Tabea Zimmermann

I prefer direct contact with other musicians through my instrument. Although I now have a more comprehensive picture of a composition than I did 20 years ago, I have no wish to exert control over a performance. The best results come when each musician feels invited to take part in an interpretation, the communication taking place through the musical flow.   Present-day     Soloist   Arcanto-Quartett   Professor for Viola at the Academy of Music “Hanns Eisler” Berlin   Artist in Residence in Hamburg with Ensemble Resonanz (2013-2015)   Foundation Board Member of the Hindemith Foundation Blonay/Switzerland   Chairwoman of the Board of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn   Early years and education   A career should never develop faster than one’s inner growth. Aspects like sound and tonal volume need their time to be developed. This isn’t just a question of the hands and musculature or of techniques. The imagination must develop as well.   1966 born October 8th in Lahr/Black Forest 1969 started playing the viola with Dietmar Mantel, Music School Lahr 1971 started playing the piano with Klaus Rupprecht, individually 1979-1986 Viola studies at the University of Music Freiburg with Ulrich Koch 1986-1987 continued studies with Sandor Végh at Mozarteum Salzburg   Competitions   All too often a young competition winner is taken up by an agency as the ‘new star’; the publicity machine starts rolling and the musician has to fulfill lots of engagements. He feels like a hamster in a wheel. Who can mature as an artist under such conditions? My advice to all young musicians is to trust their own instincts and allow themselves to grow. Only then is it possible for something out of the ordinary to happen.   1972 2. Prize Viola solo “Jugend musiziert” Germany 1974 1. Award Viola solo “Jugend musiziert” Germany 1. Award Instrumental Cooperation “Jugend musiziert” (Trio) Germany   1976 1. Award Viola solo “Jugend musiziert” Germany 2. Prize Chambermusic String Instruments “Jugend musiziert” (Trio) Germany   1978 1. Award Viola solo “Jugend musiziert” Germany 1980 1. Award String trio “Jugend musiziert” Germany 1982 1. Award Viola solo “Jugend musiziert” Germany 1982 1. Award at the Concours de Genève 1983 1. Award at the International Viola Competitions “Maurice Vieux” Paris, winning a Viola from Étienne Vatelot which she is playing still today 1984 1. Award Budapest Music Competitions   Teaching   I take a lot of trouble to create a spirit of community in my classes, so my students recognize that they are all individuals and don’t compete and measure themselves against one another.   1987-1989 youngest professor in Germany at the Hochschule für Musik Saar Saarbrücken 1994 professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Frankfurt/Main since 2002 professor at the Academy of Music “Hanns Eisler” Berlin   Awards   2014 Echo Klassik as intrumentalist of the year for her CD with compositions of Hindemith Vol. 1 for viola and orchestra 2014 Honorary Membership in the AVS – American Viola Society 2012 Order of Merit of Baden-Württemberg 2010 Echo Klassik as instrumentalist of the year for her solo-CD with compositions of Reger and Bach 2009 Order or Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia 2006 Paul Hindemith Award of the city of Hanau 2002 Hessian Culture Award (Hessischer Kulturpreis) 1999 Rheingau Music Award Würth Award of Jeunesses Musicales Germany 1997 International Award of the Accademia Musicale Chigiana Siena 1995 Frankfurt Music Prize   Artist in Residence   The chance to be artist in residence entails being able to risk a more varied program.   2013-2015 with Ensemble Resonanz, Hamburg 2012-2013 Bamberg Symphony Mai 2012 Bodenseefestival 2009-2010 Elbe Philharmonic Orchestra Hamburg 2008 Kunstfest Weimar 2007-2008 Philharmonic Orchestra Luxemburg 2006-2007 Philharmonic Orchestra Cologne 1999 Cité de la Musique Paris   Memberships   2013 Member of the board of the Hindemith Stiftung Blonay/Switzerland 2013 Chairwoman of the board of the Beethoven-Haus, Bonn 2012 Member of the advisory board of the Musikkindergarten Berlin e.V. 2011 Member of the Academy of Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia 2011 Ambassador of the German Foundation for Children’s Hospices   Literature   Michael Wessel: Üben Proben Karriere – 12 Interpreten im Gespräch, Bärenreiter 2012 Order at amazon.de