Ruth Killius, viola
The German violist rolls out the visionary carpet on every string of her instrument. As a specialist in world premieres, the Gramophone Award of the Year winner establishes the viola on contemporary ground and earns worldwide applause, especially when playing with violinist Thomas Zehetmair.
About the artist
versite viola player
Ruth Killius’ extraordinary ability to use her instrument to revive the wealth of viola literature from the Classical to the Modern Age is without equal. The versatility of her playing has bestowed her instrument with new meaning.
contemporary music
Particularly through her interest and commitment to contemporary music, Ruth Killius, who studied with Ulrich Koch and Kim Kashkashian, has succeeded in establishing the viola as an integral part of the musical 21st century and in expanding the standard repertoire for her instrument. She participated in the performance of numerous original premieres e.g. the Brian Ferneyhough String Trio together with members of Geneva’s Ensemble Contrechamps as well as in Elliott Carter’s Oboe Quartet with Heinz Holliger. Holliger wrote his double concerto for violin, viola and small orchestra, a commission from the Salzburg Festival, for her. The performance of the original premiere of John Casken‘s double concerto That Subtle Knot, dedicated to the duo Thomas Zehetmair and Ruth Killius, together with the Royal Northern Sinfonia attracted widespread attention. In the spring of 2023, the work was released paired with Bartók’s Viola Concerto on ECM New Series.
On Stage
Ruth Killius can be heard on the international concert podiums with solo and double concertos and as a chamber musician. She has made guest appearances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, Russian National Youth Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Filharmonia Poznanska, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg and repeatedly in Gateshead and Clermont-Ferrand. Ruth Killius was Artist in Residence with the Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra in the 2016/17 season.
Together with Thomas Zehetmair, Ruth Killius formed the Zehetmair Quartet in 1994, which is now considered one of the world’s leading string quartets. A recording featuring Hindemith’s String Quartet No. 4 and Bartók’s String Quartet No. 5 was distinguished with the Diapason d’Or de l’Année of the year. In 2013, the ensemble released a recording dedicated to Beethoven, Bruckner, Hartmann and Holliger.
Recordings
For ECM, Ruth Killius has recorded a CD featuring works by Elliott Carter and Isang Yun together with Heinz Holliger and Thomas Demenga. The recording released under the Glossa label featuring Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century under Frans Brüggen is considered to be a reference recording. In April 2018, her latest recording of all Hindemith sonatas for viola was published by NoMadMusic.
The duo Thomas Zehetmair and Ruth Killius can be heard in numerous music centers. The widely regarded album Manto and Madrigals, inspired by Scelsi’s Manto for a singing violist featuring works of Bartók, Holliger, Martinů et al. was released on ECM in March 2011.
