Guests 

SCHUMANN QUARTETT

The Schumann Quartet has reached a stage where anything is possible, because it has dispensed with certainties.

This also has consequences for audiences, which from one concert to the next have to be prepared for all eventualities: “A work really develops only in a live performance,” the quartet says. “That is 'the real thing', because we ourselves never know what will happen. On the stage, all imitation disappears, and you automatically become honest with yourself. Then you can create a bond with the audience – communicate with it in music.” Their live performance will be expanded in the near future with partners such as Andreas Ottensamer, Kit Armstrong,
Anna-Lucia Richter, Sabine Meyer, Sharon Kam and Alexey Stadler.

Highlights of the 2024/2025 season include: the Beethoven string quartet cycle, performed at the renowned Suntory Hall in Tokyo in June 2025; an extensive quartet tour of North America; and the resumption with Kit Armstrong of the "Expedition Mozart" project, which will make guest appearances at Flagey in Brussels, Alte Oper Frankfurt and Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, among others. The quartet will also perform again at Wigmore Hall London, Gewandhaus Leipzig and Concertgebouw Amsterdam, to name but a few.

Its album “Intermezzo” (2018 | Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Schumann und Reimann with Anna-Lucia Richter) has been hailed enthusiastically both at home and abroad and received the award “Opus Klassik“ in the category quintet. In 2020 the quartet has expanded its discography with "Fragment" and his examination of one of the masters of the string quartet: Franz Schubert. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the radio, the quartet will dedicate itself to a very special project: An album of pieces around and from 1923. Together with the Bavarian Radio, they will record works by Alban Berg, Leoš Janáček, Ernst Krenek and Aaron Copland.

The three brothers Mark, Erik and Ken Schumann have been playing together since their earliest childhood – meanwhile violist Veit Hertenstein completes the quartet. The four musicians enjoy the way they communicate without words. Although the individual personalities clearly manifest themselves, a common space arises in every musical work in a process of spiritual metamorphosis. The quartet's openness and curiosity may be partly the result of the formative influence exerted on it by teachers such as Eberhard Feltz, the Alban Berg Quartet, or partners such as Menahem Pressler.

Awards, CD releases – it is always tempting to speculate on what factors have led to many people viewing the Schumann Quartet as one of the best in the world. But the four musicians themselves regard these stages more as encounters, as a confirmation of the path they have taken. “We really want to take things to extremes, to see how far the excitement and our spontaneity as a group take us,” says Ken Schumann, the middle of the three Schumann brothers. They charmingly sidestep any attempt to categorise their sound, approach or style, and let the concerts speak for themselves.
And the critics approve: “Fire and energy. The Schumann Quartet plays staggeringly well [...] without doubt one of the very best formations among today’s abundance of quartets, […] with sparkling virtuosity and a willingness to astonish” (Harald Eggebrecht in Süddeutsche Zeitung).*

Erik Schumann plays on a violin by Joseph Guarneri filius Andrea from 1690, kindly made available to him by the Guadagnini Foundation Stuttgart.
Ken Schumann plays an old Italian violin from the mid-18th century, kindly made available to him privately.
Veit Hertenstein plays a viola made by the Amati brothers in 1616.
Mark Schumann plays a cello by Giovanni & Francesco Grancino from 1680, generously loaned to him by MERITO Sit Vienna.

KIYOKO VAN BOCHOVE

Kiyoko van Bochove is a performance coach and facilitator dedicated to helping musicians, artists, and creatives master both their craft and their well-being. Specializing in holistic artist development, she empowers artists to cultivate authenticity, resilience, and sustainable performance—ensuring they thrive personally and artistically. 

Kiyoko has worked with musicians from all over the world, including coaching musicians at the renowned Marlboro Music Festival, as well as leading workshops at the Universities of Cincinnati and Madison. As the founder of OpusLab, she provides 1:1 and group coaching online and in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), guiding artists toward sustainable artistry and self-mastery. Other key projects include the Kiyoko & Nobuko Workshop for violists, which combines musical artistry with personal development, and The Artist’s Way Course, a 12-week program designed to uncover creative potential. 

Beyond her work with artists, Kiyoko spent a decade as a lecturer, coach, and trainer at the Leiden Leadership Programme (Leiden University Honours Academy), specializing in leadership, authenticity, and positive psychology.

Kiyoko holds a cum laude MSc in Social & Organizational Psychology, a BA in Psychology with an emphasis on Philosophy and Counseling, and certifications in leadership studies at Harvard Business School, postgraduate Executive Coaching, Life Coaching, Holobody Coaching, and Business Coaching. Her additional training and credentials includes Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Practitioner Step I & II, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner.

With a Japanese-Dutch heritage, Kiyoko blends Eastern and Western philosophies in her coaching, bringing deep cultural awareness and a unique perspective. With a father in business and a mother in music, she naturally bridges the worlds of leadership and artistry. A lifelong creative herself, with experience in music, craftsmanship, and design, she understands the artist’s path firsthand. Having overcome health challenges, she prioritizes well-being as the foundation of sustainable performance.

Art is a reflection of the artist—creativity, expression, and success are deeply connected to the person behind the craft. Artistic growth happens when artists strengthen not just their technique, but also their mindset, well-being, and resilience. Kiyoko is dedicated to helping artists build that foundation—so they not only create, but thrive.

At the 2025 Tenerife Viola Festival, Kiyoko van Bochove will offer one-on-one coaching sessions tailored to each musician’s artistic and personal growth. She will also lead a workshop focused on essential skills to strengthen participants’ artistic expression and confidence.