Staff and Faculty


Mary Knysh (USA)

Program Director (Eu, USA, Can)

She is a professional musician, multi instrumentalist, recording artist, innovative workshop facilitator and educator.  She is a Certified MLP Graduate and has served on the MLP staff for over ten years both in the US and in Switzerland. Mary is a certified Orff Schulwerk clinician and has presented at Orff conferences throughout the United States, Europe and Australia.

She is an artist on the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts roster, Young Audiences of New Jersey, New York BOCES. Mary travels throughout the United States and Europe offering performances, workshops, corporate events and artist in residencies. Mary is the author of a new book, “Innovative Drum Circles” and “BoomDoPA” that serves as a guidebook for facilitating ethnic influenced music improvisations activities with groups of any age and experience.

Over the past twenty years Mary has worked with a wide range of communities including corporate, health care, and educational.  Mary can be reached at mary@rhythmicconnections.com and her website is rhythmicconnections.com.

 


Horowitz Michael (Switzerland)

Long-time teaching activity with the method and artistic concept of “Music for People”. Cheeriness in the here and now. Music is life and spirituality.

Trained as a musician in the US and in Switzerland. Classical music, folk, blues and theatre music with guitar and bassoon. Through the encounter with his wife Anita, he discovered how music and dance inspire one another. Freelance projects, music studio and teaching activities at the “Musikschule Oberemmental”. Multi-instrumentalist: Bassoon, different guitars and voice. 

  • Focus: Dance, music, movement, theatre and film music. 

www.musik-ist-leben.ch


Bernard Maurer (Switzerland)

Promotion: Concept and training courses of “Music for People”

Long-time experience with the method and artistic concept of “Music for People”

Cello studies in Bern, Berlin and Basel. Training as teacher for string groups in Germany and training in improvisation with David Darling. For a couple of years he has been a cellist at the “Berner Symphonieorchester”, later assistant of Christoph Coin (baroque cello) at the “Scola Cantorum” in Basel. Concerts and recordings with various ensembles for early music.

Freelance projects and teaching at the “Musikschule Köniz”. Main instrument cello, familiar with double bass, guitar and voice. 

  • Focus: Teaching cello, baroque music, improvisation, singing and string ensembles, orchestral conducting and music projects. Co-founder of “Freitagsakademie”.

Alexander Merz (Germany)

Long-time experience with the method and artistic concept of “Music for People”. Music as an intuitive path can by all means be humorous.

Music studies in Detmold and Düsseldorf. Solo trombonist at the “Bochumer Symphoniker”. Came in touch with David Darling through Tai Ji classes with Chungliang Al Huang. Further training with David Darling in free improvisation. Freelance projects and “Bochum Symphoniker”. Main instruments: trombone and voice. 

  • Focus: Orchestral activities, DJ projects and live performances,              

Christoph Wiesmann (Switzerland)

Long standing experience and involvement in “Music for People”. Public relation work and passionate musician, loving to perform.

Multi-instrumantalist, classical training, long standing experience in different music genres: Claasical, Jazz, Ethno and others. Works as an Oboe and Saxophone teacher in improvisation. The enjoyment of spontaneous musical expression with voice and instruments let him come across David Darling. In July 2004, he graduated from the MLP training course.

Freelance projects and teaching at the “Musikschule Wohlen”. Multi-instrumentalist: Oboe, English horn, saxophone, different flutes, kotamo, percussion and voice. 

  • Focus: Collaboration with various musicians around Berne. Has his own show with a loop machine. Passionate live performer. Music and movement as a dancer and dancing accompanist.

www.musikimmoment.ch