Simone Keller, a classical pianist by training but with a transversal and interdisciplinary outlook, was born in Weinfelden, in the canton of Thurgau, in 1980. As an artist and performer, she feels at home in contemporary music, musical theatre, improvisation, and in experimental and participatory formats. A tireless initiator of musical projects, her ensembles are true frameworks for the exploration of contemporary sound: the Kukuruz Quartet (which researches in spectacular fashion the potential of prepared pianos played by eight hands), the TZARA Ensemble (which works between contemporary music and mediation) and the Retro Disco trio (with horn, cello and synthesisers). She is a regular guest of ensembles such as Collegium Novum Zürich, Ensemble Contrechamps Geneva and Glassfarm Ensemble New York.

In 2014, in collaboration with director Philip Bartels she set up the ox&öl collective, which organises projects in the field of experimental musical theatre and participatory awareness programmes focusing on diversity and inclusion: this pioneering educational work was awarded the Junge Ohren Prize in Frankfurt in 2017 and recognised by the Culture Office of the Canton of Zurich. Simone Keller was also awarded the 2021 Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Prize.