Kim Kashkashian (born August 31, 1952) is an American violist. She is recognized as one of the world's top violists. She has spent her career in the US and Europe and collaborated with many major contemporary composers. In

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

she won a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo.

Early life and education

Kashkashian was born to

Armenian-American Armenian Americans ( hy, ամերիկահայեր, ''amerikahayer'') are citizens or residents of the United States who have total or partial Armenians, Armenian ancestry. They form the second largest community of the Armenian diaspora after A ...

parents on August 31, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan. She grew up in Detroit in what

Mark Slobin Mark Slobin is an American scholar and ethnomusicologist who has written extensively on the subject of East European Jewish music and klezmer music, as well as the music of Afghanistan, where he conducted research beginning in 1967. He is Winslow ...

has described as an "only modestly Armenian household." Her father had a

baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the ...

voice and sang Armenian folk songs, which influenced her. She began playing the

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

at the age of eight. She first studied with Ara Zerounian, then continued her music education and switched to

viola ; german: Bratsche , alt=Viola shown from the front and the side , image=Bratsche.jpg , caption= , background=string , hornbostel_sachs=321.322-71 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded by a bow , range= , related= *Violin family ...

at the

Interlochen Arts Academy Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit corporation which operates arts education institutions and performance venues in northwest Michigan. It is situated on a campus in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly southwest of Traverse City. ...

beginning from the age 12. She studied at the

Peabody Conservatory of Music The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University is a private conservatory and preparatory school in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1857 and opened in 1866 by merchant/financier and philanthropist George Peabody (1795–1869) ...

in Baltimore with Walter Trampler (1969–79) and Karen Tuttle (1970–75). She received her

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of pre ...

(B.M.) degree from the Peabody Conservatory and her Master of Music (M.M.) degree from the New School of Music, Philadelphia. She was also the mentee of

Felix Galimir Felix Galimir (May 20, 1910, Vienna – November 10, 1999, New York) was an Austrian-born American violinist and music teacher. Born in a Sephardic Jewish family Vienna; his first language was Ladino. Allan Kozinn,"Felix Galimir, 89, a Vi ...

Teaching career

Kashkashian has been a faculty member at several institutions. In 1981–86 she taught at the New School of Music, Philadelphia, in 1983–86 at the

Mannes School of Music Mannes School of Music is a music conservatory in The New School, a private research university in New York City. In the fall of 2015, Mannes moved from its previous location on Manhattan's Upper West Side to join the rest of the New School c ...

in New York, in 1985–87 the

Indiana University School of Music The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music. It has more than 1,500 students, approximately half of whom ar ...

in Bloomington. She then moved to Germany, where she began teaching at the Hochschule für Musik in

Freiburg im Breisgau Freiburg im Breisgau (; abbreviated as Freiburg i. Br. or Freiburg i. B.; Low Alemannic: ''Friburg im Brisgau''), commonly referred to as Freiburg, is an independent city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. With a population of about 230,000 (as o ...

in 1989 and the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...

. She returned to the United States in 2000 and began teaching viola and

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small nu ...

New England Conservatory The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music Music school, conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The ...

in Boston in fall 2000.

Career

Throughout her career, Kashkashian has recorded many discs both as a solo and chamber music artist. She has been described as a "staunch proponent" of

contemporary classical music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 Modernism (music), modern forms of Post-tonal music theory, post-tonal music after th ...

. She has collaborated with and commissioned works from

Gidon Kremer Gidon Kremer ( lv, Gidons Krēmers; born 27 February 1947) is a Latvian classical violinist, artistic director, and founder of Kremerata Baltica. Life and career Gidon Kremer was born in Riga. His father was Jewish and had survived the Holo ...

Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma ('' Chinese'': 馬友友 ''Ma Yo Yo''; born October 7, 1955) is an American cellist. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and educated in New York City, he was a child prodigy, performing from the age of four and a half. He graduated from ...

, Robert Levin,

, and the Guarneri String Quartet, György Kurtág,

Krzysztof Penderecki Krzysztof Eugeniusz Penderecki (; 23 November 1933 – 29 March 2020) was a Polish composer and conductor. His best known works include ''Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima'', Symphony No. 3, his '' St Luke Passion'', '' Polish Requiem'', ' ...

