Vayla Quintet

Founded in the summer of 2025 at the Gustav Mahler Academy in Bozen, the Vayla Quintet unites five young musicians from Germany, Italy, and Spain. Their cultural backgrounds combine into a shared musical language, marked by sensitivity, expressiveness, and commitment to historical informed performance practice. During the initial residency, the ensemble played Carl Nielsen’s Wind Quintet and had the opportunity to learn from members of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra how their magictrademark, the „sound of listening“, is created, with honest dialogue and meticulous attention to detail. They performed Sibelius‘ First Symphony os principal players in the Mahler Academy Orchestra, conducted by Sir John Elliot Gardiner. From thisrevolutionary figure of classical music, the ensemble learned the value of listening and section leading. The residency terminated with concerts in Bolzano (Palazzo Mercantile, Sala Michelangeli), and Toblach (Gustav-Mahler-Saal).

In January 2026, the Vayla Quintet will meet for a week of rehearsals in Berlin to expand their repertoire and develop new concertprogrammes. In June 2026, they will participate in the GazteKlasika Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, presenting the collaborativeproject „Winds in Motion: Dialogues Across Europe.“ This residency (8-14 June 2026) will explore European chamber music traditions through a contemporary lens, promoting artistic exchange and learning.

Activities will include:

• Collaborative rehearsals and mentoring with local artists and international professors.
  • Interactive workshops with young conservatory students on ensemble communication and interpretation.
  • A public concert combining classical and lesser-known wind quintet repertoire.
  • Reflective exchange sessions on how intercultural collaboration shapes artistic identity and ensemble creativity.

In August 2026, the quintet in will return to the Gustav Mahler Academy to take part once again in both orchestral andchamber music projects, continuing their artistic development under the guidance of members of the Mahler ChamberOrchestra. This year, the quintet will approach the music of the first decade of the twentieth century in a completely new light, using period instruments from the Euregio Foundation in Toblach, which aims to find and restore the original instruments bought by the Wien Hofoper during Mahler’s time os chief conductor. Following this, the ensemble will embark on a European tour with the Mahler Academy Orchestra, performing in some of the continent’s most renowned concert halls in Amsterdam,Bolzano, Hamburg, Köln, Toblach, and Vienna.Through these projects, the quintet will deepen their musical and interpersonal skills, engage new audiences, andstrengthen the European dimension of their work by integrating diverse cultural voices in a shared creative process. With curiosity, joy, and a keen ear for nuance, the Vayla Quintet continues to explore, connect, and inspire throughchamber music – creating experiences that resonate across borders.