Born in 1981 in Germany, Ferdinand Schaefer studied percussion in Darmstadt and has since built a diverse and international career as a percussionist. He has performed with numerous orchestras across Germany, including in Trier, Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hannover, Dresden, and Mannheim. As one of the founding members of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, he was part of the ensemble from its launch in 2008 until the end of 2022, rejoining in May 2025. Beyond his orchestral work, Ferdinand was also deeply involved in his own tango and world music ensemble Emocion. His international concert tours—with both orchestras and ensembles—have taken him to Italy, Korea, and China, with standout performances at prestigious venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York and The Proms in London.
Pascal Klaiber
Born in Sulz a.N./Germany, Pascal started playing Drums and Trumpet in the local Wind Orchestra named Musikverein Bergfelden. After a vocational training as Mechanic, Pascal decided to pursue his passion for drums and percussion which led him to study Orchester Schlagwerk (classical Percussion) at Akademie für Tonkunst Darmstadt with Jens Knoop and Berthold Anhalt.
Following his studies he held internship positions with Orchester der Stadt Trier, Staatsorchester Darmstadt and Nationaltheater-Orchester Mannheim which marked his start into professionell Orchestras and music in general.
Temporary contracts brought him to Hessisches Staatsorchester Wiesbaden, Staatsorchester Darmstadt and Gürzenich Orchester Köln.
2013 he started as a principal percussionist with Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.
Between 2021 and 2025 he has played with Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, Stuttgarter Philharmoniker, WDR Sinfonie Orchester, Balthasar Neumann, Museums und Opernorchester Frankfurt/Main, Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg, to name a few.
From January 2025 he decided to return back to Qatar where he holds a permanent position as a principal percussionist.
During his professional career, Pascal has enjoyed sharing his knowledge and developing his teaching skills. Besides his engagement with professional Orchestras and teaching, he enjoys being part of various groups of musicians, exploring different music genres from Classical, Jazz, Funk to Polka.
Matias Bisulca
Matias Bisulca is currently the Co-Principal Trombone of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. Prior to this, he served as Co-Principal Trombone of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra at Teatro Colón, a position he held since 2018. He was also a member of the Opera House Orchestra of the Argentine Theatre of La Plata for eleven seasons, and served as Principal Trombonist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina for two seasons.
With extensive experience in renowned orchestras, Matias is regularly called upon as a guest trombone player to perform with prestigious orchestras in South America, such as the Opera House Orchestra of Teatro Colón, Camerata Bariloche, SODRE Symphony Orchestra (Montevideo, Uruguay), among others. He has collaborated under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductors like Charles Dutoit, Alexander Lazarev, Daniel Barenboim, including other notable figures. His career includes performances alongside great artists like Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Anna Netrebko, Maxim Vengerov, Bryn Terfel, Elina Garanca, Aida Garifullina, and various others. As a solo performer, Matias has presented recitals and concerts with various ensembles, highlighting his concert in Hartford, USA, his solo performance at the National Auditorium of CCK, as well as his solo concert with the Symphonic Band of Santa Fe, and alongside the string orchestra “Camerata Eluthería,” among other notable presentations.
Matias Bisulca graduated from the National University of Arts in Buenos Aires. He began his musical studies at the age of 13 under the guidance of Pablo Fenoglio, Principal Trombone of the Opera House Orchestra of Teatro Colón, and Gaspar Licciardone, former Principal Trombone of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra. Sponsored by the National Arts Fund and the Ministry of Culture, Matias pursued further studies abroad. In 2011, he was admitted to the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Rostock (Germany), studying under Jamie Williams, Solo Trombonist of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Later, in 2017, he settled in New York City, continuing his studies as a visiting student at the Manhattan School of Music (USA), under the guidance of Professor David Finlayson, member of the New York Philharmonic. He complemented his training with private lessons from renowned international trombonists like Joseph Alessi (New York Philharmonic), Filipe Alves (Staatskapelle Berlin), Jörgen van Rijen (Concertgebouworkest Amsterdam), Jesper Busk Sørensen (Berlin Philharmonic), Wolfram Arndt (Berlin Philharmonic), Norman Bolter (Boston Symphony Orchestra), among others.
