(c) Julien Mignot

Antoine Tamestit

Viola

Representation AT | DE | CEE

Andreas Neudauer
Senior Artist Manager
+43 660 300 2908
neudauer@rbartists.at

Mag. Sarah Niebergall 
Artist Manager
+43 660 300 2902
niebergall@rbartists.at

Biography

Violist Antoine Tamestit is internationally recognized as a leading soloist, recitalist and chamber musician beloved for his unsurpassed technique and the much-vaunted beauty of his richly coloured tone. His broad repertoire ranges from Baroque to the present, and his strong commitment to contemporary music is reflected in numerous premieres of new works.

In 23/24 season Antoine continues to engage on a truly international level, from European tour with Staatskapelle Dresden to debuts with Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, artist-in-residence at the South Korean Tongyeong International Music Festival as well as premiere of Joe Hisaishi’s Viola Saga in Asia.

In recent seasons, Antoine has performed with orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and Mahler Chamber Orchestra among many others. He performs regularly with major conductors including Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Daniel Harding, Paavo Järvi, Klaus Mäkelä, Sir Antonio Pappano, Kirill Petrenko, Sir Simon Rattle, Francois-Xavier Roth, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Christian Thielemann, and Jaap van Zweden.

Among the most important pieces premiered by Antoine Tamestit are Jörg Widmann’s Viola…

Violist Antoine Tamestit is internationally recognized as a leading soloist, recitalist and chamber musician beloved for his unsurpassed technique and the much-vaunted beauty of his richly coloured tone. His broad repertoire ranges from Baroque to the present, and his strong commitment to contemporary music is reflected in numerous premieres of new works.

In 23/24 season Antoine continues to engage on a truly international level, from European tour with Staatskapelle Dresden to debuts with Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, artist-in-residence at the South Korean Tongyeong International Music Festival as well as premiere of Joe Hisaishi’s Viola Saga in Asia.

In recent seasons, Antoine has performed with orchestras including the Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and Mahler Chamber Orchestra among many others. He performs regularly with major conductors including Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Daniel Harding, Paavo Järvi, Klaus Mäkelä, Sir Antonio Pappano, Kirill Petrenko, Sir Simon Rattle, Francois-Xavier Roth, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Christian Thielemann, and Jaap van Zweden.

Among the most important pieces premiered by Antoine Tamestit are Jörg Widmann’s Viola Concerto, Thierry Escaich’s La Nuit des Chants, Bruno Mantovani’s Concerto for Two Violas with Tabea Zimmermann, as well as Gérard Tamestit’s Sakura and Olga Neuwirth’s Remnants of Songs and Weariness Heals Wounds. In 23/24 season, he will be premiering two new works written for him: Nikodijevich’s Psalmodija with the SWR Symphony Orchestra and Filidei’s Viola Concerto with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

As a passionate chamber musician, Antoine performs regularly with Emmanuel Ax, Isabelle Faust, Martin Fröst, Leonidas Kavakos, Yo-Yo Ma, Emmanuel Pahud, Francesco Piemontesi, Cédric Tiberghien, Yuja Wang, Jörg Widmann, Shai Wosner, and the Ébène Quartet.

He was also a founding member of Trio Zimmermann with Frank Peter Zimmermann and Christian Poltera performing in Europe’s most famous concert halls for more than 10 years. Together they recorded a number of acclaimed CDs for BIS Records, including their own arrangement of Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

An ardent educator, Antoine Tamestit served for 10 years as programming director of the Viola Space Festival in Japan where he focused on expanding the viola repertoire and developing a wide range of educational programs. He was also a professor at the Musikhochschule in Cologne, the Paris Conservatoire, and now teaches in masterclasses at the Kronberg Academy and around the world.

Antoine’s acclaimed discography can be found on many labels, and his recent releases with Harmonia Mundi include Johannes Brahms’ Sonatas for Viola and Piano with Cédric Tiberghien and a Telemann album with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin. His 2018 recording of Widmann Concerto with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Daniel Harding won the Premier Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards in 2019.

Born in Paris, Tamestit studied with Jean Sulem, Jesse Levine, and with Tabea Zimmermann. He was the recipient of several prizes including first prize at the William Primrose Competition in 2001, and the ARD International Music Competition in 2004 as well as being awarded the Credit Suisse Young Artist Award in 2008. In 2022 he received the prestigious triennial Hindemith Prize of the City of Hanau in recognition of his contribution to contemporary landscape within classical music.

Antoine Tamestit plays on the very first viola made by Antonio Stradivarius in 1672, generously loaned by the Habisreutinger Foundation.

(c) Julien Mignot

One of the most gifted French musicians of the era… The work is made to measure for Tamestit, his style of playing, his tone, his personality.

23.01.2024

Mozartwoche 2024
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18.01.2024

Antoine Tamestit with Daniel Harding at the Berlin Philharmonie
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21.09.2023

Antoine Tamestit plays Marco Nikodievich Viola Concerto
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08.09.2023

475th Jubilee of the Staatskapelle Dresden with Christian Thielemann, Janine Jansen & Antoine Tamestit
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25.08.2023

Antoine Tamestit at the Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik
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12.06.2023

Raab & Böhm Artists among Opus Klassik nominees
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08.05.2023

Antoine Tamestit Artist-in-Residence of Prague Spring Festival
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20.11.2022

Antoine Tamestit receives the Hindemith Prize of the City of Hanau
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07.07.2021

Antoine Tamestit to become Capell-Virtuos of Staatskapelle Dresden
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05.02.2021

Antoine Tamestit with a new Brahms album
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Repertoire

Concerto Repertoire (Selection)
   
Berio Voci
Berlioz Harold en Italy
Britten Double Concerto (Violin&Viola)
  Lachrymae
  Reflections on a Song of Dowland
Bruch Double Concerto (Clarinet&Viola or Violin&Viola)
  Romanze
Dean "Prelude" for Violin and Viola (world premiere Fall 2020)
Escaich La nuit des chants
Feldman "The Viola in My Life" 1-4 (from Spring 2022)
Gubaidulina Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
Hindemith Der Schwanendreher
  Kammermusik Nr. 5
  Trauermusik
Hoffmeister Viola Concerto
Jolas Frauenleben
Kurtág Mouvement
Mantovani Double Concerto for two Violas and Orchestra
Martinů Rhapsody Concerto
Milhaud Viola Concerto No. 1
Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A major (for Viola)
  Sinfonia Concertante
Neuwirth Remnants of Songs... an Amphigory for viola solo and orchestra
Nikodievic Viola Concerto (world premiere Spring 2022)
Penderecki Concerto
Schnittke Viola Concerto
  Monolog for Viola and Orchestra
Stamitz Viola Concerto in D major
  Viola Concerto in A major
Tamestit, Gerard    "Sakura"
Telemann Viola Concerto
Weber Andante e Rondo Ungarese
Widmann Viola Concerto
   
Recital Programmes
 
With Cedric Tiberghien
Dowland "Flow My Tears" & "If My Complaints"
Britten Lachrymae
Shostakovich Viola Sonata
--  
Brahms "Nachtigall" & "Feldeinsamkeit"
Brahms Viola Sonata, op.120 Nr.2
   
With Akademie für Alte Musik
Händel Concerto grosso in c minor
Telemann Viola Concerto in G major
J.S. Bach Viola Concerto in Eb major
--  
J.S. Bach Viola Concerto in D major
Telemann Concerto for two Violas in G major
J.S. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 6