Born in Frick (Switzerland) / Started taking piano lessons at age eight / Early attempts at improvisation / Studied at Bern Conservatory with Dr. h.c. Franz Josef Hirt, Zoltan Jonas, Dr. h.c. Theo Hirsbrunner and other teachers / Jazz School Bern (Vince Benedetti) / Did a coast-to-coast US tour (30 concerts) while still studying / Later performed as a solo pianist (classical/jazz music), with his own quartet "New Jazztett" (Montreux Jazz Festival) and other groups.
The Canton of Solothurn awarded Felix Huber a “Werkjahr” scholarship, which allowed him to take a course at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA (Greg Hopkins, Ray Santisi).
Huber has written compositions for symphonic orchestra, jazz combos, big bands, string and chamber music ensembles, choir and solo instruments. Other activities include playing concerts (with a focus on improvisation) and teaching music (piano and improvisation).
Competitions / Awards
2nd Prize at the International Jazz Composition Contest in Monaco (1981)
Finalist at the International Composition Contest in Monaco (1982)
Winner of a composition contest for the Swiss classical music festivals Interlakner Musikfestwochen, Meiringer Musikfestwochen, Schlosskonzerte Spiez and Schlosskonzerte Thun (1999)
"Pro Argovia Artists 2001/2002" Prize awarded by the Pro Argovia arts council
1st Prize at the composition contest held on the occasion of the Swiss national exposition Expo.02
Composition award winner at the "IV International Prokofiev Competition" in Saint Petersburg (2003)
Finalist at the Concours de Composition Chorale "Label Suisse", Lausanne 2008
Recordings (on piano and as a composer)
LP "Puzzle" with JIGSAW (ss 42 / Bellaphon) (Michael Frey, g / Felix Huber, p / Rainer Suter, b / Franz Kneubühler, dr, perc / Roger Barman, congas)
LP "JIGSAW II" (ss 51 / Bellaphon) (Michael Frey, g, cavaquinho / Felix Huber, p, perc / Rainer Suter, b / Franz Kneubühler, dr, perc)
LP "L'Homme Fatal" with JEFASTER DESASTER (Unit Records, 4016) (Beat Wenger, saxes / Marco Figini, g / Felix Huber, p, synth / Samuel Joss, b / Norbert Pfammatter, dr / Willi Kotoun, perc)
CD "Ost-West-Inspiration" (Corvus Records, 929) (Witek Kornacki, cl, saxes / Felix Huber, p)
CD "al fresco - Bilder keiner Ausstellung" (Unit Records, 4103) (Felix Huber, piano solo)
CD "Neues Zürcher Orchester - live", Mozart - Bach - Huber - Beethoven (piano: Felix Huber, conductor: Martin Studer)
CD "East-West-Inspiration" (TIM, The International Music Company, 221862/311) (Witek Kornacki, cl, saxes / Felix Huber, p / Lech Wieleba, b)
CD "Gallia“ Ost-West Inspiration (Membran Music Ltd. 222093/210) A co-production with Swiss Radio DRS 2 (Witek Kornacki, cl, saxes / Felix Huber, p / Lech Wieleba, b)
Recordings (as a composer)
CD "Neues Zürcher Orchester - live", includes "In Memoriam J. S. Bach" for orchestra
CD "Heaven's Trumpets Vol. II" - Luzerner Trompeten-Ensemble conducted by Jonathan Nott, LTE-Records 90020, includes "fanfare@expo.02"
CD "Quatuors Suisses" pour Instr. à anches (Quatuor Francis Poulenc), oboe/clarinet/tenor sax/bassoon, MGB CD 6213, includes "Holzminiaturen"
Published sheet music:
Choralia Friburgensis, Editions Labatiaz • St. Maurice
Jesus mihi omnia (for mixed choir a cappella)
Karthause Schmülling Verlag • Kamen • Vilnius • St. Petersburg • Thessaloniki
9 Holzminiaturen (for oboe, clarinet, saxophone and bassoon)
Für Anne Frank (for spoken voice, clarinet and piano)
Breitkopf & Härtel • Wiesbaden • Leipzig • Paris
Drei Duos (for flutes)
ToppBrass Verlag • Aarau
"fanfare@expo.02" for 12 trumpets and 3 percussionists (original instrumentation)
"fanfare@expo.02" adapted for brass band
"fanfare@expo.02" adapted for wind band
