Jens Stibal started playing the guitar at the age of 7 and won several prizes during his adolescence at youth music competitions. In 1987, aged 18, he was accepted in Oscar Ghilia’s guitar class in Basel where he studied from 1987 to 1991 before obtaining his instructor diploma. He then gained a grant for a one year which allowed him to continue his studies with the world known Southamerican virtuoso Alvaro Pierri at McGill University in Montreal. Further studies in Ghilia’s masterclass in Basel led him to the soloist degree with distinction in 1995.

 

Awards

In 1990, Jens Stibal won the first prize at the European music competition ‘Quinto Concurso Europea Musicale di Moncalieri’ in Italy. In 1993, he became laureate of ‘Bourses des jeunes interprètes’ (bursary of young Performers) in Lausanne. Furthermore, he was selected in the same year by the “Orpheus” foundation for a debut concert at Tonhalle Zürich which concluded in him receiving a grant from the Swiss Music Board. At the end of 1994, he won the International Guitar music competition “Nicola Fago” in Taranto (Italy). In April 1995, he received the first prize at the international guitar competition in Plovdiv ( Bulgaria).

 

Concerts

As soloist and chamber musician, Jens Stibal has given concerts in Switzerland, Germany (including the broadcasting studio of NDR Hamburg), Italy, France, England, Russia (among others as soloist of ‘concierto de Aranjuez’ with the symphony orchestra of Volgograd), Nicaragua, Bulgaria, Chile etc.
Jens Stibal performed as a soloist on the Swiss broadcaster DRS 2 and Radio Suisse Romande. He also had television shootings with the Bulgarian, the Italian and Chilean television. Amongst his chambermusic partners figure Frauke Leopold, flute (German symphony orchestra Berlin), Irène Friedli, mezzosoprano, opera Zürich), the former newscaster of Swiss Television and actor Peter Richner, Katharina Stibal, flute, Andreas von Wangenheim, guitar, professor Andreas Müller- Pering and the Violonist Oliver Kipp. With Oliver Kipp, he has a longstanding partnership as ‘duo Sedvana’ (CD production). In 2011, a solo cd called „The musical colours of the guitar“, was released with mainly South American, Spanish and Russian music under the English label GUILD.

 

Teaching activity

Jens Stibal teaches at the music school of the academy of music Zurich and at the Zürich highschool of arts ( ZHdK) (subsidiary subject). Moreover, he teaches abroad (Russia, Nicaragua, (2009 financially supported by Pro Helvetia), as well as regularly at the summer school in Arosa with Andreas von Wangenheim). Furthermore, he is a member of the promotion commitee for giftedness of MKZ Zürich and a regular member of competition boards.

Within the framework of his activity at MKZ Zürich he leads the Zürich Youth Guitar Ensemble which promotes young talented guitarists from the Zurich, Basel, Aargau and Thurgau regions in their musical interplay. This ensemble has already had international success.

 

Instruments

At the moment, Jens Stibal plays an instrument built in 2011 by Andreas Kirschner ( spruce, double top), and also a quartguitar and a quintbassguitar ( exact replication Hauser). All were built by Andreas Kirschner. Since 2017 he plays also a cedar double top from the same year made by Jakob Lebisch.