Benno Ernst plays in numerous bands and projects. As Niño, he lives his lifeblood and plays his genuine, own music, which is presented on this website.

 

In the following biography his entire cultural work is examined. You can find the links under "Bands / Links".

Benno Ernst was born in 1982 in the Swiss town of Aarau. He started playing guitar at the age of five.

For the next 16 years, he received further training from various teachers in various styles. He trained his voice without any teacher, or rather, he simply sang, no matter whether before, during or after the puberty vocal change and no matter how it sounded. He started artistic projects and founded school bands while still at school. After graduating from high school in 2003, Benno Ernst devoted himself entirely to his cultural preferences music, theater and tango. In 2007 he completed the specialist course for stage lighting (sftb). Since 2011 he has been in Buenos Aires for a total of 17 weeks in order to further train as a tango dancer.

Today he is a freelance and independent musician, actor and tango dancer.

He is currently on the road with bands and projects from a wide variety of fields. These are currently:

- Niño (singer-songwriter)
- STEEM (alternative rock)
- Chommerbuebe (Swiss dialect songs)
- Sugar and the Josephines (jazz / evergreens)
- Salut les Copains (French chansons)
- The Sheds (Irish trad./folk)
- Crown Affair (smooth jazz funk)
- The Möckli Tales (theatrical reading)

 

Substitute musician at:
- The Sporthorses and the Guggenheim Box (music performance theater)

- Assistant Sheriff Tom (country band for children)

 

In addition, Benno Ernst works as a studio musician, teaches tango dance and participates in theater and film projects.

His goal is always to be able to implement ideas according to his taste, regardless of losses, directly and honestly.
His own artistic freedom was and is always more important to him than commercial success. Authenticity, simplicity and fun are the most important things in his work as an artist.

 

 

Musical career (key points):

 

From 1987 to 2004 guitar lessons with various teachers.

1996: Foundation of the band "Steam" (later "STEEM")
1999: Singer and actor in the musical "Time Cruiser (ZH / AG)
2000: Direction of the youth choir “TenSing Switzerland” at the Expo Hannover (DE)
2001: Participation as a singer and guitarist in the music theater "VerSTIMMung" (AG)
2002: Participation as a singer and guitarist in the music theater "Jazz Moods" (AG / BE)
2002: CD production with band project "Silver Circle"
2004: Film music for short film “A life like jelly” by Lena Vurma
2004: Funding contribution from the Aargauer Kuratorium
2005: Joined the management team of the annual music camp of the Aarau district school
2005: Foundation of the jazz band "Marybellsteve" (today: "Sugar & the Josephines)
2005: Participation as a singer in the music theater "Moments" (CH)
2005: Contribution to the artistic work of the Aargauer Kuratorium
2006: CD production "Niño - rooms and stories"
2006: Foundation of the guitar duo "Chommerbuebe"
2006: performance of the first Chommerbuebe program "Adie wält"
2006: Acapella project "Vocal Cords" in Aarau
2006: CD production with "Bad News Entertainment" (AG / ZH)
2007: Music and drama in the theater "Spinner" (AG / ZH)
2007: Creation of the Chommerbuebe program "Es Kafi ond es Gepfeli"
2008: Chommerbuebe become Pro Argovia Artist 08/09
2008: CD production "STEEM - empty sun"
2008: CD production "Niño - the entertainer"
2008: Participation in CD production of "Nando Palé - destinacion mundo"
2008: Participation in CD production of "Starcellar - OK ON"
2008: Participation in CD production of "Michael Zander - liquor, limes & the treasures of life"
2009: Musical accompaniment of "lectures on the art of eating"
2009: CD production "Chommerbuebe - gang dedor dor"
2009: CD production "Sugar and the Josephines - Live"
2010: Musical participation in the SF documentary: "Dunkelschwarzi Auge - Der Dichter Paul Haller" by Franziska Schlienger
2010: Composition of "Apprendiamo Sempre", official song of the national Swiss learning festival 2010
2011: Sugar and the Josephines become Pro Argovia Artist 10/11
2011: CD production "Niño - LIFE"
2012: CD production "STEEM - How About"
2013: CD production "Sugar and the Josephines - rhythm is our business"
2013: Paul Haller cycle and CD production “Aber Schmützli git's ekäis! - Stephan Hunziker, Benno Ernst, Liliane Gubler, Michael Wolf "
2013: Production of the EP "Niño - Departure"
2014: Club tour as a guest with the New Orleans brass band "Ed Elastic"
2015: Release of the music video for "No Walls", produced by Tom Karrer
2016: CD production "Niño - No Dress Code"
2016: Release of the music video for "No Dress Code", produced by WALKINGFRAMES
2017: CD production "Sugar and the Josephines - la rumba senza te"
2019: Composition and recording of two songs for the film "The Adventures of a Mathematician", dragonflyfilms Berlin, Warner Brothers

2019: Production of the EP "Niño - Desires"

2021: Production of the album „Niño – Brown and Blue"

 

 

 

Acting career (key points):

 

1993: Performances with the clown ensemble "Die Hotten und die Kuhlen" in Aarau
1998: Performances with the clown ensemble "Rosaroter Pinguin" in Aargau
1999: Participation as a singer and actor in the musical "Time Cruiser" (ZH / AG)
1999: Performances with the clown trio “Schrompfdepozänter” in Aargau
1999 - 05: Participation in various theater productions of different highschools in Aarau
2002: Performances on variety evenings with clown duo "Irish Blues Harmony"
2003: Participation in a diploma thesis at the Drama School Zürich (HDK)
2003: Foundation of "OBÜ" open stage in the Kulturhaus Flösserplatz in Aarau
2004: One-man theater “Dadariété” by and with Niño
2004: Foundation of the series of events "Fesselspiele" in Aarau
2005: One-man theater "DINOlog about the nonsense of life" by and with Niño
2005: Work as a clown in the "Kijumu" mobile children's museum in the Zurich area
2005: Head of theater improvisation course "Wolfgang" in Aarau with Christian Gysi
2005: Teacher of the theater course "K13" in Zurich
2005: Participation in a diploma thesis at the Drama School (HDK) ZH
2005: Music theater about Frank Wedekind at Lenzburg Castle
2005: Participation in the theater festival “Theaterglut” in Aarau
2006: One-man theater "Teigwaren" by and with Niño
2009: One-man theater "LICHT" by and with Benno Ernst
2011: Acting at "Karussell Amor" (WAHRHAFTIGE PRODUKTIONEN)
2012: Official speech at the youth festival in Biberstein on the topic of "happiness"
2013: Theatrical reading "The Möckli Tales" with Oliver Keller on double bass