Frank Peter Zimmermann
ViolinFrank Peter Zimmermann is widely regarded as one of the foremost violinists of his generation. Praised for his selfless musicality, his brilliance and keen intelligence he has been performing with all major orchestras in the world for well over three decades, collaborating on these occasions with the world’s most renowned conductors. His many concert engagements take him to all important concert venues and international music festivals in Europe, the United States, Asia, South America and Australia.
Read moreFrank Peter Zimmermann is widely regarded as one of the foremost violinists of his generation. Praised for his selfless musicality, his brilliance and keen intelligence he has been performing with all major orchestras in the world for well over three decades, collaborating on these occasions with the world’s most renowned conductors. His many concert engagements take him to all important concert venues and international music festivals in Europe, the United States, Asia, South America and Australia.
Highlights during the 2021/22 season include a residency with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Jonathan Nott, as well as engagements with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks and Klaus Mäkelä, the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester and Manfred Honeck, the Bamberger Symphoniker and Jakub Hrůša and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Staatskapelle Berlin, both with Daniele Gatti.
With pianist Martin Helmchen he is performing the complete or partial Beethoven sonata cycle in various major cities in Europe. BIS Records has meanwhile released the complete cycle on 3 CDs.
In 2010 he formed the Trio Zimmermann with viola player Antoine Tamestit and cellist Christian Poltéra; the trio has been performing in all major music centres and festivals in Europe. BIS Records released award-winning CD recordings of works for string trio by J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Schoenberg and Hindemith.
Over the years Frank Peter Zimmermann has built up an impressive discography for EMI Classics, Sony Classical, BIS Records, hänssler CLASSIC, Ondine, Decca, Teldec Classics and ECM Records. He has recorded virtually all major concerto repertoire, ranging from Bach to Ligeti, as well as recital repertoire. Many of these highly acclaimed recordings have received prestigious awards and prizes worldwide. Most recent releases include the two violin concertos of Martinů with the Bamberger Symphoniker and Jakub Hrůša, coupled with the solo sonata of Bartók (BIS); the two violin concertos of Shostakovich with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester and Alan Gilbert (BIS; nominated for a Grammy Award); and the violin concertos of J.S. Bach with the Berliner Barock Solisten (hänssler CLASSIC). In September 2021 the Berliner Philharmoniker released a special CD on its own label with Mr. Zimmermann’s performances of the Bartók, Beethoven and Berg concertos under conductors Alan Gilbert, Daniel Harding and Kirill Petrenko resp.
He received a number of special prizes and honours, among which the “Premio del Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena” (1990), the “Rheinischer Kulturpreis” (1994), the “Musikpreis” of the city of Duisburg (2002), the “Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse der Bundesrepublik Deutschland” (2008) and the “Paul-Hindemith-Preis der Stadt Hanau” (2010).
Mr. Zimmermann has given four world premieres: Magnus Lindberg’s violin concerto no. 2 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Jaap van Zweden (2015) with further performances with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, both under Daniel Harding and with the New York Philharmonic and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, both under Alan Gilbert. He also premiered the violin concerto “en sourdine” by Matthias Pintscher with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Peter Eötvös (2003), the violin concerto “The Lost Art of Letter Writing” by Brett Dean, who received the 2009 Grawemeyer Award for this composition, with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by the composer (2007) and the violin concerto no. 3 “Juggler in Paradise” by Augusta Read Thomas with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Andrey Boreyko (2009).
Born in 1965 in Duisburg, Germany, Mr. Zimmermann started playing the violin when he was 5 years old, giving his first concert with orchestra at the age of 10. He studied with Valery Gradov, Saschko Gawriloff and Herman Krebbers.
Mr. Zimmermann plays on the 1711 Antonio Stradivari violin “Lady Inchiquin”, which is kindly provided by the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf, “Kunst im Landesbesitz”.
