Although the creation of sound experiences is transient, the ensemble goes beyond performance alone by compiling a body of work – a mark in the flow of time, the formation of a repertoire.
Founded in 2008, the SoloVoices ensemble is dedicated to performing new and contemporary music. The four-voice quartet, two female and two male singers, intentionally seeks a wide variety of repertoire ranging from the 1960s to the present day, including world premieres. SoloVoices often works directly with composers, exposing itself to unknown musical territory – negotiating through uncertainty. New musical languages must be understood and the works must not only be sung but performed.
Since 2015, SoloVoices has devoted itself in part to works for voices and electronics.
Following in the footsteps of Electric Phoenix, which has been mixing classical and electronic music since the late 1970s, the ensemble is working on a new sound aesthetic. It is committed to music that is freer in style and more diverse in form. In order to perform electronic pieces from the late 20th century, the quartet collaborates with the ICST - Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology - in Zurich. Together, they are dedicated to exploring a variety of electronically produced sounds where the original devices have become obsolete due to technical developments.
In 2016, SoloVoices performed Stockhausen's ‘Stimmung’, a musical monument that turned not only the classical repertoire on its head but also, in a broader sense, the soundscape of the 20th century. The ensemble had the opportunity to work with the original performers of ‘Stimmung’ and the Stockhausen Foundation for Music, which subsequently presented them as Stockhausen's new heirs.
SoloVoices explores cutting edge repertoire. The ensemble feels its way forward, stumbling, experimenting without any guarantees - ultimately creating a musical universe in which every sound becomes tangible. A sometimes intoxicating, sometimes unsettling soundscape nevertheless envelops and sustains the listener with its airy texture.
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Originally from Heidelberg, Germany, Svea trained in singing, piano, violin, dulcian, conducting and theory. She studied lied, opera and English in Freiburg, then completed her training at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. In addition to her work as a lieder and oratorio singer, Svea is very involved in the field of new music, performing numerous world premieres, singing with renowned contemporary music ensembles, and regularly appearing at major festivals.
She sang in stage productions at Theater Basel, Theater Freiburg, Theater Rigiblick Zurich, among others. CDs featuring her performances have received the German Record Critics' Award and the International Classical Music Award. Svea is a founding member of the Ensemble SoloVoices. She teaches singing at Freiburg University of Music and works as a vocal coach for the Girls' Choir of Freiburg Cathedral.
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Francisca studied singing and choral conducting in Neuchâtel, Zurich, The Hague and Basel. She specialises in contemporary music and has participated in numerous productions. Her interest in early music led her to the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. In 2008, she co-founded SoloVoices. Francisca sings regularly in various professional ensembles such as the BachStiftung St. Gallen, the Vokalensemble Zurich and the Ensemble Origen, and participates in independent musical theatre projects. She teaches singing at the Allgemeine Musikschule Muttenz and gives vocal training lessons at the Münsterkantorei in Basel. Francisca also works as a speech therapist. In 2006, she was awarded a prize at the Concours Nicati, an open competition for the interpretation of contemporary music.
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Originally from Canada, Jean-Jacques Knutti studied mathematics at ETH Zurich and singing and horn at the Conservatory of Music in Zurich. After attending the Biel Opera Studio, he turned his attention to tenor and baritone roles in 20th-century operas. He participated in more than 35 operas at the Biel Theatre, as well as independent productions in Switzerland and abroad, such as those by Klaus Huber, Jost Meier, Mischa Kaser, Chaya Chernowin and others. He sings and composes for SoloVoices while also performing in chamber music ensembles such as the Vokalensemble Zurich. Jean-Jacques continues his work as a conductor and composer and also teaches singing and mathematics at the cantonal school in Küsnacht. He has devoted much of his musicological research to contemporary music and obtained a doctorate on the relationship between John Cage and Japan.
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A versatile artist driven by a quest for absolute freedom, Jean-Christophe Groffe moves with equal ease between the Renaissance and contemporary creation. Founder of the ensemble Thélème—which won a Gramophone Award in 2022 for the album Baisiez moy—he also co-directs SoloVoices, an ensemble dedicated to musical experimentation.
His work is characterised by a constant breaking down of genre boundaries, blending historical performance, technological research and the visual arts. This approach has led him to collaborate with world-renowned figures: in 2024, he directed a music video featuring Sting, who had previously lent his voice to Thélème’s album All we get is life. Through these cross-disciplinary projects, he continues to push musical boundaries to create an artistic language without limits.