Alfred Schnittke Alfred Garrievich Schnittke (russian: Альфре́д Га́рриевич Шни́тке, link=no, Alfred Garriyevich Shnitke; 24 November 1934 – 3 August 1998) was a Russian composer of Jewish-German descent. Among the most performed and re ...

Giya Kancheli Gia Kancheli ( ka, გია ყანჩელი; 10 August 1935 – 2 October 2019) was a Georgian composer. He was born in Tbilisi, Georgia but resided in Belgium. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kancheli lived first in ...

Arvo Pärt Arvo Pärt (; born 11 September 1935) is an Estonian composer of contemporary classical music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs tintinnabuli, a compositional technique he invented. Pärt's music is in pa ...

Peter Eötvös Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

Ken Ueno Ken Ueno (born January 11, 1970 in Bronxville, New York) is an American composer. Career Ueno pursued initial studies in music at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY, but soon transferred to Berklee College of Music, where he ...

, Thomas Larcher, Lera Auerbach, Tigran Mansurian. She has collaborated with

ECM Records ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) is an independent record label founded by Karl Egger, Manfred Eicher and Manfred Scheffner in Munich in 1969. While ECM is best known for jazz music, the label has released a variety of recordings, and ECM's ...

since 1985. The ECM website notes that she is "one of the pre-eminent artists of ECM New Series." Kashkashian has performed at the Metropolitan Museum of New York, Kaufmann Hall,

's Jordan Hall; other cities in the US, Europe and Japan. She regularly participates in the Ravina,

Verbier Verbier is a village located in south-western Switzerland in the canton of Valais. It is a holiday resort and ski area in the Swiss Alps and is recognised as one of the premier off-piste resorts in the world. Some areas are covered with snow all ...

Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Austro-Bavarian) is the fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the Roman settlement of ''Iuvavum''. Salzburg was founded ...

Lockenhaus Lockenhaus ( hu, Léka; hr, Livka) is a town in the district of Oberpullendorf in the Austrian state of Burgenland. The town is well known for the annual Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival founded by violinist Gidon Kremer. History The town ...

and

Marlboro Marlboro (, ) is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA (a branch of Altria) within the United States and by Philip Morris International (now separate from Altria) outside the US. The largest Mar ...

festivals. In a 2000 interview she noted that a "violist has far more opportunities for solo playing in Europe than in America." She noted that the viola is fully accepted and respected as a solo instrument, while in America it is "just beginning to be reluctantly respected."

Personal life

Kashkashian has a daughter. In 1996 she moved from Freiburg to Berlin as she wanted her daughter to attend Berlin's only American school. She practices

Chinese martial arts Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to comm ...

(''kung fu''), including

Tai chi Tai chi (), short for Tai chi ch'üan ( zh, s=太极拳, t=太極拳, first=t, p=Tàijíquán, labels=no), sometimes called " shadowboxing", is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for defense training, health benefits and meditation. ...

. Her most favorite musician of all time is

Maria Callas Maria Callas . (born Sophie Cecilia Kalos; December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano who was one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Many critics praised her ''bel cant ...

, while her favorite composers include

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 ...

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wor ...

, and György Kurtág. She described Kurtág as "present-day Bach." She has named the Schubert trios and any of Bach's works as her favorite musical work. In a 2013 interview with Hollywood.com, Kashkashian stated that she is constantly confused with reality television personality

Kim Kardashian Kimberly Noel Kardashian (formerly West; born October 21, 1980) is an American socialite, media personality, and businesswoman. She first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after the s ...

due to their similarly spelled surnames. Kashkashian is one of the founders and (as of 2016) the Artistic Director of Music for Food, an initiative aimed at fighting hunger. She first visited Armenia, her ancestral homeland, in 1989. She has collaborated with the famed Armenian composer Tigran Mansurian.

Recognition

Kashkashian is widely recognized as one of the world's top violists. ''

BBC Music Magazine ''BBC Music Magazine'' is a British monthly magazine that focuses primarily on classical music. History The first issue appeared in September 1992. BBC Worldwide, the commercial subsidiary of the BBC was the original owner and publisher togeth ...

