Positive memories as a member of the Central Committee

Our questions were answered in writing.

Catherine Suter Gerhard was born in 1975 and studied violin in Zurich, then in Geneva with Margarita Piguet-Karafilova and in Basel with Thomas Füri (teaching diploma in 1998 and soloist diploma in 1999). She has taken chamber music classes with Gérard Wyss, Christoph Schiller, François Benda, Walter Levin and Hatto Beyerle, and participated in masterclasses with Franco Gulli (Lucerne), Miriam Fried (Siena), Shmuel Ashkenasi (Salzburg) and Francesco de Angelis (Sion). Since 1999, she has been a member of the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, of which she was a committee member, and later a delegate of SIG (since 2014) and Swissperform (since 2017). In addition to her orchestral activities, she has a passion for Latin American popular music and was a member of the Prisma Latino ensemble for ten years. From 2017 to 2021, she also studied jazz violin with Yilian Canizares at the EJMA in Lausanne.

Co-president Muriel Noble pays tribute to Catherine Suter Gerhard:

"Dear Catherine, thank you for everything you've brought to the Central Committee: we'll miss your enthusiasm, your joyful laugh, your acuity, your delicacy and your intelligence. You won't be going far, as you will bring all these qualities to the Vaud Section. Happy Section! Thank you for your years with us in Zurich! Thank you for your precious and luminous presence!"

Catherine Suter, how did you experience your work on the USDAM Central Committee?

I've learned a lot about all kinds of music-related subjects, including changes in the world of work. I find political work very important, lobbying, international relations and the relationship between the music profession and society. I've learned a lot about these topics at the CC. I also find the exchange between colleagues from all over Switzerland, which is very strong within the CC and takes place regularly, very enriching. For the future, I would like to see a more centralized structure for USDAM, so that the smaller sections have less bureaucratic work to do and can devote more time to local work. It would also be great if a lawyer could be employed in-house again, as there are so many day-to-day problems for musicians that have a legal aspect. Now, since June, I'm the new president of the Vaud section. I'm looking forward to this concrete, local work and will try to put into practice what I've learned at the CC.

What has been one of the highlights of your work with the CC?

The creation of the new USDAM website has been one of the highlights of my four years with the CC.

What challenges lie ahead for musicians?

I'm also a delegate for SIG and Swissperform. For performers, getting a piece of the recorded music pie will be a major challenge in the coming years. New technologies threaten to wipe out musicians' rights; they hardly receive any money at all, even though never before has so much music been listened to!

What are your plans for the future?

I've been a violinist with the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne for 25 years, and I'm very happy and proud of my orchestra. I wouldn't want to play anywhere else. In 2021, I also founded the Association Musique et Seniors (www.musique-seniors.ch), whose aim is to make music lessons more accessible to senior citizens in the Aigle region. We want to show people that music is an incredible way of keeping fit, continuing to learn at any age, and interacting with others. We now have 40 students.

I'm happy about my two sons becoming great young people, and I can support them in that. It's a pleasure!

Luca Borioli studied percussion in Zurich and Trossingen (D). He has won various prizes, including two Friedl Wald Foundation study awards and the 2004 Hans Ninck music prize. Since 2004, he has been teaching at the Zurich MKZ School of Music/Conservatory. He is an additional member of numerous orchestras (Philharmonia Zurich, St. Gallen and Lucerne symphony orchestras, Musikkollegium Winterthur and Basel Chamber Orchestra). He also performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician.

Central Co-President Davide Jäger pays tribute to Luca Borioli:

"I've known Luca Borioli for a long time, back when we were students at the Zurich University of Music in the early 2000s, and I considered him then to be a down-to-earth, highly talented and likeable musician. As part of USDAM, our paths crossed for the first time in 2017. At the time, we were both candidates for a vacant position on the Central Committee, and he was elected. A little disappointing for me, but just what our Union needed. Luca's strong points were his preparation, his knowledge of the subject matter, his rightly critical questioning, his calm and serene attitude and his ability to recognize and represent the needs of all musicians. He was thus the ideal representative for freelance musicians, but also for those with permanent jobs, whom he also knows and understands well as an extra in various symphony orchestras."

Luca Borioli, how did you experience your work on the USDAM Central Committee?

I've experienced working at the CC in different ways. In the early years, there were often complicated meetings. Things have improved a lot since then: I think that working on the CC has recently become more efficient, and the atmosphere has also become more constructive and pleasant. I joined the CC at a time when the possibility of a merger between all the then existing associations was under discussion; this subsequently fell through at the last minute. That's why I find it interesting that discussions are currently being held with Sonart on how the two associations might organize their collaboration. Certain themes keep coming up. For me, this brings us full circle...

What has been one of the highlights of your work with the CC?

For me, there were no real highlights, but rather a number of interesting themes. When you're on the CC, you discover how difficult it is to carry out associative work. I've become even more aware of the differences that exist in part between the interests of independent musicians and those of permanent staff. At the same time, you realize that it's to everyone's advantage when you pull on the same rope. From this point of view, the appointment of a union secretary was an important step forward. This period also saw work on a new website, a new logo and, in general, the development of a new image for USDAM. All this was also very interesting.

What are your plans for the future?

There are many: professionally, there are a few projects that are currently getting underway and which I hope will be ready for the stage at the end of this season. I've now been appointed to the Swiss Percussion Competition committee and hope to make a positive contribution. Otherwise, I continue to train intensively for my mountain tours. I'm planning lessons with my students (there are several competitions coming up) and working with relatives on renovating the family mayen in Ticino. I also have to get back to practicing the piano: my son plays the trumpet and I have to accompany him more often at concerts and competitions. I'm sure I won't get bored...