Geneva Chamber Orchestra Timpanist Sergi Sempere has Died, Aged 31

Sempere passed away from a mountain climbing accident during his descent on Mont Blanc in the Swiss Alps

Sempere was born in 1990 in Alcoi, Spain, and began his music studies at age 13, attending Spain's Unió Musical d'Alcoi. 

In 2012, he graduated from the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Aragón (CSMA), where he studied with César Peris, Lorenzo Ferrándiz, and Paco Inglés. That same year, Sergi received a scholarship from the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe. 

Soon after, he entered the Netherlands’ Royal Conservatory in The Hague and in 2014, completed a master's degree in orchestral percussion. For two years, he was percussionist of the Zurich Opera Orchestra Academy. 

He performed in orchestras such as the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, Staatsorchester Stuttgart, Orquesta Radio Televisión Española, Tonhalle Orchester Zûrich, Philharmonia Zurich, and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. 

In 2017, he was appointed principal timpanist of the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, while also performing with Le Quatuor Makrokosmos, a Swiss contemporary music quartet.

“We are extremely sad to announce the sudden passing of Sergi Sempere, principal timpanist of the Geneva Chamber Orchestra,” the ensemble wrote on their Facebook page. “His abrupt passing is the source of deep sorrow, and we will forever cherish the memory of a brilliant, endearing, and sincere young man.”

Our condolences to Mr. Sempere’s family, friends, and colleagues.