Philipp A. Stäudlin, is an award-winning virtuoso saxophonist who has performed hundreds of concerts throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. His characteristic tonal qualities, deep sense of phrasing, and superb technical skills make him one of the most unique voices in today's classical saxophone world.
A native of Friedrichshafen, Germany, Stäudlin has appeared as a soloist with the Sinfonieorchester Basel, Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP), Sound Icon ensemble, White Rabbit Ensemble (former ensemble-in-residence at Harvard University), Niederrheinische Sinfoniker, Callithumpian Consort, Bielefelder Philharmoniker, Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum, Tufts University Orchestra, Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and the Providence Singers. He has also performed with the Harvard Group for New Music, EQ ensemble, ECCE ensemble, Talea Ensemble, Steamboat Switzerland, Dinosaur Annex, Ensemble White Rabbit, Ludovico Ensemble, IGNM Basel, Alea III, Back Bay Chorale, and many others.
A graduate of Musikhochschule Basel, Stäudlin received a Soloist Diploma, having studied with Marcus Weiss and Iwan Roth. He was awarded a full scholarship two years in a row from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to study with Kenneth Radnofsky at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where he received an Artist Diploma as well as the Victor Rosenbaum Medal.
Stäudlin currently has 15 CD recordings available on the New World, Tzadik, Albany, Innova, Suspicious Motives, New Focus, Navona, and Newport Classics, Enja, and Ars Musici labels. He is a member of the Sound Icon, Callithumpian Consort, and EQ ensembles. Stäudlin has premiered more than 100 works.
Yoko Hagino, born and raised in Japan, began her own piano studies at the very young age of four. As an accomplished soloist and chamber pianist, she understands the importance of her students achieving a higher level of musicianship—encouraging them to learn the fundamentals and also bring their own personality to their music. Yoko teaches her students how to listen to music and express their feelings from it. She wants them to be patient in learning so that they can truly discover their potential and musical possibilities. She shares her enthusiasm for music by playing with or for them to help them feel the joy of music making.
She has appeared as a soloist with the Kyoto City Symphony, the Czech Symphony, Osaka Century Orchestra, U-Mass Boston Chamber Orchestra, Key West Symphony Orchestra, White Rabbit Symphonietta, and she has performed various piano recitals ranging from the music of Bach to contemporary repertoire. Yoko is a prize winner of the Steinway Society Piano Competition, the First International Chamber Music Competition, the All-Japan Selective Competition of the International Mozart Competition and Chamber Music Competition of Japan.
She received her Bachelor’s and her Master’s degrees with honors from Tokyo National University, where she won its concerto competition. She earned an Artist Diploma from the Longy School of Music, where she studied with Victor Rosenbaum and won the school’s concerto competition. Yoko completed a Performance Diploma at Boston Conservatory, where she was a student of Michael Lewin and received the Churchill Scholarship.
As a devoted chamber musician, she is the Co–Director of “Die Musiker Witz” and has given many concerts in various locations in Japan. In addition to teaching at CCM, she has been a staff pianist at the Boston Conservatory and has led workshops at Morgan State University, Longy School of Music and Berklee College of Music.