Raphaël Krajka
piano
Born in 1987 in La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland), Raphaël Krajka started playing the piano at the age of six and a half. As Claude Berset’s student he obtained a certificate of non-professional jazz studies in 2004 and a teaching diploma with distinction two years later at the age of 19. He pursued his studies at the Musikhochschule of Freiburg im Breisgau in Gilead Mishory’s class and returned to Switzerland in July 2009 with a concert diploma, with honors. He then furthered his studies at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva and obtained a Master in musical theory in 2014.
Raphaël Krajka is a laureate of numerous awards and competitions : the Robert Faller award, a first prize in the Société Suisse de Pédagogie Musicale’s (SSPM) competition of musical execution in Neuchâtel in 2003, a first prize with honors at the Swiss competition of music for youth in Lugano in 2005 as well as the special prize for the best interpretation of « Cloches de joie et larmes de rire » by Gilead Mishory in the Lepthien competition in Freiburg im Breisgau in 2007.
With the Ensemble Batida, a group specialised in contemporary music consisting of two percussionists and two pianists, he is laureate of the competition Orpheus 2011, a second
He has taken part in Master Classes with Paul Badura-Skoda, Kei Itoh, Anatol Ugorski, Ueno Makoto, Jorge Pepi-Alos, Peter Nagy, Marc Bourdeau. Raphaël also has the support of the foundations Ruth et Ernst Burkhalter, Friedl Wald et Thiébaud-Frey. He has performed in various orchestras and chamber music ensembles, as a soloist and also as part of a jazz trio, participating in concerts in Switzerland, Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, South Africa, the Netherlands and Russia.
Raphaël Krajka aussi explores other musical styles, by directing the french song ensemble Free’son, as well as writing all their song arrangements, since september 2007. He also directs the choir 1001 Notes since 2014. In the same vein, he has provided accompaniement on the piano for various vocal and instrumental groups. He also works regularly as a rehersal pianist during the creation of contemporary operas. Beyond his musical performances, Raphaël has taught piano and history of music at the « La Gruyère » institute, and is occassionally a substitute teacher at the Neuchâtel conservatory as well as in Geneva. He is also asked to be part of the jury for musical theory and harmony at the Haute Ecole de musique de Genève