'' wrote in 1997 that she is one of the "most sought-after violists for chamber music in America."

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

's ''

All Things Considered ''All Things Considered'' (''ATC'') is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio (NPR). It was the first news program on NPR, premiering on May 3, 1971. It is broadcast live on NPR affiliated stations in the United ...

'' noted in 2007 that she is "one of only a few violists with an international solo career." The

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The conservatory is located on H ...

website describes her as "internationally recognized as a unique voice on the viola." The

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, a ...

described her as a "world renowned musician who has caused the repertoire for the viola to be greatly enlarged" through her many collaborations. A minor planet discovered by Brian A. Skiff at the Anderson Mesa Station on November 6, 1980 is named after Kashkashian.

Honors and accolades

Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition The Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition is an international music competition for viola players established in 1980 to honor the memory of the English viola virtuoso Lionel Tertis. This triennial event is held at the Erin Arts Centre, P ...

2nd prize, 1980 *

ARD International Music Competition The ARD International Music Competition (german: link=no, Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD) is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is organised by the Bayerischer Rundfunk and held once a year in Munich. S ...

, 3rd prize, 1980 * Edison Prize, 1999 (recording of the Brahms Sonatas with Robert Levin) * Cannes Classical Award, 2001 for a premiere recording by soloist with orchestra (June 2000 recording of concertos by Bartók, Eötvös and Kurtág) * George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music in America, 2013 *Elected a Fellow of the

, 2016

Grammy Award

Kashkashian has received three nominations and has won one

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

Discography

A partial list of her recordings includes: *Asturiana. Transcribed songs of

Manuel de Falla Manuel de Falla y Matheu (, 23 November 187614 November 1946) was an Andalusian Spanish composer and pianist. Along with Isaac Albéniz, Francisco Tárrega, and Enrique Granados, he was one of Spain's most important musicians of the first ...

Alberto Ginastera Alberto Evaristo Ginastera (; April 11, 1916June 25, 1983) was an Argentinian composer of classical music. He is considered to be one of the most important 20th-century classical composers of the Americas. Biography Ginastera was born in Buenos ...

, Xavier Montsalvatge,

Carlos Guastavino Carlos Guastavino (5 April 1912 – 29 October 2000) was an Argentine composer, considered one of the foremost composers of his country. His production amounted to over 500 works, most of them songs for piano and voice, many still unpublished. H ...

, and Carlos López Buchardo. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano. (CD

ECM ECM may refer to: Economics and commerce * Engineering change management * Equity capital markets * Error correction model, an econometric model * European Common Market Mathematics * Elliptic curve method * European Congress of Mathemat ...

1975) *

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...

: 3 Sonatas for Viola da gamba and Cembalo. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

Keith Jarrett Keith Jarrett (born May 8, 1945) is an American jazz and classical music pianist and composer. Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey and later moved on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s, he has also been a ...

, cembalo. (CD ECM 1501) *

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hu ...

: Viola Concerto. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

Péter Eötvös Péter Eötvös ( hu, Eötvös Péter, ; born 2 January 1944) is a Hungarian composer, conductor and teacher. Eötvös was born in Székelyudvarhely, Transylvania, then part of Hungary, now Romania. He studied composition in Budapest and C ...

, conductor. Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. (CD ECM 1711) *

Luciano Berio Luciano Berio (24 October 1925 – 27 May 2003) was an Italian composer noted for his experimental work (in particular his 1968 composition ''Sinfonia'' and his series of virtuosic solo pieces titled ''Sequenza''), and for his pioneering work ...

: Voci, Naturale. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion,

, conductor. (CD ECM 1735) * Harold Blumenfeld: Voyages after Hart Crane (1977). Patrick Mason, baritone, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

David Starobin David Starobin (born September 27, 1951) is a highly honored figure in the world of classical guitar. Called "arguably the most influential American classical guitarist of the 20th century" ('' Soundboard''), Starobin was born in New York City. ...

, guitar, Gordon Gottlieb, Louis Oddo, percussion,

Arthur Weisberg Arthur Weisberg (April 4, 1931 – January 17, 2009) was an American clarinetist, bassoonist, conductor, composer and author. Biography Weisberg was born in New York City. He attended The High School of Music & Art, majoring in bassoon and st ...

