Described as a harpsichordist with ‘a unique feel for Byrd’, Friederike Chylek has emerged as ‘an outstanding exponent of early English keyboard music’ (Early Music Review). Focussing on the works of Renaissance composer William Byrd (c.1540–1623) and his contemporaries for over ten years, she has released four solo albums dedicated to this repertory on the Oehms Classics label (Time stands still, From Byrd to Byrd, William Byrd – Keyboard Music, Tallis/Byrd/Gibbons). The recordings were met with critical acclaim and were broadcasted by BBC Radio 3, BR-Klassik, France Musique and Radio SRF 2 among others.

As a Byrd specialist whose interpretations are characterized by ‘an uncommonly sober balance of emotional expressiveness with technical clarity’ (Classical Music Daily) she has held recitals at such festivals as the Byrd 400 Festival at Lincoln Cathedral and the Festival Alte Musik Zürich and in renowned concert series including Musica Antiqua at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg.

Friederike Chylek has performed with Nivalis Barokk and La Visione and in oratorios such as G.F. Handel’s Messiah and J.S. Bach’s St John Passion and is also an enthusiastic chamber musician. A duo recording with the violinist Simon Standage with Italian works of the eighteenth century was released by Chandos Records (Italians in London!) in 2015. In addition to her work as a freelance harpsichordist, she works as a church musician in the Basel region.

After undergraduate studies with Michael Eberth at the Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich, she studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel with Jesper Christensen (harpsichord and basso continuo) and Rudolf Lutz (historical improvisation).