Famous Violists

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria, shaped the classical era. His talent showed early; he wrote his first piece at age five. He toured Europe with his family, playing for royalty and impressing audiences with his music and compositions. Mozart created over 800 works, including symphonies, operas, chamber music, sonatas, and choral pieces.

Ludwig Van Beethoven worked on many projects during his entertainment career. He worked on early entertainment projects like "All Boys are Called Patrick" (1957), "Dishonored" (1931) starring Marlene Dietrich, and "Fantasia" (1940) starring Deems Taylor. He also worked on "L' Age d'Or" (1930) starring Gaston Modot, "Schlussakkord" (1936), and "Un Chien Andalou" (1928). Oleg Yankovsky (1989) credited Beethoven in "Kreutzerova Sonata" (1989), "L' Heritage de la chouette" (1989), and Miou-Miou (1989) credited him in "La Lectrice" (1989).

Johann Sebastian Bach (March 31, 1685 – July 28, 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He wrote instrumental works like the Art of Fugue, the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. He also composed vocal music, such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. Since the 19th-century Bach Revival, critics regard him as one of the greatest composers in Western art music.

Franz Peter Schubert (German: [ˈfʁant͡s ˈpeːtɐ ˈʃuːbɐt]; January 31, 1797 – November 19, 1828) was an Austrian composer from the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Schubert left behind a large body of work despite his short life. This includes over 600 secular vocal works (mostly Lieder), seven complete symphonies, sacred music, operas, incidental music, and much piano and chamber music. Major works include the Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 (Trout Quintet), Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 (Unfinished Symphony), the final three piano sonatas (D. 958–960), and the opera Fierrab.

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (November 22, 1913 – December 4, 1976), was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a key figure in 20th-century British classical music, writing operas, vocal music, orchestral pieces, and chamber works. His best works include the opera Peter Grimes (1945), the War Requiem (1962), and the orchestral piece The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1945). Born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, the son of a dentist, Britten showed talent early. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London and privately with

Franz Joseph Haydn (German: [ˈfʁants ˈjoːzɛf ˈhaɪdn̩] (listen); March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809) composed in the Classical period. He shaped chamber music, including the piano trio. Haydn's work on musical form earned him the titles "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet". Haydn worked much of his career as a court musician for the wealthy Esterházy family at their remote estate. This isolation kept him away from other composers and music trends, forcing him to become...

Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (February 3, 1809 – November 4, 1847), known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist, and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn wrote symphonies, concertos, piano music, and chamber music. His best works include the Overture and incidental music for A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Italian Symphony, the Scottish Symphony, the oratorio Elijah, the overture The Hebrides, his mature Violin Concerto, and his String Octet. The melody for "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" comes from his work.

Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (also US: , Italian: [ˈklaudjo monteˈverdi] (listen); baptized May 15, 1567 – November 29, 1643) was an Italian composer, string player, and choirmaster. Monteverdi wrote secular and sacred music and pioneered opera. He acts as a key link between the Renaissance and Baroque music periods. He began his musical studies and compositions in Cremona. Monteverdi developed his career first at the court of Mantua (c. 1590–1613) and continued until his death in the Republic of Venice.

Maxim Alexandrovich Vengerov (Russian: Максим Александрович Венгеров, pronounced [mɐkˈsʲim ɐlʲɪˈksandrəvʲɪtɕ vʲɪnˈɡʲɛrəf]) (born August 20, 1974 in Novosibirsk) is a Russian-born Israeli violinist, violist, and conductor.

Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin (April 22, 1916 – March 12, 1999), was an American-born violinist and conductor. He spent most of his performing career in Britain. Many consider him one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. Menuhin played the Soil Stradivarius, a violin considered one of the finest made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari.

Pinchas Zukerman (Hebrew: פנחס צוקרמן‎, born July 16, 1948) is an Israeli-American violinist, violist, and conductor.

Janine Jansen (Dutch pronunciation: [ʒɑnine jɑnsən]), born January 7, 1978, in Soest, Netherlands, is a violinist and violist.

David Fyodorovich Oistrakh (born 30 September [O.S. 17 September] 1908, died 24 October 1974) played violin and viola. Oistrakh worked with major orchestras and musicians globally. He dedicated many violin works, including Dmitri Shostakovich's violin concerti and Aram Khachaturian's violin concerto. Many view him as a top 20th-century violinist.

Leroy Jenkins, an American composer and violinist/violist, lived in Chicago, March 11, 1932, to February 24, 2007, in New York City.

Paul Hindemith (November 16, 1895 – December 28, 1963) was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, and conductor. In the 1920s, Hindemith championed the Neue Sachlichkeit (new objectivity) music style. His works include the song cycle Das Marienleben (1923), Der Schwanendreher for viola and orchestra (1935), and the opera Mathis der Maler (1938). His most popular work, both recorded and performed, is likely the Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber, written in 1943.

