biography

EN

JOSEPH SIEBER

Joseph Sieber is Assistant Conductor of the Basel Sinfonietta and Artistic Director of the Simple Symphony mediation initiative. The ‘bridge builder for a new audience for classical music’ (Luzerner Zeitung) founded the Central Switzerland Youth Orchestra (ZJSO) and has developed it in the seven years under his direction into one of the most versatile and sought-after youth formations in Switzerland. As a pioneer in the field of promoting young talent and developing innovative orchestral productions, he has won numerous prizes (including the European Music Mediation Prize).

Trained in Switzerland, England and the USA and now living in Paris, the young conductor received the highest distinction for his diploma concert with the BBC Philharmonic and was a Conducting Fellow of the Lucerne Festival Academy and the Cabrillo Festival in California. He has worked with renowned orchestras, including the BBC Philharmonic (UK), the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (CH), the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz (DE), the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra (USA), the Plovdiv State Opera Orchestra (BG), the New Sinfonia (WL) and the Argovia Philharmonic (CH). He has also worked as an assistant conductor with orchestras such as the Orchestre National de France (FR) and the Philharmonia Orchestra (UK) as well as for conductors such as Susanna Mälkki, Marin Alsop, Cristian Măcelaru and Domingo Hindoyan.

In the field of opera and musical theatre, Joseph has already been active in his youth as a répétiteur, composer and finally as a conductor. He was able to further deepen his collaboration with singers as a member and assistant of the Swiss Youth Choir and the EuroChoir and eventually assisted full opera productions at the RNCM in Manchester (UK) and ASU in Phoenix (USA). In the field of contemporary music, Joseph has conducted dozens of world premieres over the years and performed with specialised ensembles such as Ensemble ö! (CH) and the Ensemble Modern Academy (DE).

Joseph already attracted attention at a young age and in several disciplines: in addition to acting activities for the Lucerne Theatre or Swiss television, he performed both as a piano soloist and as a conductor at the Lucerne Festival in the KKL concert hall while still a student. His artistic initiatives have made waves beyond Switzerland‘s borders – for example, when the music theatre project Verona 3000, which he composed and directed, was nominated for the European Music Education Prize, a recording collaboration between his orchestra and the beatbox vice world champion Steff la Cheffe topped the charts for months and a choreographed Mozart Requiem with the Swiss Youth Choir celebrated success throughout Switzerland. The charismatic speaker gave his first TEDx-talk in 2024 under the title ‘Dare to be an Artist’ and regularly hosts classical concerts and concert introductions.