On January 18, 2025, the Künstlerhaus Boswil in Switzerland became the epicenter of flute artistry as it celebrated 25 years of flute events in Boswil. Flautando 2025 not only marked this impressive milestone but also honored 10 years of “New Flute Generation Switzerland” and 15 years of “FLAUTANDO Boswil.” This anniversary event, led by Stefan Keller, gathered flutists, enthusiasts, and top-tier musicians for a day of inspiration, learning, and exceptional performances.
A Day of Learning with Masterclasses and Workshops
Throughout the day, the acclaimed flute quintet Quintessenz from Leipzig took center stage, leading masterclasses and workshops that provided deep insights into the art of flute playing. Participants had the opportunity to receive expert guidance from experienced musicians, including Bettine Keyßer and Christian Sprenger, who shared their knowledge on ensemble playing.
Some key highlights of the workshops included:
Warm-up session by Bettine Keyßer – Engaging breathing exercises, tone production, and fundamental flute techniques.
Masterclass on C.P.E. Bach’s A minor Sonata by Manfred Ludwig – Exploring the expressive and polyphonic style of C.P.E. Bach and his departure from traditional Baroque conventions.
Introduction to piccolo playing by Pauline Turrillo – Practical tips for transitioning from flute to piccolo, featuring an application of techniques in a Vivaldi concerto excerpt.
Exploring the world of low flutes with Stefan Keller – An engaging session on the development of low flutes, with a stunning improvisation between piccolo and subcontrabass flute.
Baroque performance practice on modern flutes by Anne Garzuly – A fascinating discussion on how to achieve historical performance aesthetics on contemporary flutes.
Ensemble coaching by Quintessenz – Insights into ensemble playing, practical positioning in performance spaces, and techniques to achieve a balanced sound.
Beyond the classes, flute exhibitors from Sankyo, Gosse, and Inderbinen displayed their instruments, allowing participants to explore and test high-quality flutes throughout the day.
An Evening of Musical Brilliance
The grand FLAUTANDO concert in the evening was the pinnacle of the event. Under the theme “Variations,” Quintessenz delivered a stunning program that showcased the extraordinary versatility of the flute, from the Baroque era to contemporary compositions.
The concert featured:
Solo and ensemble performances by Quintessenz, demonstrating their artistic mastery and unique interpretations.
A dazzling duet between Stefan Keller (low flutes) and Pauline Turrillo (piccolo), highlighting the dramatic contrast between these instruments.
Pianist Tonino Riolo’s brilliant accompaniment, which added depth and richness to the flute performances.
The diverse repertoire, incorporating modern playing techniques and historical works, provided a mesmerizing experience for all in attendance.
Reflections on a Flute Legacy
This year’s Flautando event was a testament to Stefan Keller’s unwavering commitment to flute music over the past 25 years. It reinforced Boswil’s reputation as a hub for flute excellence, where musicians from all backgrounds come together to share knowledge, explore new ideas, and celebrate their passion for the instrument.
Participants expressed their gratitude and admiration for the event. Margrit Stutz described Flautando Boswil as “a place of encounter,” while Sophie Moor praised the rich exchange of knowledge and the festival’s welcoming atmosphere. The event also received a heartfelt endorsement from Quintessenz, who remarked on the unique and inspiring environment created by Stefan Keller and his team.
Looking Forward to 2026
Missed this year’s event? Mark your calendars for January 16, 2026, as Flautando promises another unforgettable experience. Whether you are a professional flutist, student, or music lover, Boswil remains a place where flute artistry flourishes.
Until next time—Flautando continues to inspire!
Impressions from participants & a statement by QUINTESSENZ
Saturday, 18th of January, a special anniversary was celebrated at the Künstlerhaus Boswil in Switzerland: 25 years of flute events in Boswil. Flautando 2025, a top-class flute event that delighted professionals and music lovers alike.
Together with the renowned flute quintet Quintessenz from Leipzig, initiator and director Stefan Keller put together a varied and high-quality program that focused on the versatility of the flute.
During the day, the Quintessenz musicians led masterclasses and workshops. With many helpful additions, inspiring musical ideas and suggestions at a professional level, they led through the event and gave the participants valuable impulses. This was especially true in the last workshop on ensemble playing, where experts from the Quintessenz Quintet Bettine Keyßer and Christian Sprenger shared tips and tricks from their decades of experience.
The crowning glory of the day was the FLAUTANDO concert in the evening, which proved to be a real highlight. The concert offered a programme of works exclusively with variations, which impressively showcased the versatility of all the artists. Quintessenz demonstrated their skills in both solo and ensemble performances, sometimes playing together with Stefan Keller and pianist Tonino Riolo. Stefan Keller impressed with his virtuoso playing on the low flutes together with Pauline Turrillo on the piccolo in dialogue, which once again lent the performances an extraordinary breadth of sound. Tonino Riolo complemented the flute sounds with his masterful piano playing and, together with the other musicians, created magical musical moments.