His experience as a Trombone instructor at the Juan Pedro Esnaola Higher Institute of Art Education from 2013 to 2023, and his tenure at the Ástor Piazzolla Superior Conservatory of Music, reflects his unwavering commitment to musical education in recognized institutions. He is frequently invited to conduct masterclasses and courses in various conservatories, music schools, and renowned festivals, among which stands out the prestigious Trombonanza festival.
Martino Pirrodi
Studies
Martino Piroddi was born in Cagliari in 1972, inheriting his love for music from his mother, a pianist. He graduated in viola from the Conservatory of Cagliari in 1996 under the guidance of Maestro Luigi Moccia. He embarked on a path of further studies in Italy and abroad, focusing on both viola and chamber music, bringing him into contact with some of the brightest musical minds in his field.
Notable mentors include Felice Cusano, Yuri Gandelsmann (principal viola of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra), Vladimir Mendelsshon, Simonide Braconi (principal viola of Teatro Alla Scala di Milano), and Massimo Paris (Musikhoschule Koln-Aachen).
In the summer of 1998, he was admitted to the Jeune Orchestre Atlantique in Saintes, France, specializing in Baroque and Classical music under the charismatic guidance of renowned conductor and musicologist Philippe Herreweghe. He also studied chamber music with the Turner Quartet.
In 2004, Martino joined the class of Russian virtuoso Michail Kugel at the Maastricht Conservatory.
Career
In 1997, Martino won the permanent position of tutti viola at the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, and since then, he has performed in all the productions organized by the institution, touring Italy and abroad. He has collaborated with distinguished conductors such as Lorin Maazel, George Pretre, Pinchas Steinberg, Ton Koopman, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, Christopher Hogwood, Frans Bruggen, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Gerard Korsten, and Houbert Soudant. Simultaneously, since 2004, Martino has been a regular member of the Toscanini Symphony Orchestra, touring worldwide with Lorin Maazel and performing in some of the most prestigious international concert halls. During a U.S. tour, he was a guest violist with the New York Philharmonic.
Since 2015, Martino has been a consistent collaborator with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, participating in the London PROMS series among other engagements.
Kahraman Seref
Kahraman Seref was born in Mersin,Turkey in 1984. He started his music
education at Mersin University State Conservatory in 1995 and then completed
his university education at Istanbul University State Conservatory and his
master’s degree at the “Hochschule fur Musik und Theater Leipzig” school
in Leipzig, Germany.
He studied at the viola classes of Binnur Yunkus, Cigdem Altas Epikmen,
Tatjana Masurenko and Guy Ben-Ziony. He was entitled to play in the Mediterranean
Youth Orchestra held in France in the summer months between 2003-2005 and took
part in the concerts of this orchestra in France, Spain and Italy.
He actively attended MasterClass courses of Rusen Gunes, Yuri Gandelsman
and Tatjana Masurenko.He has taken part in many chamber music concerts and has
continued to give regular concerts every year in a repertoire ranging from the
baroque period to the modern period.
He took part in orchestras such as Mersin Chamber Orchestra, Akbank Chamber
Orchestra,Leipzig Kammerorchester, Staatskapelle Halle, CRR Symphony Orchestra,
Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Orchestra,
Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra and still continues to work in Qatar
Philharmonic Orchestra.
Fulvio Furlanut
Born in Venice, Italy, Fulvio began his music studies at the age of 8. He graduated with honours in 1994 at the Music Conservatory Cesare Pollini of Padua where he was awarded a scholarship as top graduate of the year.
In 1990, while still a student, he joined the Schweitzer Streichorchester Engelberg as Solo Concertmaster, touring extensively Italy, Switzerland, and Spain in the following 7 years. This experience offered him the opportunity to produce himself as soloist in a number of occasions (Mozart A Major Concerto, Bach E Major and A minor Concerto, Lalo Symphonie Espagnole, Haydn C Major Concerto, Beethoven Triple Concerto, among others).
Following an important encounter in 1997 with renown violinist and pedagogue Victor Liebermann at the Utrecht Music Conservatory (Netherlands), in 1999 he won the audition in the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano G. Verdi, appointed by Riccardo Chailly. In the same year, after the audition, he worked as Principal of the 2nd Violins section in the Orchestra Sinfonica Toscanini (Parma), where he played until 2001 when he joined Bologna’s Opera House. In 2008 he was appointed Assistant Concertmaster of the prestigious Venice Opera House (Gran Teatro La Fenice).
