Johanna Kulke
violinist
conductor
composer
Biography
"With her delicate playing, mature technique, and expressive interpretation, she literally captivated the audience."
(translated from Zofinger Tagblatt)
Swiss-German violinist, conductor, pianist and composer Johanna Kulke is a versatile musician active as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player in Switzerland and internationally. Her concert tours have taken her throughout Europe as well as to South Africa, Central America and Asia.
As concertmaster, she works with, among others, the Sursee and Burgäschi Operetta Orchestras, the Santa Maria Orchestra Lucerne and the Stadtorchester Langenthal. She also regularly performs as a freelance orchestral musician with the Bern Symphony Orchestra, Basel Sinfonietta, Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz, Kammerphilharmonie Landshut and Camerata Schweiz. Her international orchestral experience includes performances with the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, the European Union Youth Orchestra and the Lucerne Chamber Philharmony.
Johanna Kulke is also active as a composer. She has received commissions from, among others, the Stadtorchester Solothurn and Camerata 49. Her work Elegie for violin and piano (2025) was published by Universal Edition.
As a conductor, she has led the Kirchenchor Roggwil since 2023 and the Orchesterverein Burgdorf since 2026. She is also active as an organist in Niederbipp and St. Urban, as a lecturer in music theory at the Lucerne University of Music, and as an instrumental teacher at the Oberaargau Music School in Langenthal and Herzogenbuchsee.
Johanna Kulke studied violin, piano, composition, conducting and music theory at the Lucerne University of Music. She is a prizewinner of national and international competitions and a scholarship holder of the Hirschmann Foundation and the Swiss Performers’ Foundation. In 2025, she received the Cultural Promotion Award of Herzogenbuchsee, and in 2026 she won the essay competition of the journal Musik & Ästhetik.
upcoming concerts
chamber music groups
ELEAS QUARTET
The Eleas Quartet brings together four outstanding young musicians from Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, and South Africa. Founded in 2021 at the Lucerne School of Music, the quartet has been primarily guided by Isabel Charisius, Igor Karsko, and Daniel Dodds.
The musicians have set themselves the goal of cultivating a diverse repertoire. In addition to the growing classical repertoire, the Eleas Quartet collaborates with Simon Heggendorn (Kaleidoscope String Quartet) to explore jazz and improvisation techniques. They also perform contemporary works, including a piece by Johanna Kulke, the quartet's violinist.
As part of the International Academy for Contemporary Music in Lucerne, they received instruction from Garth Knox and Melise Mellinger.
They received further valuable impulses at the Schaffhauser Master Classes in 2023, where they were taught by Oliver Wille and Wen-Sinn Yang, among others.
In the summer of 2023, they went on a tour to South Africa, performing at the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival. They also gave concerts in Muizenberg, Hermanus, and Greyton.
Violin: Johanna Kulke, Rahel Castelberg
Viola: Catarina Marques
Cello: Colette Brand
LIEDDUO SKALUK
Soprano Fabienne M. Skarpetowski and pianist Johanna Kulke perform together as the Lied duo SKALUK. They have a passion for musical diversity and maintain a broad repertoire that spans from classical Lieder, opera/operetta, and musicals to the pop genre. This allows them to create charming bespoke programs and also perform at various events such as weddings, family celebrations, and more.
In the past, their Lied programs have included works by composers such as Robert and Clara Schumann, Hugo Wolf, George and Ira Gershwin, and Charlie Chaplin.
If you would like to book SKALUK for your own event, whether it's a wedding, house concert, family gathering, funeral, or any other occasion, we are ready to provide advice and support in selecting the repertoire to tailor the performance according to your preferences. You can get in touch with us at:
Email: skaluk@gmx.ch Phone: +41 (0)79 725 99 11
Soprano: Fabienne M. Skarpetowski
Piano: Johanna Kulke