This special anniversary event not only honoured the extraordinary work of Stefan Keller and his commitment to flute music over the past 25 years, but also created a space in which music enthusiasts could come together and find inspiration.
Flute sounds in a class of their own, paired with impressive piano playing, works in many different variations and a unique sense of community, made this day a very special event.
Did you miss the event? Then reserve 16 January 2026 for the next Flautando.
Margrit Stutz
Flautando Boswil – a place of encounter
Once again, I have returned home happy from a Flautando day in Boswil. The beautiful church in a rural setting alone is worth the journey.
This year Stefan Keller invited the transverse flute ensemble Quintessenz from Leipzig, who played music of the highest caliber and made a very likeable appearance. The masterclasses were expertly and empathetically conducted. Carefully adapted to the level of the participants, they inspired new ways of listening and playing. Stefan Keller’s lecture on the low flutes was, as always, a humorous and entertaining firework display of sound.
The stimulating dialogue between participants and with the flute makers is essential for the good atmosphere. New pieces are discovered, tricks and tips are exchanged and, last but not least, addresses are shared.
Flautando in Boswil fulfils its promise: It is a place to meet!
Thank you very much!
Kathrin Oplatka
We’ll be back …
The flute exhibitors from Sankyo, Gosse and Inderbinen were already waiting for us in the foyer with their fantastic flutes to try out and marvel at during the breaks.
We were greeted in the church by the managing director of Künstlerhaus Boswil, Mr. Claudio Rossetti, and the project manager of Flautando, Stefan Keller. We are celebrating 25 years of flute events in Boswil. The high-caliber flute ensemble Quintessenz from Leipzig are old acquaintances in Boswil and we had been looking forward to another exciting day with them for a long time.
Bettine Keyßer got us in the mood with a «warm-up» with breathing, movement and first notes on the flute, scales, chords and harmonics.
Manfred Ludwig led the first masterclass: the first movement of the A minor sonata by C. Ph. E. Bach. He talked about Carl Philip’s career, saying that he was a rebel against his legendary father J.S. Bach and against Quantz. He consciously used music as a language and this should be emphasised, as well as the polyphonic effect of this sonata, the conversation.
Pauline Turrillo introduced the basics of the piccolo. How do I go from the transverse flute to a beautiful sound on the piccolo? Playing the piccolo is like playing a new instrument. Playing and singing/humming and also flutter-tonguing help to produce a good sound. This was explained with an excerpt from the Vivaldi concerto to put into practice what had been learnt.
Stefan Keller told the story of the low flutes, his passion, and of course let it resonate, alone and together with fellow players from Quintessenz. The improvisation with piccolo and subcontrabass in particular was a treat that you don’t get served up every day.
The kitchen team from the Künstlerhaus lovingly catered for our lunch.
Anne Garzuly introduced us to baroque performance practice on modern instruments. What determines a piece of music: rhythm, dynamics, sound, colour, the balance of tension-relaxation, harmony, emotions, melody, identification with the theme, character, message, everything has to be taken into account. When should today’s flute sound more like a bamboo flute, like the old transverse flute or even metallic? Gosse’s wooden heads, which can be combined with any transverse flute, can bring out precisely such effects.
The final topic with Christian Sprenger and Bettine Keyßer was ensemble: a look back at the creation of Quintessenz, their experiences, their repertoire and we were allowed to ask questions that were burning on our lips based on our own experiences of ensembles, which problems can arise. Then it was time for practical ensemble set-ups – how do different set-ups work in the room, what has worked for Quintessenz?
Richly stocked with such diverse inputs, we relaxed over dinner.
The highlight of the evening was the FLAUTANDO concert «Variations» by Quintessenz. They presented the whole variety of flute literature from Marin Marais 1656-1728 to the present day, including the variety of modern playing techniques.
At times they were supported by Tonino Riolo on the piano and Stefan Keller with his low flutes. With the gift of this concert in our ears, we made our way home full of vigour.
Many thanks to everyone involved. We look forward to the next Flautando, we’ll be back.
Sophie Moor
Statement by «Quintessenz» on FLAUTANDO 2025
Once again, Stefan Keller has organized a fantastic Flautando Festival in Boswil. Quintessenz has already taken part twice. And as all good things come in threes, we were delighted to be invited to the 25th anniversary.
In the rural tranquility that Marcel Moyse also appreciated for his masterclasses, we met very curious, interested and active participants with our workshops.
Many thanks once again to the organiser, who organised everything with great effort and attention to detail. We could not have imagined a better host.
