Nils Mönkemeyer (born 1978) is a German violist and academic teacher. He has recorded several CDs, of viola literature and arrangements for the viola, making it a respected solo instrument. He has been awarded several international prizes.

Career

Born in

Holzwickede Holzwickede () is a municipality in the district of Unna in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is twinned with Weymouth, Louviers and Colditz Colditz () is a small town in the district of Leipzig, in Saxony, Germany. It is best known for Col ...

the oldest child of the guitar player Thomas Brendgens-Mönkemeyer and his wife Heidemarie Mönkemeyer, he first studied the violin at the

Hochschule für Künste Bremen The University of the Arts Bremen (German: Hochschule für Künste Bremen, HfK Bremen) is a public university in Bremen, Germany. It is one of the most successful arts institutions, and its origins date back to 1873. The University of the Arts Br ...

. He switched to the viola in 1997, inspired by chamber music. He studied viola at the Musikhochschule Hannover with Christian Pohl. He continued his studies at the

Hochschule für Musik und Theater München The University of Music and Performing Arts Munich (german: Hochschule für Musik und Theater München), also known as the Munich Conservatory, is a performing arts conservatory in Munich, Germany. The main building it currently occupies is t ...

with

Hariolf Schlichtig Herulph (†815) (Herulphe, Hariolf, Hariolfus) was a Benedictine of the Abbey of St. Gall who founded Ellwangen Abbey. He is a Catholic saint; his feast day is December 13. Life Herulph was born about 730 in Ellwangen near Stuttgart. He was the ...

from 2000, graduating in 2003 with a diploma "mit Auszeichnung". He studied further from 2003 to 2004 at the

Mozarteum Mozarteum University Salzburg (German: ''Universität Mozarteum Salzburg'') is one of three affiliated but separate (it is actually a state university) entities under the “Mozarteum” moniker in Salzburg municipality; the International Moz ...

in Salzburg with

Veronika Hagen Veronika Hagen (born 5 May 1963, in Salzburg) is an Austrian Viola, violist. Born in Salzburg, Hagen began to learn music at the age of six with her father, who was at that time concertmaster of the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg. She then contin ...

. He took his concert exam with Schlichtig in 2006, again "mit Auszeichnung". Mönkemeyer first played an Italian viola by Giuseppe Cavaleri from 1742, a loan from the Landessammlung Rheinland-Pfalz. He plays now an instrument built by Peter Erben, Munich. For his first CD, ''Ohne Worte'', he chose songs by

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

and

Robert Schumann Robert Schumann (; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...

, playing them "without words", accompanied by Nicholas Rimmer. On his second CD, ''Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten'', he recorded viola concertos by

Antonio Rosetti Francesco Antonio Rosetti (c. 1750 – 30 June 1792) was a classical era composer and double bass player, and was a contemporary of Haydn and Mozart. There is considerable confusion regarding his name. The occasional mention of a supposed, ...

and

Franz Anton Hoffmeister Franz Anton Hoffmeister (12 May 1754 – 9 February 1812) was an Austrian composer and History of music publishing, music publisher. Early years Franz Anton Hoffmeister was born in Rottenburg am Neckar (Further Austria) on 12 May 1754. At ...

, the Rosetti a premiere recording. He added arrangements of five vocal movements from Bach cantatas, for example the opening aria from the secular cantata for soprano solo ''Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten'', BWV 202. He was awarded many prizes, including in 2006 both the first prize of the International Yuri Bashmet Competition and the prize of the ''

Deutscher Musikwettbewerb The Deutscher Musikwettbewerb (German music competition; ) is a national music competition in Germany for classical soloists and chamber music ensembles held annually by the Deutscher Musikrat (German Music Council). It was first held in 1975 a ...

''. In 2009 he was appointed professor of viola at the

Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden ' (, plural: ') is the generic term in German for institutions of higher education, corresponding to ''universities'' and ''colleges'' in English. The term ''Universität'' (plural: ''Universitäten'') is reserved for institutions with the right to ...

. He has taught at the Musikhochschule München from 2011.

Awards

* 2002: Sonderpreis ' Markneukirchen; scholarship of the ''Werner Richard-Dr. Carl Dörken'' foundation * 2003: Förderpreis of the ''Da Ponte-Stiftung'', Darmstadt; soloist prize and chamber music prize of the Klassikfestival Ruhr and the

Ruhrtriennale The Ruhrtriennale (compound of ''Ruhr'' and ''triennale'' "lasting 3 years"), also known as Ruhr Triennale, was founded in 2002 and is a music and arts festival in the Ruhr-area of Germany which runs between mid-August and mid-October, and happens ...

, third prize ''

Primrose International Viola Competition The Primrose International Viola Competition (PIVC), also referred to as the Primrose Memorial Scholarship Competition (PMSC), is an international music competition for viola players sponsored by the American Viola Society and named for the 20th-cen ...

'' * 2004: Lions-Rotary Solistenpreis; first prize Internationaler Violawettbewerb of the

ORF ORF or Orf may refer to: * Norfolk International Airport, IATA airport code ORF * Observer Research Foundation, an Indian research institute * One Race Films, a film production company founded by Vin Diesel * Open reading frame, a portion of the ...

, Vienna * 2005: Carl-Flesch-Förderpreis of the Philharmonie Baden-Baden * 2006: First prize International Yuri Bashmet Competition; prize of the ''

''; GWK-Förderpreis * 2008: Soloist prize Elba Musikfestival * 2009: Parkhouse Award (England);

ECHO Klassik The Echo Klassik, often stylized as ECHO Klassik, was Germany's major classical music award in 22 categories. The award, presented by the , was held annually, usually in October or September, separate from its parent award, the Echo Music Prize E ...

als "Nachwuchskünstler des Jahres" (newcomer of the year) * 2010:

for concerto of the year ("Konzerteinspielung des Jahres")

Recordings

* 2009: Schubert/Mendelssohn/Schumann: ''Ohne Worte'' (with Nicholas Rimmer, piano); ''Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten'' (with the ''

Dresdner Kapellsolisten The Dresdner Kapellsolisten is a German chamber orchestra based in Dresden. The ensemble of soloists was formed in 1994 mostly by members of the Staatskapelle Dresden, directed by double bassist Helmut Branny. They play mostly music of the 18t ...

'', conducted by

Helmut Branny Helmut Branny (born 1957) is a German conductor, double bassist and professor of chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden. He is a member of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, musical director of the Dresdner ...

) * 2010: Brahms/Clara Schumann/Robert Schumann: ''In dunklen Träumen'' (with Nicholas Rimmer, piano) * 2011: Telemann/Corelli/Bach/Delalande: ''Folia'' (with the ') * 2013: Johann Sebastian Bach, Krysztof Penderecki and Marco Hertenstein. ''Bach und Mehr''

Career

Awards

Recordings

References

External links