Erich Höbarth, violin
The Viennese is THE grand master on the violin. From the Végh Quartet to the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the Cappella Andrea Barca Orchestra, the Vienna String Sextet, the Quatuor Mosaïques and the Concentus Musicus, he has always sat on the first music stand. His diversity, also as a soloist, is documented on numerous highly decorated recordings.
About the artist
sought-after concertmaster, chamber musician and soloist
Career
Erich Höbarth comes from Vienna. He studied at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Franz Samohyl, and later at the Salzburg Mozarteum with Sándor Végh. From 1977 to 1980 he was a member of the famous Végh Quartet. He went on to be first concert master of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra for seven years. In 1981 he became concert master, and a soloist, in Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s Concentus Musicus Wien. During this time, he also founded the Wiener Streichsextett, to perform string sextets and string quintets in the traditional Viennese style; for 25 years the ensemble, in the same line-up throughout, gave very successful concerts around the world. Since 1986 Erich Höbarth has been a member of the Quatuor Mosaïques, which is dedicated to historically informed performances on period instruments.
Soloist
As a soloist Erich Höbarth has appeared with numerous international orchestras. His outstanding chamber music partners, with whom he regularly appears at the leading European concert halls and at the great international festivals, include András Schiff, Sabine Meyer and Elisabeth Leonskaja. He gives numerous Schubertiade evenings in his piano trio with András Schiff and the cellist Christophe Coin.
For nine years, Erich Höbarth was artistic director of Camerata Bern. He is concert master of the orchestra Cappella Andrea Barca founded by András Schiff.
Recordings
His wide-ranging work is documented on numerous CD recordings, which have won awards including a Gramophone Award.
Teaching
Erich Höbarth has taught violin and chamber music at the Universities of Music in Graz and Vienna, and has given masterclasses internationally. From 2013 to 2022 he was professor of violin at the University of Music and Theatre Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in Leipzig.
