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Thomas Zehetmair PDF Print E-mail
zehetmair.jpgThomas Zehetmair is one of the most significant violinists of his generation. He enjoys a successful international career thrilling audiences and critics with his abilities as a soloist, chamber musician and conductor.
In Europe, Thomas is a regular guest of the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic, Gewandhaus Leipzig Orchestra, Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Bamberg Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Munich Chamber, Warsaw National Philharmonic, Helsinki Rso, Hallé Orchestra Manchester and the German Radio Symphony Orchestras. He also performs with the Nhk Tokyo Orchestra and with the Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra.
Besides his commitment to the standard violin repertoire, he dedicates a large part of his artistic activities to contemporary music. He has given a number of first performances, most recently the Violin Concerto written for him by Heinz Holliger and the Violin Concertos of James Dillon and Hans-Jürgen von Bose.
In 1994 he formed the internationally highly acclaimed Zehetmair Quartet, with whom he has recorded String Quartets by Hartmann, Hindemith, Bartók and Schumann on the Ecm New Series. Thomas Zehetmair has recorded nearly the entire violin repertoire on Cd. In 1997 he won a “Gramophone Award” for his recording of the Szymanowski Violin Concertos with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Sir Simon Rattle. His recording of the Beethoven Violin Concerto and Romances with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century and Frans Brüggen is regarded as an important addition to the catalogue. His latest Cd releases include the Ysaÿe Sonatas for solo violin, the Holliger Violin Concerto with the Swr Sinfonie-Orchester, which was conducted by the composer, and the Beethoven Triple Concerto with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt.
More recently Thomas launched a second career as a conductor: In the 2002/03 season he took up his appointment as Music Director of the Northern Sinfonia, a Founding Partner of The Sage Gateshead. Successful concert tour as well as several Cds attest to this extraordinary collaboration. Their latest recording for Avie Records includes Brahms’ Violin Concerto and Schumann’s Symphony no. 4 with Thomas Zehetmair in double function as soloist and conductor.
Besides his working with the Northern Sinfonia, he has made guest appearances with the Camerata Academica Salzburg, the Chamber Orchestras of Vienna and Munich, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Mdr Sinfonie Orchester Leipzig, Ensemble Orchestral Paris, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Helsinki Rso, Bamberg Symphonics as well as with the National Philharmonic Orchestra Warsaw, the Hallé Orchestra Manchester and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. He also maintains a close association with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century.
In 2005, Thomas was honoured with the “Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik” for his versatile artistic work as soloist, conductor and chamber musician. In 2007 he was awarded the “Karl-Böhm-Interpretationspreis des Landes Steiermark” during a ceremony at Graz Castle. The laudation was presented by Heinz Holliger.
Thomas Zehetmair holds an honorary doctorate from the Music Academy Franz Liszt in Weimar.