, conductor. (LP CRI SD 387) * Linda Bouchard: Pourtinade. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion. (CD ECM 1425) *

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

: Sonatas for Viola and Piano, Op. 120. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1630) *

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

: '' Lachrymae'', Op. 48. Kim Kashkashian, viola Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1316) *

: ''Lachrymae'', Op. 48a. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

Dennis Russell Davies Dennis Russell Davies (born April 16, 1944 in Toledo, Ohio) is an American conductor and pianist, He is currently the music director and chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic. Biography Davies studied piano and conducting at the Juilliard Sch ...

, conductor,

Stuttgarter Kammerorchester The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra (Stuttgarter Kammerorchester) is a German chamber orchestra based in Stuttgart. Its principal concert venue is the Liederhalle, Stuttgart. History Karl Münchinger founded the orchestra in 1945, and served as it ...

. (CD ECM 1506) *

Elliott Carter Elliott Cook Carter Jr. (December 11, 1908 – November 5, 2012) was an American modernist composer. One of the most respected composers of the second half of the 20th century, he combined elements of European modernism and American "ultra- ...

: Elegy for Viola and Piano. Kim Kashkashian, viola Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1316) * Paul Chihara: ''Redwood''. Kim Kashkashian, viola. Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion. (CD ECM 1425) *

: ''Replica'' for Viola and Orchestra. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, conductor, Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. (CD ECM 1711) *

Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...

: Piano Quartet No. 1 in c minor, Op. 15.

Beaux Arts Trio The Beaux Arts Trio was a noted piano trio, celebrated for their vivacity, emotional depth and wide-ranging repertoire. They made their debut on 13 July 1955, at the Berkshire Music Festival, Lenox, Massachusetts, United States, known today as the ...

, Kim Kashkashian, viola. (CD Philips 422 350-2) *

Alexander Glazunov Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov; ger, Glasunow (, 10 August 1865 – 21 March 1936) was a Russian composer, music teacher, and conductor of the late Russian Romantic period. He was director of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory between 190 ...

: Elegie for Viola and Piano, Op. 44. Kim Kashkashian, viola Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1316) *

Paul Hindemith Paul Hindemith (; 16 November 189528 December 1963) was a German composer, music theorist, teacher, violist and conductor. He founded the Amar Quartet in 1921, touring extensively in Europe. As a composer, he became a major advocate of the ' ...

: ''Trauermusik''. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. (CD ECM 1506) *

: Viola Sonatas Opp. 31 No. 4, 25 No. 1, 1937, 11 No. 4, 11 No. 5, 25 No. 4, 1939. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1330) *

Sándor Jemnitz Sándor Jemnitz, also known as Alexander Jemnitz (9 August 1890 in Budapest – 8 August 1963 in Balatonföldvár), was a Hungarian composer, conductor, music critic and author. Biography Jemnitz studied composition with János Koessler at ...

: Trio for violin, viola and guitar, Op. 33. Benjamin Hudson, violin, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, guitar. (CD

Bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually someth ...

9004 or 9292) *

: ''Abii ne viderem''. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Vasiko Tevdorashvili, voice, Natalia Pschenitschnikova, alto flute.

, conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. (CD ECM 1510) *

: ''Vom Winde beweint'' (''Mourned by the Wind''). Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, conductor, Orchester der Beethovenhalle Bonn. (CD ECM 1471) *

Eleni Karaindrou Eleni Karaindrou ( el, Ελένη Καραΐνδρου, born 25 November 1941) is a Greek composer. She is best known for scoring the films of the Greek director Theo Angelopoulos. Biography Karaindrou moved with her family to Athens when she wa ...

: ''

Ulysses' Gaze ''Ulysses' Gaze'' (, translit. ''To Vlemma tou Odyssea'') is a 1995 Greek film directed by Theo Angelopoulos and starring Harvey Keitel, Maia Morgenstern, and Erland Josephson. The film was selected as the Greek entry for the Best Foreign L ...

'', film score. Kim Kashkashian, viola. (CD ECM 1570) *

Zoltán Kodály Zoltán Kodály (; hu, Kodály Zoltán, ; 16 December 1882 – 6 March 1967) was a Hungarian composer, ethnomusicologist, pedagogue, linguist, and philosopher. He is well known internationally as the creator of the Kodály method of music edu ...

