Andreas Gabriel belongs to a younger generation of violinists who are characterized by their versatility and who move with virtuosity from one musical genre to another. He comes from a family steeped in the Swiss music tradition. He began to play the violin at the age of seven, and was soon a member of the family ensemble along with his sisters, accompanied by their father on the double bass. They were known all across Switzerland, played on the radio and TV, and recorded two CDs. After completing his schooling, Andreas Gabriel studied the violin at the Lucerne Music Academy with Daniel Dodds. He also learnt matters of historical performance practice from Brian Dean and studied the interpretation of new music with Bettina Skrypzak. After finishing his studies, he discovered his roots anew, began to research into ‘lost’ Swiss fiddle music and experimented with old melodies. The field recordings of Hanny Christen were an inspiration to him, as were European folk violinists, first and foremost Rudi Pietsch from Austria. More and more, Gabriel developed his own individual ‘Swiss’ fiddling style. He is in demand as a teacher, and imparts his knowledge to others through courses and workshops.