All along his prolific orchestra career, Fulvio has appeared in all the main Italian theaters, as well as in the most renown international festivals (Finland – Savonlinna Opera Festival, Madrid – National Auditorium of Music, Tokyo – NHK Hall – Orchard Hall – Bunka Kaikan, Beijing – National Center for the Performing Arts, Aix En Provence Festival, and many others).
He has played under the baton of some of the greatest conductors of our time, such as Muti, Chailly, Gatti, Pretre, Gardiner, Harding, Chung, Inbal, Marriner, Rostropovich and many others. He started collaborating with QPO since October 2018.
Flora Kovacs
Flóra Kovács, currently a tutti violin player in the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, possesses nearly two decades of professional experience in international settings. She has held positions in orchestras across Hungary, Qatar, and the Netherlands, both as a member and freelancer. She served as the Concertmaster for the Savaria Symphony Orchestra and the Szolnok Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she played first violin in the tutti section of the Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera and is the founder and artistic leader of the Qatar String Chamber Orchestra, where she also serves as concertmaster. Her performances consistently demonstrate excellence across a diverse repertoire, and her professionalism is frequently praised by colleagues. Flóra exemplifies both formal and informal leadership through her dedication to maintaining the highest standards in violin performance.
Maria Rusu
Born and raised in Bucharest, Romania where I have graduated the National University of Music, violin section.
Before joining the QPO I have been a performing with prestigious Romanian orchestras, including the Radio National Orchestra and the Philharmonic Orchestra and have been a member of various chamber music ensembles.
Daniel Edelhoff
Daniel Edelhoff was born in Bochum, Germany, in 1979. He started playing the trumpet at the age of eight in the local church brass band. At just fifteen he became a student of Professor M. Burba at Cologne Music College, completing his university studies with the Diploma Degree with Professor M. Höfs in Hamburg. During his university course he was a member of the German National Youth Orchestra as well as the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Concert tours with the Young German Brass Soloists saw him in many German cities and Mexico.
A multi-talented musician, Daniel Edelhoff plays in contemporary music ensembles as well as he is currently studying early music at Schola Cantorum Baseliensis. After 2004 he held principal trumpet positions in several well-known German orchestras–Staatskapelle Halle, Essener Philharmoniker and Niederrheinische Sinfoniker. As principal trumpet Daniel Edelhoff has performed with the Orchestre Philharmonique Luxembourg, Radio Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, Rundfunkorchester München, Rundfunkorchester Köln, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Orchestra Mozart conducted by Claudio Abbado.
Raluca Gette
At the age of 4 she began studying the violin under the tutelage of her grandfather.
In the coming years she attended schools with an arts and music focus,
eventually being accepted into the prestigious Gymnasium for Music „ Sigismund Toduta“ in Cluj Napoca, an institution with a strong curriculum and tradition in musical training.
Upon graduating from gymnasium, Raluca moved to Hamburg, Germany
to continue her studies with Prof. Petru Munteanu at Hochschule für Musik und Theater. From the year 2005 she continued studying with Prof. Christoph Schickedanz, graduating in 2006.
From 2007 she was a permanent member in the Elbphilharmonie Orchestra Hamburg.
After touring extensively in Europe, USA and Asia, Raluca relocated to Qatar as a member of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.
In addition to the regular orchestra performance schedule, Raluca appeared frequently in the QPO’ s chamber music and spin off projects and performances.
In the coming years she attended schools with an arts and music focus,
eventually being accepted into the prestigious Gymnasium for Music „ Sigismund Toduta“ in Cluj Napoca, an institution with a strong curriculum and tradition in musical training.
Upon graduating from gymnasium, Raluca moved to Hamburg, Germany
to continue her studies with Prof. Petru Munteanu at Hochschule für Musik und Theater. From the year 2005 she continued studying with Prof. Christoph Schickedanz, graduating in 2006.
From 2007 she was a permanent member in the Elbphilharmonie Orchestra Hamburg.
After touring extensively in Europe, USA and Asia, Raluca relocated to Qatar as a member of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.
In addition to the regular orchestra performance schedule, Raluca appeared frequently in the QPO’ s chamber music and spin off projects and performances.