Biography
The Venus Ensemble Berlin performed works by Sofia Gubaidulina, Zoltán Kodály and Dmitri Shostakovich for the first time on 20 January 2003 as part of the Philharmoniker's chamber concerts. Three female musicians from the Berliner Philharmoniker - Kotowa Machida and Felicitas Hofmeister (violin) and Julia Gartemann (viola) - came together with colleagues also working in Berlin to open up their own space in the still predominantly male-dominated bastion of chamber music.
The basic idea of the ensemble is to create a forum for music-making in smaller yet variable formations that is open to all female members of the Berliner Philharmoniker and that includes other instruments such as horn, harp, flute and bassoon in its projects alongside string instruments and piano. In the meantime, the Venus Ensemble has also gained great esteem in concert life beyond Berlin.
Musicians
Rachel Schmidt
Kotowa Machida
Julia Gartemann
Solène Kermarrec