Käthi Steuri

Double bass

Member since 1993

Questions

What led you to start playing the double bass?
As a child, I used to play the violin in our school orchestra. Unfortunately, we were missing a double bass. So my father, who conducted the orchestra, organised an instrument. While he hoped for one of the older students to become interested in playing the double bass, I was happy to find the instrument laying on the bed in our guest bedroom. Soon after, despite my relatives’ resistance («That is not an instrument for a girl»), I could start my lessons. Right from the beginning, I was part of the school orchestra, as my father would adapt the scores, tailored to my skills. As a result, I could already experience what has always fascinated me about the instrument: playing together and being the basis of the group.

What led you to become a musician?
The feeling of playing music together, while serving as the foundation, was something I soon could not live without. This interfered with my plans to pursue a degree in Romance Studies and becoming a farmer.

Is there something that almost no one knows about you?
Yes, there is. And to keep it that way, I will not reveal it here.

About Käthi Steuri

Early on, the versatile double bass player from Bern focused on chamber music. After finishing her studies in Bern and Geneva, an active music career started with many different ensembles, such as the Camerata Lysy Gstaad of the International Menuhin Music Academy. Playing in symphony orchestras was a welcome change.

At the same time, she worked as a teacher at various music schools for many years. Emphasising contemporary music, she was a member of the Collegium Novum Zurich for over twenty years and enjoyed rewarding collaborations with contemporary composers.

Apart from her position at the CAMERATA BERN, she is also a member of the Orchestre de Chambre Fribourgeois and the Berner Kammerorchester, and is nowadays a sought-after chamber musician.