Eva-Maria Tomasi

“When I heard the Berliner Philharmoniker for the first time, I was thrilled and mesmerised by the power and enthusiasm of the orchestra. Never in my life would I have dreamed of being able to play with them. The orchestra thrills and mesmerises me to the same level even today, both as a performer and listener. The concentration and intensity which is demanded of an orchestral musician through constant challenges is not always easy to meet. Daily practising, keeping yourself physically fit and concert tours that separate you from your family are all part of the deal. But it has its rewards – the feeling of euphoria and of having given a successful concert make all the effort worthwhile.”

Born in Salzburg, Eva-Maria Tomasi comes from a family where there was a lot of music-making. Since she always had to accompany her older brother to violin lessons, the teacher thought she should also join in. As a five-year-old at the time, she was hardly in a position to say no, and so she received her first violin lessons. While still at secondary school, she studied under Sandor Vegh at the Mozarteum Academy of Music and Performing Art in Salzburg, now the University Mozarteum.

She graduated with her concert diploma at the age of 21 and received an award from the Ministry of Science and Research to assist further studies. Masterclasses with Norbert Brainin, Max Rostal and Nathan Milstein followed. Eva-Maria Tomasi gained chamber music experience both as a violinist and as a violist with the Salzburger Klavierquartett and the Salzburger Oktett. From 1981 to 1986, she played under the direction of Sandor Vegh in Camerata Academica Salzburg, with whom she also appeared as a soloist.

She then continued her studies in Berlin as a student of the Orchestra Academy under Toru Yasunaga, former concertmaster of the Berliner Philharmoniker. During this time the violinist had the opportunity to play with the orchestra as a temporary member on all the tours with Herbert von Karajan between 1987 and 1989. In 1990, Eva-Maria Tomasi joined the second violin section. She performs in a variety of ensembles, such as the Berlin Philharmonic Capriccio, the Berlin Philharmonic Violins and the Berlin Baroque Soloists. As member of the orchestra board, the musician is a debuty member of the Board of Trustees of the Berliner Philharmoniker.