Tanja Bechtler

Tanja Bechtler is the artistic director and founder of the Bechtler Ensemble. The ensemble
presents concerts that are educational in nature, uniting people of all races and ages. She is
also the director of the Composers Forum, which commissions compositions inspired by a specific work of art from the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and also celebrates
underrepresented cultures.

The Bechtler Ensemble can be heard on several documentary films such as: Robert Shaw: Man of Many Voices, Double Take: The Art of Elizabeth King and In the Footsteps of Elie Wiesel, composed and recorded by Fred Story. Her CD’s include, “Shadegrown”, by Bob and Tanja, “Passage: Without Borders”, composed by David Crow, “Reflections on the Firebird”, compositions by North Carolina based composers, “Imagine a World of Harmony”, Beatles arrangements for String Quartet by M.A. Watkins, and her latest recording, “The Ancient Soul of Armenia” with music by Komitas and A. Ghuloyan. She was awarded the “Woman of Achievement” by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, which recognizes women for their significant contributions to the state of North Carolina, as well as the recipient of the IB Honeycutt Legacy Away in support of the art of poetry. In 2024 the Bechtler Ensemble was awarded the AMG Heritage Award.

Tanja Bechtler immigrated from Switzerland to North Carolina in 1979. She has her Bachelor
degree in music from the NC School of the Arts and her Masters degree from the Manhattan School of Music. For twelve years she was a tenured member of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, where she also participated in many educational residencies throughout the Mecklenburg school system. She served on the board for the Charlotte Master Chorale and WDAV, Classical Public Radio Station and is a board member at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. Currently she is also an adjunct professor at Gardner-Webb University and teaches at the Southern park Music School. Her orchestral engagements are primarily with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the Charleston Opera Theater. All of her concerts are dedicated to the Global Youth Movement, HORA Trance Sport, that is designed to develop physical and intellectual inner strength, endurance, and the ability to remain calm during any activity. (practicehora.us)