Festival Artists

Bernard Corazolla grew up in Cologne (Germany) as the son of a musical family. Initially, he started with the violin and switched to the viola after ten years. Even as a teenager, he dedicated himself intensively to chamber music and orchestral work. Following his education at the Conservatory of Music Schools in Cologne as a young student, he pursued pedagogy studies at the Detmold University of Music and completed his training as an orchestral musician (with distinction) at the universities in Detmold and Düsseldorf.

Shortly after the start of his studies, he was repeatedly engaged as a permanent substitute by various orchestras (including the Rhineland Chamber Orchestra Cologne, WDR, RIAS Youth Symphony Orchestra Berlin, Basel Sinfonietta). Bernard Corazolla attended masterclasses and chamber music courses in Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Numerous concert tours as a chamber musician and orchestral player took him throughout Europe.

From 1991 to 1996 and 2000 to 2009, he worked as a lecturer for chamber music with young musicians in Switzerland. Between 1997 and 2001, he served as the 2nd principal violist of the Zurich Symphony Orchestra. Since 2005, Bernard Corazolla has been the principal violist, a founding member, and a board member of the Camerata Cantabile Zurich orchestra. In 2009, he began his role as a teacher at the Goppisberg Music Festival.

Since 2008, Bernard Corazolla has been teaching violin and viola at the Music School of Zurich Oberland, and since 2011, he has been a viola teacher at the Music School of Einsiedeln. Numerous chamber music projects and long-term collaborations in a string quartet and string trio have significantly shaped his work in his passion for chamber music. Another enduring passion of his is the intensive work and collaboration with young and amateur musicians.

Bernard Corazolla is frequently engaged by various ensembles and also works as a Baroque violist (including the Bach Collegium Zurich). He has been residing in Switzerland since 1999.