ARCHDUKE
ENSEMBLE
WHO WE ARE
The Archduke Ensemble was formed by a group of like-minded musician colleagues who, over years of getting together to read through the glorious chamber music repertoire and cooking up some exciting and challenging program ideas (and some truly gourmet meals), finally got together and gathered all their enthusiasms in one place.
Our collective interest lies in performing chamber music of the 18th and 19th centuries, programming the great cornerstones of the repertoire alongside lesser-known beauties, and presenting these works in a historically-researched, romantically inclined, and heartfelt manner.
We are: Shuann Chai, pianos
Shunske Sato, violin
Emlyn Stam, viola
Job ter Haar, cello
Teunis van der Zwart, horn
M U S I C I A N S
Shuann Chai | Piano
Shuann began piano lessons at age 5 and had a number of wonderful teachers in her early years, including Jack Radunsky, a former student of the pianist/composer Percy Grainger. His lessons instilled a great interest and admiration of early recordings and of the Romantic Tradition of piano playing and historical pianos. After earning degrees from Oberlin and the New England Conservatory, Shuann studied privately with Norma Fisher in London, Claus-Christian Schuster (former pianist of the Altenberg Trio), and worked extensively with Canadian pianist Anton Kuerti. After being based in Boston for more than a decade, Shuann moved permanently to the Netherlands and now lives in The Hague.
Shunske Sato | Violin
Shunske Sato is a violinist known for his distinctive and engaging performances on both modern and historical instruments. Equally in demand as concertmaster, chamber musician, soloist and teacher, the diversity of his activities reflect his versatile and resourceful nature. Shunske serves as Artistic Director and concertmaster of the Netherlands Bach Society, concertmaster of Concerto Köln, and is often invited as a guest concertmaster for ensembles such as the Freiburger Barockorchester. In 2013 he was invited to join the faculty of the Amsterdam Conservatory, where he teaches violin in the context of historical performance practice.
Emlyn Stam | Viola
Violist Emlyn Stam is active as a chamber musician, soloist and orchestral musician in the Netherlands and throughout Europe. For seven years he was assistant principal violist of the Residentie Orkest in The Hague under Neeme Järvi. He has appeared as a soloist with the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra and the Schönberg Ensemble. He has also performed with the Párkányi Quartet in the Concertgebouw and appears regularly with the Ysaÿe Trio of which he is a founding member. Emlyn finished his Bachelor’s degree in June 2006 and his Master’s in September 2008 at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, having studied with Ferdinand Erblich and Vladimir Mendelssohn. Emlyn also plays the Viola d’Amore.
Job ter Haar | Cello
Job ter Haar studied at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague with René van Ast, Lidewij Scheifes, and Anner Bijlsma. During and after his studies he specialized in chamber music. With his baroque ensemble, Musica ad Rhenum, he has recorded many CDs, which distinguish themselves through the use of historical tempi and rubato. In recent years he has delved even further into classical and early romantic style. Above all, his interest is in the use of early 19th century expressive tools. Next to his performing career, Job ter Haar is working as a research coach at Codarts Rotterdam.
Currently he is pursuing a PhD at the Royal Academy of Music in London about the performing style of the 19th century cello virtuoso Alfredo Piatti.
Teunis van der Zwart | Horn
The Dutch horn player and conductor Teunis van der Zwart was a prize-winner at the Bad Harzburg Natural Horn Competition 1989. He then decided to become a worldwide ambassador for the natural horn. He is a renowned specialist for his instrument, both as a soloist, chamber music player, and teacher. For fifteen years van der Zwart was the principal hornplayer of the Freiburger Barockorchester, a position he still has with the Orchestra of the 18th Century. With both these orchestras he regularly performed as a soloist, and made CD-recordings of Mozart's hornconcertos for Harmonia Mundi France and Glossa. He teaches both at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, and is also a regular conductor of the baroque orchestras at both institutions.