Since December 2023, the ECMA Board consists of the following persons:
President
Veerle Simoens
Vice-President
Martin Prchal
Artistic Directors
Johannes Meissl
Minna Pensola
Patrick Jüdt
coming soon.
Martin Prchal is vice-principal at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, a position that includes curriculum development and innovation, research, quality assurance and international relations.. Trained as a musician of Czech origin, he holds teaching and performance diplomas (violoncello) and a MA degree in musicology. Following his studies, he combined a career as a performing musician in various international chamber orchestras and chamber music ensembles with that of international relations coordinator in various Dutch conservatoire. He then served as the first Chief Executive of the European Association of Conservatoires (AEC) from 2001-2011. Martin was also one of the founders and chair of MusiQuE – Music Quality Enhancement, a formally recognised international organisation for evaluation and accreditation in higher music education. In January 2024, he became, in addition to his position at the Royal Conservatoire, Co-Secretary General of the European Universities Alliance IN.TUNE – Innovative Universities of Music & Arts in Europe. Martin is vice-president of ECMA since 2020.
Johannes Meissl, born in Ried/Austria, studied at mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna with Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Gerhart Hetzel, and Hatto Beyerle. He graduated with distinction and a special award from the ministery. 1982 he joined the Artis Quartet. After further studies with the LaSalle Quartet in the US and several competition prizes the ensemble established a longlasting international career. Concerts at prestigious series and festivals worldwide, awards for over 40 recordings (Grand Prix du Disque, Diapason d’Or, Echo, Midem Classics, etc.) and the still running “Artis Series” at the Musikverein in Vienna (since 1988) bear witness to the international standing of the ensemble.
Meissl also performs in solo recitals and in open chamber projects, and he has achieved success as a conductor.
Professor for chamber music at mdw, Johannes Meissl has been Vice Rector of this top-ranking university since October 2019. Prior to this, he headed mdw’s Joseph Haydn Department of Chamber Music and served as president of the Senate at mdw.
Meissl is artistic director of isa – International Summer Academy of mdw and artistic co-director of ECMA (European Chamber Music Academy). He gives master classes worldwide and he is very active within the Musethica project, combining intensive performance training with social outreach and community engagement. For more than 30 years, he has been teacher and mentor for generations of young chamber musicians. His students won first prizes at leading international competitions and succeeded in establishing sustainable careers. For a number of his former student ensembles’ acclaimed recordings he served as artistic producer.
Violinist Minna Pensola is known as an intense performer, invigorating soloist and energetic orchestra leader. As an inspiring fellow musician and teacher she is a regular guest at many international chamber music festivals.
Pensola is a versatile player in the music field and has established regular club evenings combining a casual bar night and classical live music in her hometown Helsinki, as well as PuKamaChamber concert series, which she runs together with her spouse, violinist Antti Tikkanen. Active and close relationship with Finnish composers have produced many works dedicated to her. The upcoming seasons will bring premieres of chamber works by Lotta Wennäkoski and Magnus Lindberg and a Concerto for two violins by Osmo Tapio Räihälä (with Joensuu City Orchestra & Antti Tikkanen, violin).
Minna Pensola is the co-artistic director of Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival since 2021. During the seasons 2019-2024 she is the artistic partner of the Joensuu City Orchestra. Pensola was the artistic director of Sysmä Summer Sounds from 2006 to 2012 and a member of the curating group for the Helsinki Festival’s Wonderfeel-weekend in 2020-2021.
Pensola is a member of the award winning string quartet Meta4, teaches chamber music at the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA) and violin at the Sibelius Academy. Her own studies started at the Helsinki Conservatory, continued at the Sibelius Academy and finally finished at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Zürich and the European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA). Important guides on that journey include Leonid Mordkovich, Kaija Saarikettu, Ralf Gothoni, Ana Chumachenko, Josef Rissin, Hatto Beyerle, Johannes Meissl as well as countless inspiring colleagues along the way. Minna Pensola’s instrument is a Carlo Bergonzi violin from 1732, owned by the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation. Offstage the swinging up-tempo is maintained by two daughters, two cats and a hamster.
coming soon.
