencia), Spain. He continued at the same conservatory until he obtained his professional studies diploma with unanimous congratulations from the jury in 2019. He was then admitted to the Conservatorio Real Superior de Música de Madrid in the class of Fernando Arias, where he was unanimously awarded 1st prize for cello. He has been admitted to the CNSMDP for the start of the 2020 academic year.

At the same time, he trained with Adrian Van Dongen, and since 2016 with Maria de Macedo in Madrid. Since 2017, he has been working regularly with Marc Coppey and Lluís Claret at the Fundaçao Franz Schubert (Oporto, Portugal).

Guillem has participated́ in several international academies and master classes with Marc Coppey, Gary Hoffman, Claudio Bohorquez, Philippe Müller, Sung-Won Yang, Jeroen Reuling, Adrian Brendel and José E. Bouché, among others. Since 2017, he has won several national and international prizes: the most recent is the 2019 Victoria y Joaquin Rodrigo Foundation Prize.

His three favourite composers

Bach, Schubert, Schumann

His musical project

At the moment, I’m working on mastering my instrument and discovering the whole repertoire, for solo cello, chamber music and orchestra.

An outstanding musical memory

His first course abroad with the cellist Lluís Claret in the magnificent setting of Fontfroide Abbey. He was 12 at the time. At the end of the session, all the participants and their teacher played Pablo Casals’ « Song of the Birds » together… a truly magical and touching moment that made him decide to become a cellist.

What the cello has changed for him

« This beautiful instrument allows me to discover a whole new variety of colours and timbres that were previously inaccessible to me. It responds magnificently, and the more time passes, the more comfortable I feel with it. It gives me the chance to explore different sounds and expand my expressive resources, to overcome instrumental difficulties and grow artistically. I can tackle any kind of repertoire. Whether in a large or small hall, the sound travels, projects, and the timbre becomes

Honoka KOBAYASHI, Piano
Originally from Japan, Honoka Kobayashi is a solo pianist, chamber musician, accompanist and vocal leader.
She studies at the Tokyo Conservatory (Tokyo College of Music) in Solo Piano and Master in Piano Accompaniment.
She then continued her studies at the CNSMDP (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris) in piano accompaniment, chamber music and vocal direction classes. She has the opportunity to study with Jennifer Fichet, Guillaume Sigier, Claire Désert, Érika Guiomar, Nathalie Dang, Jean-Fréderic Neuburger and Yumi Otsu.
She also perfected her skills at the HEM in Geneva with Louis Schwizgebel in Master piano concert.
As a solo pianist, she won numerous awards in Japan, such as the Grand Prize of the Asian International Music Competition, the Grand Prize of the Tateshina International Music Competition and the second prize of the Osaka International Music Competition.
Also as a chamber musician, she won the Grand Prix with the unanimity of 17 juries as well as five other prizes at the International Melody Competition in Gordes (France) in 2022. She will also participate in the Aix-en-Provence festival as as singing director as part of the Voix 2024 residency.
She also supports internships, masterclasses, international competitions, in France and abroad.
She taught as an accompanist pianist at the Pôle supérieur d’enseignement artistic and at the CRR (Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional) in Boulogne-Billancourt in 2022-2023.