Nigel Kennedy, born December 28, 1956, is an English violinist and violist. Kennedy started his career in classical music and now performs in jazz, klezmer, and other music styles.

Jennifer Stumm is an American violist.

Tabea Zimmermann was born October 8, 1966, in Lahr, Germany. She started learning viola at age three and began piano studies at five. At thirteen, she studied viola with Ulrich Koch at the Conservatory of Freiburg, then studied with Sándor Végh at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg. She won first prizes in international competitions: Genève, Budapest, and the Maurice Vieux International Viola Competition in Paris. For this, she received a fine instrument made by luthier Étienne Vatelot, which she still has.

Shlomo Mintz (Hebrew: שלמה מינץ), born October 30, 1957, is an Israeli violin virtuoso, violist, and conductor. Mintz frequently performs with orchestras and conductors on the world stage. He appears in recitals and chamber music concerts across the globe.

Charles Édouard Dutoit, born October 7, 1936, is a Swiss conductor. In September 2018, he became the principal guest conductor of the St Petersburg Philharmonic for the 2018-2019 season. In 2017, he was the 103rd recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal Award. Dutoit served as the former artistic director and principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor emeritus of the NHK Symphony Orchestra of Tokyo, and conductor laureate of the Philadelphia Orchestra until the orchestra removed his title after multiple claims of sexual misconduct.

Josef Suk (August 8, 1929 – July 6, 2011) was a Czech violinist, violist, chamber musician, and conductor. In his home country, Suk held the title of National Artist.

Roger Chase, a British violist, teaches at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Roger Chase was born in London. He studied under Bernard Shore at the Royal College of Music from 1964 to 1974. Mr. Chase earned his ARCM degree [associate honors diploma] in 1974, one year before Tertis died. Mr. Chase now owns the 1717 Montagnana viola. This instrument was used by Tertis during his peak performing years. He got it in Paris when it was broken up. This 17 1/8" instrument inspired him.

William Shield was an English composer, violinist, and violist. He was born on March 5, 1748, and died on January 25, 1829. William Shield was born in Swalwell near Gateshead, County Durham. He was the son of William Shield and his wife, Mary, née Cash.

Bruno Giuranna is an Italian violist. Giuranna's website states: "Bruno Giuranna, born in Milan, finished his music studies at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, earning his diploma in violin and viola. He co-founded the renowned chamber group I Musici. Giuranna performed as a soloist on the viola and viola d’amore, joining many acclaimed tours across Europe, Asia, North America, and Central America." Giuranna started his solo career in 1954, performing the world premiere of Giorgio Federico Ghedini’s Concerto for Viola and Orchestra with Herbert von Karajan.

Elly Winer is a violist.

Kim Kashkashian, an Armenian-American violist, was born on August 31, 1952, in Detroit, Michigan. Kashkashian won a Grammy award.

Henri-Gustave Casadesus was a violist, viola d'amore player, and music publisher. He lived from September 30, 1879, in Paris until May 31, 1947.

Jocelyn Pook, born February 14, 1960, is an English composer, pianist, and viola player.

Alessandro Rolla (Italian pronunciation: [alesˈsandro ˈrɔlla]; April 22, 1757 – September 15, 1841) was an Italian viola and violin virtuoso, composer, conductor, and teacher. His son, Antonio Rolla, also became a violin virtuoso and composer. Rolla's fame now centers on his role as a "teacher of the great Paganini," but his work greatly shaped violin and viola technique. Paganini later used technical innovations Rolla pioneered, such as left-hand pizzicato, chromatic scales moving up and down, playing in very high positions on violin and viola, and octave passages.

Chris Raschka was born March 6, 1959. He works as an American illustrator, writer, and violist. Raschka illustrated children's literature. In 2012, he received a U.S. nomination for the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal. "Yo! Yes?" won a Caldecott Honor Book in 1994. Raschka gained wider fame for "Hello, Goodbye Window," which won the 2006 Caldecott Medal, and for his book "A Ball for Daisy," which won the 2012 Caldecott Medal. Raschka grew up in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He spent part of his childhood in Austria; his mother was there.

Biddy Connor composes film scores and plays music.

Jordi Savall i Bernadet (Catalan: [ˈʒɔɾði səˈβaʎ i βəɾnəˈðɛt]; born August 1, 1941) conducts and plays the viol. Savall became a major figure in Western early music since the 1970s. He popularized the viol family, especially the viola da gamba, in modern performances and recordings. His work features medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music, though he sometimes plays Classical and Romantic pieces.

Hermann Scherchen, born June 21, 1891, died June 12, 1966. He was a German conductor.

Carlo Maria Giulini (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkarlo maˈriːa dʒuˈliːni]; May 9, 1914 – June 14, 2005) conducted music in Italy. Giulini started playing the violin at age five. At sixteen, he studied at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy's top conservatory. He studied viola and conducting first. After an audition, he earned a spot in the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He won a conducting competition two years later but did not accept the award.

