Informations
Facts
Born in Jurmala, Latvia
Member since 01.05.2022
Biography
Vineta Sareika-Völkner came into contact with many different art forms as a child, including dancing, singing, drawing and painting. When she found her first little violin under the Christmas tree at the age of five, it became her favourite toy. She was also lucky enough to meet musicians who infected her with their enthusiasm for and dedication to playing the violin. She studied at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gerard Poulet and at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium under Augustin Dumay. Vineta Sareika-Völkner also attended masterclasses with Ida Haendel, Ivry Gitlis, Zakhar Bron, Mauricio Fuks and Sergey Krylov.
After her studies, the violinist began her career as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician. She was first concertmaster of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic (2011–2013, now: Antwerp Symphony Orchestra) and regular guest concertmaster of the Royal Opera Orchestra and the Brussels Philharmonic. She was the leader of the Artemis Quartet from 2012 to 2021, and has been a member of the Berliner Philharmoniker since May 2022; she was appointed to the position of first concertmaster in March 2023. A multiple prize-winner of international competitions, she has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the London Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Chamber Orchestra and the Belgian National Orchestra. Vineta Sareika-Völkner has also been a professor of chamber music at Berlin University of the Arts since 2017. In her free time, she plays sports, paints and loves nature, hiking, travelling and discovering new countries and cultures.
Awards
First Prize and gold medal, Osaka International Chamber Music Competition (2008)
First Prize, International Commerzbank Chamber Music Competition in Frankfurt (2008)
Second Prize, Young Concert Artists Auditions in New York (2008)
