Thomas Zehetmair
Encyclopedia
Thomas Zehetmair is an Austrian
violin
ist and conductor. He studied at the Salzburg Mozarteum, where both of his parents taught. His festival debut was at age 16. He was in master classes with Nathan Milstein
and Max Rostal
.
In 1994, Zehetmair formed a string quartet which bears his name. The Zehetmair Quartet performs all works entirely from memory, and learns one new programme a year. Zehetmair has made several recordings for ECM, both as soloist and with his quartet.
Zehetmair later developed a parallel career in conducting. In November 2001, he was named Music Director and chief conductor of the Northern Sinfonia
, his first conducting post, starting with the 2002-2003 season, for an initial contract of 3 years and 6 weeks of concerts each season. In August 2005, he extended his contract for another 3 years through 2008. He continues as the orchestra's music director as of the 2008-2009 season and recently confirmed his commitment to Northern Sinfonia until 2014. He is also an "Artistic Partner" of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
in Minnesota
, a position that includes regular conducting. As a guest conductor, he has appeared regularly with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
, Chamber Orchestra of Europe
, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Gewandhaus Orchestra, and others.
Thomas Zehetmair holds an honorary doctorate from the Music Academy Franz Liszt in Weimar
. He is married to the violist Ruth Killius, who is also a member of the Zehetmair Quartet.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist and conductor. He studied at the Salzburg Mozarteum, where both of his parents taught. His festival debut was at age 16. He was in master classes with Nathan Milstein
Nathan Milstein
Nathan Mironovich Milstein was a Russian-born American virtuoso violinist.Widely considered one of the finest violinists of the 20th century, Milstein was known for his interpretations of Bach's solo violin works and for works from the Romantic period...
and Max Rostal
Max Rostal
Max Rostal was a violinist and a viola player. He was Austrian-born, but later took British citizenship.-Biography:Max Rostal was born in Cieszyn and studied with Carl Flesch. He won the Mendelssohn Scholarship in 1925...
.
In 1994, Zehetmair formed a string quartet which bears his name. The Zehetmair Quartet performs all works entirely from memory, and learns one new programme a year. Zehetmair has made several recordings for ECM, both as soloist and with his quartet.
Zehetmair later developed a parallel career in conducting. In November 2001, he was named Music Director and chief conductor of the Northern Sinfonia
Northern Sinfonia
The Northern Sinfonia is a British chamber orchestra, based initially in Newcastle upon Tyne, and currently in Gateshead. For the first 46 years of its history, the orchestra gave the bulk of its concerts at the City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne. Since 2004, the orchestra has been resident at The...
, his first conducting post, starting with the 2002-2003 season, for an initial contract of 3 years and 6 weeks of concerts each season. In August 2005, he extended his contract for another 3 years through 2008. He continues as the orchestra's music director as of the 2008-2009 season and recently confirmed his commitment to Northern Sinfonia until 2014. He is also an "Artistic Partner" of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra , based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, is the United States' only full-time professional chamber orchestra...
in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, a position that includes regular conducting. As a guest conductor, he has appeared regularly with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is a symphony orchestra of the Netherlands, based at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In 1988, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands conferred the "Royal" title upon the orchestra...
, Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
The Chamber Orchestra of Europe , established in 1981, is administratively based in London. The orchestra comprises about 60 members coming from across Europe. The players pursue parallel careers as international soloists, members of eminent chamber groups, and as tutors and professors of music...
, Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Gewandhaus Orchestra, and others.
Thomas Zehetmair holds an honorary doctorate from the Music Academy Franz Liszt in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
. He is married to the violist Ruth Killius, who is also a member of the Zehetmair Quartet.