Mihaela Martin
Principal Professor in the Kronberg Academy study programmes
The Romanian-born artist Mihaela Martin is one of the most outstanding violin virtuosos of her generation. Her father gave her her first violin lessons when she was five years old. She later studied with Stefan Gheorghiu, himself being a pupil of George Enescu and David Oistrakh.
At the age of 19, Mihaela Martin won second prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, which was followed by further main prizes in Montreal, Sion and Brussels. Being awarded first prize in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis launched her international career. She has performed with leading orchestras such as the BBC Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg and the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. She has worked with conductors such as Kurt Masur, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Charles Dutoit and Neeme Järvi.
Chamber music has a very important place in Mihaela’s life. In addition to participating in many chamber music festivals, she is a founding member of the Michelangelo String Quartet since 2003 with whom she performed in Carnegie Hall, Boulez Hall, Wigmore Hall, Library of Congress, Concertgebouw,Theatre de Champs Élysée.
Since 2017 she is artistic director of the Rolandseck Chamber music Festival.
As a professor, Mihaela Martin taught at University of Music in Cologne and at the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin. She also gives masterclasses throughout the world and is a regular jury member at important international competitions such as the Queen Elisabeth (Belgium), Indianapolis (USA), Enescu (Romania) and Tchaikovsky (Russia).
Mihaela Martin has been a member of the Kronberg Academy faculty since 2013. She plays a violin by J G Guadagnini that dates from 1748.