A rotating commission of freelance musicians decides on the awarding of the contributions. The commission members are usually appointed for 2 years and are mostly former scholarship holders.
Each member has extensive experience gained through many years of artistic work. This personal expertise shall shape the commission’s work.
Hendrika Entzian (42) is a double bassist, composer, and arranger who lives in Cologne with her family. She is the co-artistic director of the EOS Chamber Orchestra. With her own big band, Hendrika Entzian+, she released the debut album *Marble* in 2020, which was nominated for the German Jazz Prize. In 2018, she received the WDR Jazz Prize in the composition category, and since 2025 she has been a professor of jazz arrangement and composition at the Mannheim University of Music.
Charlotte Lang (29) is a Swiss-Dutch alto and baritone saxophonist and composer from Basel. She plays in the Swiss Jazz Orchestra and the Basel Jazz Orchestra, leads the Charlotte Lang Group, and is a member of the trio H3R as well as the baritone saxophone duo Tschopp X Lang. Her debut album was released in 2024 on Unit Records. She has been teaching at the music school at Jazzcampus Basel since 2025.
Ibadet Ramadani (48) lives with her family in Berlin. As a longtime member of the band Super700, she contributed to five albums. In 2023, she released her first solo album, marking the beginning of a new artistic chapter. In addition to her music career, she works as a mediator, helping people in conflict find their way to mutual understanding.
Florian Egli (42) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer. As a saxophonist and bassist, he performs on international stages with a wide range of ensembles, from jazz to indie pop. In his role as bandleader, he continuously initiates new, often award-winning projects like Weird Beard. Under the solo alias Michael Benedikt, he is deeply dedicated to studio work.
Keshav Purushotham (41) is a musician, composer, producer, and label owner based in Cologne. With his project “Keshavara,” he has released three albums, toured across Europe, and was awarded the PopNRW Prize in the “Outstanding Artist” category in 2020. He runs the label Papercup Records and composes music for films, theatre productions, and well-known pop acts.
Ibadet Ramadani (48) lives with her family in Berlin. As a longtime member of the band Super700, she contributed to five albums. In 2023, she released her first solo album, marking the beginning of a new artistic chapter. In addition to her music career, she works as a mediator, helping people in conflict find their way to mutual understanding.
Florian Egli (42) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer. As a saxophonist and bassist, he performs on international stages with a wide range of ensembles, from jazz to indie pop. In his role as bandleader, he continuously initiates new, often award-winning projects like Weird Beard. Under the solo alias Michael Benedikt, he is deeply dedicated to studio work.
Keshav Purushotham (41) is a musician, composer, producer, and label owner based in Cologne. With his project “Keshavara,” he has released three albums, toured across Europe, and was awarded the PopNRW Prize in the “Outstanding Artist” category in 2020. He runs the label Papercup Records and composes music for films, theatre productions, and well-known pop acts.
Matthias Pichler (43) is a freelance double bassist and lives with his family in Berlin. His work explores the intersections of jazz, improvised music, folklore, and songwriting. As a sideman and co-leader, he performs all over the world. His latest project is a solo double bass program, which will premiere in September 2024 at the Klangspuren Festival in Tyrol.
Daniela Weinmann (41) is a songwriter and has released three studio albums and three EPs under the pseudonym “Odd Beholder.” She is signed to the Berlin-based label Sinnbus and tours across Europe. She is a co-founder of Music Declares Emergency Switzerland, where she raises awareness among musicians about ecological sustainability.
Matthias Pichler, D
Daniela Weinmann, CH
Joy Frempong, D
Martina Berther, CH
Victor Moser, CH
Martina Berther, CH
Joy Frempong, DE
Victor Moser, CH
Luca Sisera, CH
Kathrin Pechlof, DE
Luca Sisera, CH
Kathrin Pechlof, DE
Lucia Cadotsch, DE
Tobias Meier, CH
Kathrin Pechlof, DE
Lucia Cadotsch, DE
Tobias Meier, CH
Stefan Rusconi, DE
Lucia Cadotsch, DE
Tobias Meier, CH
Fabienne Schmucki, CH
Stefan Rusconi, DE
