Mirijam Contzen

Professor Mirijam Contzen serves as Professor of Violin at the Berlin University of the Arts within the Faculty of Music's Julius Stern Institute, appointed in 2016. An internationally acclaimed German-Japanese violinist, she maintains a dual career as both academic educator and active performing artist.

Her artistic focus centers on Violin Performance and Historical Performance Practice, specializing in rediscovered repertoire through collaborations with Reinhard Goebel. She explores forgotten works by composers like Franz Clement and Thomas Linley, while maintaining expertise in Chamber Music and Orchestral Conducting through her festival direction. Her pedagogical approach emphasizes technical mastery and interpretive depth, reflecting her performance philosophy of "grandeur and supreme technical mastery."

Professor Contzen directs the international Cappenberg Castle Music Festival since 2005 and regularly performs at major festivals including Salzburg, Lucerne, and Verbier. Her collaborations span orchestras like Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and conductors including Iván Fischer and Claudio Abbado, who invited her to the "Berlin Encounters" series.

Accolades include the ECHO Klassik Award for her recital "Favourite Violin Pieces," alongside critical acclaim for recordings of Mozart's violin concertos and works by Brahms, Schubert, and Zemlinsky with OehmsClassics.

As artistic director of Cappenberg Castle Festival, she curates programming while mentoring emerging musicians through performance opportunities. Her upcoming engagements include debuts with Berliner Barock Solisten and performances with WDR Symphony Orchestra, demonstrating sustained artistic activity alongside academic duties.