'Stars are like musical instruments.'
- Tim Bedding
The name Delta Scuti finds it origin in one of the Duo's deepest sources of inspiration: nature. It refers to a bright, pulsating star whose rhythmic fluctuations in brightness resemble sound waves. Scientists can detect them as 'listening to the stars' heartbeats'.
Delta Scuti is visible from both the Netherlands and Bolivia, their home countries, and symbolizes their connection across continents.
Painting by Cecilia Wilde
About Duo Delta Scuti
Duo Delta Scuti is an energetic and promising duo, formed by pianist Mateo Viscarra Wilde and cellist Gemma Smit. Their meeting in 2019 at the Conservatory in Zwolle was the start of a sincere friendship and a strong musical bond.
Mateo and Gemma found each other in the common love for chamber music and romantic repertoire, and this laid the foundation for the creation of Duo Delta Scuti. Their curiosity was soon raised by the versatility of the different styles within the classical repertoire. Their concert programs are divers and personal, and often leave audiences surprised and moved.
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They performed on many leading stages such as at the city festival and in the Odeon in Zwolle, at the Wilminktheater in Enschede, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven, De Harmonie in Leeuwarden and in other cities. They were awarded the 3rd prize in Chamber Music at the Verao Classico festival in Lisbon 2023, where they performed at the National Coches Museum. Furthermore they regularly play for Kunst in de Kamer, and they are happy to be invited to give concerts for the International Holland Music Sessions.
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They also participated in masterclasses by Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro, Frans Helmerson, Miguel da Silva, Benedicht Kloeckner, Michal Kanka, Jakob Kullberg and Diana Ketler among others. In addition, they played in the semifinals of the Gelre chamber music competition.
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With great enthusiasm they let people experience their passion for music, and they are storming the stages in the Netherlands and abroad.
With the fire in their playing and the tangible connection, the Duo always moves their audience. Their music comes straight from the heart: pure, powerful and compelling.
Mateo Viscarra Wilde
Pianist
Mateo always touches the audience with his beautiful sound, and is the musical drive of the Duo.
With his homeland Bolivia as a starting point, music has taken Mateo to many places. His musical journey began in 2006 at the Gnesin School in Moscow with Ella Mihaylovna Koperina, where he first fell in love with the piano. He continued his studies in 2010 at the National Conservatory of Bolivia.
Furthermore he spent a year at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, studying with Russian pianist Slava Poprugin. Since 2019, he has been studying with Frank van de Laar at the ArtEZ Conservatory in Zwolle.
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He has also taken masterclasses at the Manhattan School of Music in the United States with Alexander Moutouzkine, and was invited to perform in the International Holland Piano Series, where he learned from maestro Vitaly Pisarenko. He also received lessons from David Kuyken, Eldar Nebolsin, Filipe Pinto Ribeiro, Katya Apekisheva, and others.
Mateo has won prizes both in his home country and abroad, including, most recently, a third prize in chamber music at the Verão Clássico 2023 music festival in Lisbon (Portugal) with Duo Delta Scuti.
Gemma Smit
Cellist
Gemma reaches the people with the warm colour of her cello, and her sensitive way of playing.
Gemma Smit studies with Olsi Leka in the Master at the Royal Conservatory in Brussel. From 2016 she took part in the string ensemble 'Fancy Fiddlers' as the principal cellist, under the direction of Coosje Wijzenbeek in Amsterdam, where she developed her love for chamber music. With this ensemble she toured through the Netherlands and Switserland. In 2018 she received lessons with Maarten Mostert at the Conservatory in Amsterdam, after which she continued in the Bachelor with Karlien Bartels at the Conservatory in Zwolle.
Gemma received masterclasses from Benedict Kloeckner, Frans Helmerson, Joachim Eijlander, Jakob Kullberg, Michal Kanka and Roel Dieltiens amongst others. Besides her succesful Duo Delta Scuti, she also regularly plays in the concert halls with the Meliora Trio and the Maelisagno Trio. She is very grateful to play on a beautiful instrument very generously on loan to her by the Dutch Music Instruments Fund.