Representation
General Management: Nymus Artists
Germany: Michael Kocyan Artists Management
Spain: Duetto Management
Concerts
- September 1, 2022, 7:00 pm
Geisenheim-Johannisberg, Germany
Schloss Johannisberg
Recital
Piano: Martin Helmchen
Brahms – Sonata no. 2 in A major for violin and piano, op. 100
Bartók – Sonata no. 2 for violin and piano, Sz.76
Brahms – Sonata for clarinet and piano no. 2 in E flat major, op. 120 no. 2 (transcribed for violin)
Brahms – Sonata no. 3 in d minor for violin and piano, op. 108
https://www.rheingau-musik-festival.de - September 8, 2022, 7:30 pm
Essen, Germany
Philharmonie Essen
Essener Philharmoniker
Conductor: Tomáš Netopil
Bartók – Rhapsody for violin and orchestra no. 2, Sz 90
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
https://www.theater-essen.de/philharmoniker/ - September 9, 2022, 7:30 pm
Essen, Germany
Philharmonie Essen
Essener Philharmoniker
Conductor: Tomáš Netopil
Bartók – Rhapsody for violin and orchestra no. 2, Sz 90
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
https://www.theater-essen.de/philharmoniker/ - September 13, 2022, 7:30 pm
Bern 31, Switzerland
Zentrum Paul Klee
Recital
Piano: Martin Helmchen
Brahms – Sonata no. 2 in A major for violin and piano, op. 100
Bartók – Sonata no. 2 for violin and piano, Sz.76
Brahms – Sonata for clarinet and piano no. 2 in E flat major, op. 120 no. 2 (transcribed for violin)
Brahms – Sonata no. 3 in d minor for violin and piano, op. 108
http://www.zpk.org - September 18, 2022, 6:30 pm
Neumarkt, Germany
Historischer Reitstadel
Recital
Piano: Martin Helmchen
Brahms – Sonata no. 2 in A major for violin and piano, op. 100
Bartók – Sonata no. 2 for violin and piano, Sz.76
Brahms – Sonata for clarinet and piano no. 2 in E flat major, op. 120 no. 2 (transcribed for violin)
Brahms – Sonata no. 3 in d minor for violin and piano, op. 108
http://www.neumarkter-konzertfreunde.de - September 30, 2022, 8:00 pm
Bamberg, Germany
Konzerthalle Bamberg
Bamberger Symphoniker
Conductor: Jakub Hrůša
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
https://www.bamberger-symphoniker.de - October 3, 2022, 7:30 pm
Prague, Czech Republic
Rudolfinum
Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra - SOCR
Conductor: Petr Popelka
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
https://prso.czechradio.eu - October 6, 2022, 8:00 pm
Paris, France
Maison de la Radio - Auditorium
Orchestre National de France
Conductor: Philippe Jordan
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
https://www.maisondelaradio.fr/concerts-classiques/orchestre-national-de-france - October 16, 2022, 11:00 am
Kiel, Germany
Philharmonie in der Wunderino Arena
Philharmonisches Orchester Kiel
Conductor: Benjamin Reiners
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
https://www.theater-kiel.de - October 27, 2022, 8:00 pm
Leipzig, Germany
Gewandhaus zu Leipzig
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Conductor: Daniele Gatti
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
http://www.gewandhaus.de/orchester/ - October 28, 2022, 8:00 pm
Leipzig, Germany
Gewandhaus zu Leipzig
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Conductor: Daniele Gatti
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
http://www.gewandhaus.de/orchester/ - October 30, 2022, 7:30 pm
Vienna, Austria
Musikverein
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Conductor: Daniele Gatti
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major, op. 77
http://www.gewandhaus.de/orchester/ - November 23, 2022, 8:00 pm
München, Germany
Isarphilharmonie
Münchner Philharmoniker
Conductor: Mikko Franck
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
https://www.mphil.de - November 24, 2022, 8:00 pm
München, Germany
Isarphilharmonie
Münchner Philharmoniker
Conductor: Mikko Franck
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
https://www.mphil.de - December 1, 2022, 8:30 pm
Torino, Italy
Auditorium "Toscanini" della RAI - Torino
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI
Conductor: Pablo Heras-Casado
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
http://www.orchestrasinfonica.rai.it - December 2, 2022, 8:00 pm
Torino, Italy
Auditorium "Toscanini" della RAI - Torino
Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI
Conductor: Pablo Heras-Casado
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
http://www.orchestrasinfonica.rai.it - December 9, 2022, 7:00 pm
Wien, Austria
Wiener Konzerthaus
Wiener Symphoniker
Conductor: Thomas Guggeis
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
https://www.wienersymphoniker.at - December 11, 2022, 11:00 am
Wien, Austria
Wiener Konzerthaus
Wiener Symphoniker
Conductor: Thomas Guggeis
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
https://www.wienersymphoniker.at - December 16, 2022, 8:00 pm
Gent, Belgium
Muziekcentrum De Bijloke
Brussels Philharmonic
Conductor: Kazushi Ono
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
Bartók – Rhapsody for violin and orchestra no. 2, Sz 90
https://www.brusselsphilharmonic.be - December 17, 2022, 8:15 pm
Brussels, Belgium
Flagey
Brussels Philharmonic
Conductor: Kazushi Ono
Stravinsky – Violin Concerto in D major
Bartók – Rhapsody for violin and orchestra no. 2, Sz 90
https://www.brusselsphilharmonic.be