Mechthild Karkow

Prof. Mechthild Karkow is a Professor of Baroque violin and Baroque viola at Bremen University of the Arts and currently serves as Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Teaching since October 2021. She previously held professorial roles at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University of Music and Theatre in Leipzig and the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. Her teaching focuses on historical performance practices, incorporating instrument-specific techniques and stylistic interpretation from the 16th to early 20th centuries.

Her artistic career includes international performances as a soloist, concertmaster, and chamber musician with renowned ensembles like the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. Collaborations with musicians such as Christoph Coin and Andrea Marcon highlight her versatility. She is also a prizewinner of international competitions and has contributed to radio/CD recordings and festivals worldwide.

Research interests center on historical source-based interpretation, bridging Baroque and Viennese classical repertoires. She leads the Baroque Orchestra at Bremen and organizes masterclasses globally, including the 2025 Tonnerre Baroque Violin Masterclass.

• Key Roles: Vice Rector (since 2021), Professor of Baroque Strings
• Ensembles: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, Bremen Baroque Orchestra
• Teaching: Historical Performance Practice, String Orchestra