Milton Katims (June 24, 1909 – February 27, 2006) was an American violist and conductor. He directed the Seattle Symphony for 22 years, from 1954 to 1976. During that time, he added over 75 works, made recordings, premiered new pieces, and led the orchestra on tours. He grew the orchestra's family and suburban outreach concerts. Katims also gained fame for his many transcriptions and arrangements for viola.

Jaime Laredo (born June 7, 1941 in Cochabamba, Bolivia) plays the violin and conducts. Laredo became the conductor and Music Director of the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. He started his music career at age five. In 1948, he came to North America and took lessons from Antonio de Grassi. He studied with Frank Houser then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to study under Josef Gingold in 1953. He studied with Ivan Galamian at the Curtis Institute of Music until graduation. From 1960 to 1974, he married pianist Ruth Laredo. Laredo now teaches at the famous Indian [Note: Assuming 'Indian' is an incomplete reference, keeping as is per instruction].

Rebecca Clarke (27 August 1886 – 13 October 1979) composed classical music and played the viol. She is best known for chamber music featuring the viola. Clarke was born in Harrow. She studied at the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music in London. Clarke became one of the first female professional orchestral players. Stranded in the United States during World War II, she moved permanently to New York City and married composer and pianist James Friskin in 1944. Clarke died at her New York home at age 93. Clarke's output was small, but her work shows recognition.

Pierre Benjamin Monteux (pronounced [pjɛʁ mɔ̃.tø]; April 4, 1875 – July 1, 1964) was a French (later American) conductor. After studying violin and viola, and playing in an orchestra for ten years and conducting occasionally, he started getting regular conducting jobs in 1907. He gained fame when, for Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company between 1911 and 1914, he conducted the world premieres of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring and other major works, including Petrushka, Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, and Debussy's Jeux. Afterward, he directed orchestras globally for over a decade.

Alfred Uhl (June 5, 1909 – June 8, 1992) was an Austrian composer, violist, music teacher, and conductor.

Brett Dean (born October 23, 1961 in Brisbane) is a contemporary Australian composer, violist, and conductor.

Julian Rachlin (born December 8, 1974) is a Lithuanian-born violinist, violist, and conductor.

Rosemary Glyde (September 15, 1948 — January 18, 1994) was an American violist and composer. She expanded the solo viola repertoire by writing and transcribing pieces for the instrument. These works included Sergei Rachmaninoff's Cello Sonata and Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suites for viola. Glyde founded the New York Viola Society in 1992. Glyde became a violist after studying soprano and violin under her father, a graduate of the Royal Academy.

Oskar Nedbal (March 26, 1874 – December 24, 1930) was a Czech violist, composer, and conductor of classical music.

Anni Rossi is an American singer, songwriter, and producer from Minnesota, currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She plays an electric-viola made from a tree branch by former Swans percussionist Thor Harris. Rossi uses modern guitar and bass techniques on this instrument, alongside traditional viola styles. Recently, her music has added elements of RnB and electronic music.

Naruhito (徳仁, pronounced [naɾɯçi̥to]; born February 23, 1960) is the Emperor of Japan. He became the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1, 2019, starting the Reiwa era after his father, Emperor Akihito, abdicated. He is the 126th monarch in Japan's traditional line of succession.

Geraldine Lamboley Walther (born July 22, 1950 in Tampa, Florida) is an American violist. Since 2005, she has been a member of the Takács String Quartet, replacing Roger Tapping as the violist. She was the former principal violist of the San Francisco Symphony, a job she held from 1976 to 2005. Before that, she was assistant principal viola for the Pittsburgh Symphony, Miami Symphony, and Baltimore Symphony. She won first prize at the Primrose International Viola Competition in 1979. She now teaches at the University of Colorado at Boulder's music faculty.

Eric Francis Harrison Coates (August 27, 1886 – December 21, 1957) composed light music and played the viola early in his career. Coates came from a musical family. Despite his talent and desires, his parents only reluctantly let him pursue music. He studied composition with Frederick Corder and viola with Lionel Tertis at the Royal Academy of Music. Coates played in string quartets and theatre pit bands. He later joined symphony orchestras led by Thomas Beecham and Henry Wood. Coates's playing experience added to his tough training.

Lev Zhurbin was born August 18, 1978, in Moscow, Russia. He is a composer and violist.

Jan Václav Antonín Stamic, later Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz in Mannheim, Germanized as Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz (June 18, 1717, Deutschbrod, Bohemia – March 27, 1757, Mannheim, Electorate of the Palatinate), was a Czech composer and violinist. His sons, Carl and Anton Stamitz, were major composers of the Mannheim school. Johann is seen as the school's founder. His music shifts style between Baroque and Classical periods.

Yuri Abramovich Bashmet, born January 24, 1953, is a Russian conductor, violinist, and violist.