Thomas Zehetmair

Thomas 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, Staatskapelle Dresden and the German Radio Symphony Orchestras. He also performs with the NHK Tokyo Orchestra and with the Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra in the US.

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.

As chamber musician, Thomas Zehetmair plays with many distinguished colleagues and in several formations. In 1994 he formed the internationally highly acclaimed Zehetmair Quartet, with whom he has recorded string quartets by Hartmann, Hindemith, Bartok and Schumann on the ECM New Series.

Thomas Zehetmair has recorded nearly the entire violin repertoire on CD. His latest CD releases include the Ysaye 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 2002/2003 season he took up his appointment as Music Director of the Northern Sinfonia, a Founding Partner of The Sage Gateshead.

Thomas Zehetmair holds an honorary doctorate from the Music Academy Franz Liszt in Weimar.