Hans Christian Aavik

Being motivated by thinking in colours, risking it on stage and the mentality of always one mile more – 1st prize winner of the 2022 Carl Nielsen International Competition and recipient of the 2022 Usedom Prize, Hans Christian Aavik, "combines a probing intellect and curiosity with an extroverted charisma that has made him one of Europe’s most exciting young talents.”, as the journal Bachtrack describes his profile.

As a soloist highlights of the season 2023/24 are engagements with orchestras such as Estonian National Orchestra, Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Brandon Hill Chamber Orchestra as well as working together with conductors such as Neeme Järvi, Risto Joost, Mihhail Gerts, Andres Kaljuste, Olari Elts, Andrey Boreyko. Hans Christian Aavik enjoys equally engagements as a chamber musician with highlights such as a debut in the Wigmore Hall, Köln Deutschlandfunk Chamber music hall, Kronberg Casals Forum.

In 2022 he was awarded the Annual Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and received additionally the “Musician of the year” title by Association of Estonian Professional Musicians. He made also his debut with Uppsala Chamber Orchestra, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra.

Hans Christian is also extremely passionate about concert programming and conducting from the concertmaster position. Season 2024 highlights will include his own concert series with Tallinn Chamber Orchestra revolving around Mozart 5 violin concertos. His programmes include a wide variety of styles ranging from Haydn/Mozart to Schnittke/Jessie Montgomery.

He is already creating to develop an excitingly diverse discography: Most recently he is featured together with pianist Karolina Aavik in the new Deutsche Grammophon landmark series “Rising Stars” on STAGE+. In addition, their three singles will be featured in the Deutsche Grammophon “Musical Moments” series. Following his success at the Carl Nielsen Competition – including the Prize for Best Interpretation and the Odense Symphony Orchestra Prize – Hans Christian had been invited to return to Denmark to record his first orchestral album on Orchid Classics which is planned to be released in 2024. His debut album “AETERNUS” with pianist Karolina Aavik featuring works by Bach, Schubert and Pärt was released in 2021 at the Arvo Pärt Centre.

Born in Tallinn in 1998, Hans Christian started his violin studies at the age of five. In 2017 he moved to Germany to study at the Frankfurt Music Academy of Music and Arts under the tutelage of Prof. Erik Schumann and chamber music with Prof. Angelika Merkle. Since 2021 he studied alongside at the Music and Arts Private University of Vienna with Julian Rachlin and chamber music with Prof. Evgeny Sinaiski.

He has benefited from additional guidance from Christoph Eschenbach, Kirill Gerstein, Augustin Hadelich, Steven Isserlis, Sophia Rahman, Sir András Schiff, Enrico Pace, David Waterman, Antoine Tamestit, Gary Hoffman, prof. Kolja Blacher, Dénes Várjon and has worked with conductors such as Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Olari Elts, Mihhail Gerts, Ville Matvejeff, Risto Joost, Arvo Volmer and many others.

Since 2019, he has been supported by Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Frankfurt am Main e.V. 

On the generous permission of the Estonian Instrument Foundation and the Sapožnin family, Hans Christian Aavik currently plays on a Giovanni Paolo Maggini violin (made ca 1610 in Brescia, Italy) and on bow made by Victor Fétique (made ca 1930 in France).

He is currently studying at Kronberg Academy with Professor Erik Schumann. His studies are funded by the Dr. Christa and Christian Ratjen patronage. Additionally, he is supported by the arteMusica-Stiftung.