Duo Maingold
Christina Bernard · Soprano & Alto Saxophone
Lea Maria Löffler · Harp
Christina Bernard, born in Erlangen in 1995, began her young studies at the age of 16 at the Hochschule für Musik Würzburg, where she has been continuing her studies with Lutz Koppetsch since 2013. She supplemented her education with master classes with Arno Bornkamp, Joonatan Rautiola, Jan Schulte-Bunert, Vincent David, Lars Mlekusch and Johannes Thorell, among others. Christina Bernard has won numerous prizes, including first federal prizes at the Jugend musiziert competition, third prize at the Berthold Hummel competition in Würzburg, first prize at the first J. Pakalnis International competition for Wind and Percussion Instrumentalists in Lithuania, first prize at the 23rd International Louis Spohr competition and first prize as well as sponsorship prizes at the competition for the Wolfgang Fischer and Maria Fischer-Flach prize. In 2018 she received a scholarship from the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb, combined with an acceptance into the 63rd Bundesauswahl-Konzerte for young artists. Christina Bernard is a scholarship holder of the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, from Yehudi Menuhin "Live Music Now" and was supported by the Germany Scholarship. The saxophonist gained orchestral experience as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Germany, the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, the Essen Philharmonic, the Würzburg Philharmonic and the Thuringia Symphony Orchestra, among others. As a soloist, she has made guest appearances with the chamber orchestra in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan and the ensemble orchestra of the National Philharmonic Society Musica Humana Juventus in Lithuania.
Twenty-one year old Lea Maria Löffler began her musical education with the violin at the age of four. One year later she discovered her love for the harp. Her former teachers include Judith Geissler, Silke Aichhorn, Prof. Andreas Mildner and Prof. Mirjam Schröder. From 2008-2013 she studied in the pre-college at the University of Music in Würzburg and from 2013-2016 in the pre-college at the University of Music in Detmold, where she has been continuing her bachelor studies since 2016 under the tutelage of Godelieve Schrama. From 2018-2019 she studied in the class of Isabelle Moretti at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse in Paris. In 2018, she won a scholarship at the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb and got admission to the Bundesauswahl Konzerte Junger Künstler (National Selection of Young Musical Artists), as well as the special prize of the Verband der Harfenisten in Deutschland. Lea Maria Löffler was a laureate of the International Franz Josef Reinl harp competition in 2018, the International Félix Godefroid harp competition in 2012, and the Verband der Harfenisten harp competition in 2010. She is supported by the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes since 2018, the Dr. Franz Stüsser Stiftung since 2017, and the Werner Richard - Dr. Carl Dörken Stiftung since 2015. In 2016 she was invited by the Werner Richard - Dr. Carl Dörken Stiftung to tour as part of the Best of NRW concert series and present solo recitals. Furthermore, she was awarded with the Conrad von der Goltz scholarship of the University of Music in Würzburg, and won special prizes of the Sparkassen NRW and the Hindemith Stiftung. As a harp soloist, Lea Maria Löffler has performed with renowned orchestras, such as the Würzburger Philharmoniker and the Bergische Symphoniker. She has also gained orchestral experience with orchestras such as the National Youth Orchestra of Germany. Regular solo appearances and concert tours have taken her to a wide variety of concert halls in Germany and abroad. Lea Maria Löffler appears on television and her concerts have been broadcasted by several national radio stations such as the BR (Bavarian Broadcasting), the WDR (Westgerman Broadcasting), and the Deutschlandfunk. Several CDs bear witness to her artistic work.
