Duo Bernadel

Bernadette Pihusch was born in 2009 and lives in the district of Rosenheim. Currently, she is a student in the musical branch at Ignaz-Günther-Gymnasium Rosenheim.

She has been playing the violin since the age of 3, initially with Suzuki teacher Queenie Lai-Weinfurther, later with Yoshiko Wakuta-Kneer at the Rosenheim Music School. In 2019, she then switched to Marija Hackl (Bernau), and in 2020 to Michaela Girardi (University Mozarteum Salzburg). Since the winter semester of 2021, she has been a junior student at the University Mozarteum Salzburg.

Additionally, she regularly attends master classes, including those with David Frühwirt, Michaela Girardi, and Barbara Doll.

From 2017 to 2020, she was a scholarship holder in the early promotion program of the Bavarian State and in the talent promotion class Rosenheim. At the international Kocian Competition in 2021, she received a 2nd prize in her age group. In 2023, she was selected by the Rotary Club Salzburg and received a scholarship as part of the Talents Night. In February 2024, she was awarded the Jugendmusikpreis by the Culture and Social Foundation Dr. Michael Stöcker and won the 1st prize in her age group at the "London Classical Music Competition 2023" in the same month.

Since the age of nine, she has been regularly performing solo, including at the concert series "Precollege in Concert" at the University Mozarteum Salzburg, at the chamber music concerts in Bad Reichenhall, and various others. She has collaborated with ensembles such as Bella Musica Chamber Ensemble and Bach's New Generation Orchestra Salzburg.

Elisabeth Pihusch was born in 2006 and lives in the district of Rosenheim. Currently, she is a student in the musical branch at Ignaz-Günther-Gymnasium Rosenheim.

She has been playing the violin since the age of four, initially with Suzuki teacher Queenie Lai-Weinfurther, later with Yoshiko Wakuta-Kneer at the Rosenheim Music School. In 2018, she then switched to Annelie Gahl (University Mozarteum Salzburg). Since the winter semester of 2019, she has been a junior student at the University Mozarteum Salzburg in the violin class of Michaela Girardi. In June 2021, she was admitted to the university's gifted education program.

Additionally, she regularly attends master classes, including those with David Frühwirth, Annelie Gahl, Ingolf Turban, Michaela Girardi, Ulf Wallin, Zakhar Bron, and Tanja Becker-Bender.

From 2015 to 2019, she was a scholarship holder in the early promotion program of the Bavarian State and in the talent promotion class Rosenheim. In 2019 and 2022, she won the solo category of the Federal Competition "Jugend musiziert" with a first prize. At the international Kocian Competition in 2021, she received a special prize for the best interpretation of works by Bohuslav Martinu. In 2023, she was awarded the "Special Prize aspekteSALZBURG 2023 for outstanding interpretation of music of our time" and the Cultural Promotion Prize of the District of Rosenheim. In February 2024, she won the first prize in her age group at the "London Classical Music Competition 2023".

Since the age of nine, she has been regularly performing chamber music and solo, including at the concert series "Young Excellence in Concert" at the University Mozarteum Salzburg, at the ceremony for participants in the Federal Competition on Bavarian Radio, at the Traunstein Music Summer, at the Podium der Jugend concert series in Tegernsee, and at the chamber music concerts in Bad Reichenhall. She has given concerts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, collaborating with ensembles such as the Salzburg Chamber Soloists and the Nola Youth Chamber Orchestra Aldo Ciccolini.

In 2023, the two sisters founded the duo Bernadel and have been performing regularly on both regional and national stages ever since.