Micha Afkham

»The Berliner Philharmoniker are an incredible ensemble – I’m constantly fascinated by them. This may sound kitschy, but for me being in this orchestra is a life’s dream that keeps coming true.«

Micha Afkham began violin lessons at the age of five. Later, while a violin pupil of László Fogarassy and Roman Nodel, he discovered the viola and was so taken with its dark, rich tone and its intermediary role between the high and low strings that he began studying the instrument with Hatto Beyerle in Hanover, continuing with Tabea Zimmermann at Berlin’s Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik. He attended master classes given by, among others, Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet and Serge Collot.

A prizewinner at renowned competitions and an alumnus of the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Karajan Academy, Afkham has received grants from Villa Music of Mainz, the Richard Wagner Association of Hanover and the German Musical Life Foundation (Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben) of Hamburg, which has loaned him a viola made by Erdesz. Among his chamber-music partners are Tabea Zimmermann, Gidon Kremer and Isabelle Faust. He is a member of the Scharoun Ensemble and the Berlin Piano Quartet. Micha Afkham, who loves the films of Fellini, Truffaut and Louis Malle, enjoys travel and photography and goes to the theatre as frequently as possible.