The Leipzig Quintessences
About Artists
Stefan Keller
The special thing about Stefan Keller’s work with the flutes is his versatility. On the one hand stylistically, on the other hand in terms of the instruments. In addition to his great interest in baroque, classical and contemporary music, he works extensively with improvisation in all its forms. Keller likes to combine his instruments with live electronics and loops to explore completely new worlds of sound. Masterclasses with Sir James Galway, Aurèle Nicolet, Robert Dick and many others completed his training. As FLAUTANDO – Boswil project manager, he has been inviting international flute stars to Boswil, the place of the flute, for twenty-five years. Keller travels internationally as a low-flute and improv specialist and has been honoured as a “Pro Argovia Artist” with his trio “Keller & Friends”.www.flutetrends.ch
Quintessenz – Flute Quintet
What happens when five flautists from Preußen, Hungary, Bavaria and France meet in the glamorous Saxon music metropolis of Leipzig? The result is a lively, spirited, imaginative, high-calibre professional flute ensemble – QUINTESSENZ!
Quintessenz has been playing together since 1996 – and in this line-up since 2020! The enthusiasm for the sound of the flute unites them as it did on the first day, and the diversity of their line-up constantly fuels their creativity and joy of playing.
The five flautists are professionally at home in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the MDR Symphony Orchestra Leipzig, the Staatskapelle Halle/Saale, the Lower Saxony State Orchestra Hanover and at the Leipzig University of Music and Theatre. Here you will find inspiration for playing together and have already incorporated a number of ‘favourite pieces’ from your daily work into the Quintessenz repertoire.
Jérémie Abergel was born in Paris. He completed his studies in Germany in various cities such as Berlin, Freiburg and Frankfurt. He soon made a name for himself as a chamber musician and orchestral substitute in orchestras such as the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra and the MDR Symphony Orchestra. He had a temporary contract at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. After a brief engagement in Chemnitz, he has been under contract as a solo piccoloist at the Hanover State Opera since 2019. He has also been a member of the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and the Leipzig flute ensemble Quintessenz since 2019.
Anna Garzuly was born in Szombathely, Hungary. She studied in Budapest, Munich and New York. From 1995 – 2008 she was deputy principal flute and from 2008 – 2017 principal flute in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. University of Music in Leipzig. In 2019, she was also appointed professor of flute at the University of Music in Weimar. She has been a professor of flute in Leipzig exclusively since 2024. She has won prizes at renowned international competitions such as Scheveningen, Kobe, Budapest and Geneva. She has performed as a soloist with various orchestras, in Leipzig with the GWH Orchestra under Herbert Blomstedt and Riccardo Chailly. She is a member of various chamber music ensembles and a much sought-after chamber music partner (Linos and Sabine Meyer ensembles).
Manfred Ludwig was born in Erding. He first completed his studies as a junior student at the R. Strauss Conservatory with Philippe Boucly and from 2004 at the Hanover University of Music and Theatre with Andrea Lieberknecht and Gudrun Hinze. From 2008 he was an academy member of the Bavarian State Orchestra at the Munich State Opera. After several years of temporary contracts at the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig in the position of deputy principal flautist, he was appointed there permanently as second flautist in January 2013. He has been a member of ‘Quintessenz’ since 2016.
Bettine Keyßer was born in Potsdam and studied flute in Berlin and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She is deputy principal flute of the Staatskapelle Halle. She has performed as a soloist with her orchestra and plays in chamber ensembles in a variety of genres, including jazz. She is a co-founder of the Halle Wind Quintet and has been a member of the Leipzig flute ensemble Quintessenz since 2000.
Christian Sprenger received his first engagement in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra while still studying in his native city of Berlin. In 1995 he became principal flute in the symphony orchestra of the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk. He is also a sought-after chamber musician in various renowned ensembles and chamber orchestras (Leipzig String Quartet, Gewandhaus Wind Quintet and String Quartet, Camerata Salzburg, etc.) As a soloist, he has also performed concertos for flute and bass flute under conductors such as Fabio Luisi, Michael Sanderling, Kritjan Järvi, Marcello Viotti and others.
Tonino Riolo
Tonino Riolo graduated with the highest honours in piano and chamber music. Among his teachers were Maria Ioppolo, Roberto Bianco, Bruno Mezzena and Michele Marvulli. After winning 1st prize at the “Carlo Maria Soliva” International Competition, he took part in various famous festivals in Italy, Germany and Belgium, both as a soloist and chamber musician. In 1996 he was presented as “Artist of the Year of the New Generation” at the Koblenz International Music Festival. Tonino Riolo works as a répétiteur at the Hochschule für Musik Basel in Felix Renggli’s flute class.