: Adagio for Viola and Piano. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1316) * György Kurtág: Neun Stücke, Jelek, Op. 5, Hommage à R. Sch., Op. 15d. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano, Eduard Brunner, clarinet. (CD ECM 1508) * György Kurtág: Movement for viola and orchestra. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, conductor, Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. (CD ECM 1711) *

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

: Romance oubliée. Kim Kashkashian, viola Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1316) * Tigran Mansurian: ''"...and then I was in time again"'', ''Lachrymae'', ''Confessing with Faith''. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Jan Garbarek, soprano saxophone, the Hilliard Ensemble,

Christoph Poppen Christoph Poppen (born 9 March 1956) is a German conductor, violinist and academic teacher. Career Poppen was born in Münster. As a violinist, he was awarded first prize in the Kocian Violin Competition age 14. He studied the violin with Ku ...

, conductor,

Münchener Kammerorchester The Munich Chamber Orchestra (german: Münchener Kammerorchester, links=no, italic=no, or MKO) is a German chamber orchestra based in Munich. Its primary concert venue is the Prinzregententheater, Munich. The MKO also gives concerts in Munich at s ...

. (CD ECM 1850) * Tigran Mansurian: ''Hayren'', Music of Komitas and Mansurian, Duet for viola and percussion. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robyn Schulkowsky, percussion, Tigran Mansurian, piano, voice. (CD ECM 1754) *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

: Adagio and Fugue in c minor, K546.

, Daniel Phillips, violins, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, cello. (CD Sony MK42134) *

: Duos for Violin and Viola, K423, K424, Trio for Violin, Viola and Piano K498 “Kegelstatt”.

, violin, Kim Kashkashian, viola, Valery Afanassiev, piano. (CD DG 415 483-2) *

: Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola, and Orchestra, K364.

, violin, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt or historically Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt; () (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music ...

, conductor, Vienna Philharmonic. (CD DG 413 461-2) *

: Divertimento in Eb, K563.

, violin, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, cello. (CD Sony SK39561) *

: Quintet in c minor, K406. Guarneri Quartet, Kim Kashkashian, viola. (CD RCA 7771-2-RC) *

: Quintet in E♭ major, K614. Guarneri Quartet, Kim Kashkashian, viola. (CD RCA 7772-2-RC) *

Betty Olivero Betty Olivero ( he, בטי אוליברו; b. 16 May 1954) is an Israeli music educator and composer. Biography Olivero was born in Tel Aviv, Israel to parents Dora Kapon and Eli Olivero. She graduated with a Bachelor in Music from the Rubin Aca ...

: Neharo't Neharo't. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Alexander Liebreich, conductor,

. (CD ECM) *

: Viola Concerto. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, conductor, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. (CD ECM 1506) *

: Viola Concerto. Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, conductor, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken. (CD ECM 1471) *

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 wo ...

: Quartet No. 15 in G major, Op. 161 D887.

, Daniel Phillips, violins, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, cello. (CD Sony MK42134) *

Erwin Schulhoff Erwin Schulhoff ( cs, Ervín Šulhov; 8 June 189418 August 1942) was an Austro-Czech composer and pianist. He was one of the figures in the generation of European musicians whose successful careers were prematurely terminated by the rise of the ...

: Sextet.

, Philippe Hirschhorn, violins,

Nobuko Imai , is a Japanese classical violist with an extensive career as soloist and chamber musician. Since 1988 she has played a 1690 Andrea Guarneri instrument. Biography Imai began her musical training at the age of six. She began studying at Tokyo' ...

, Kim Kashkashian, violas,

David Geringas David Geringas ( lt, Dovydas Geringas; born 29 July 1946 in Vilnius) is a Lithuanian cellist and conductor who studied under Mstislav Rostropovich. In 1970 he won the gold medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. He also plays the b ...

, Julius Berger, cellos. (LP ECM 1347/48) *

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 ...

: '' Märchenbilder'', Op. 113, ''

Märchenerzählungen ''Märchenerzählungen'' (Fairy tale narrations), Op. 132, is a trio composition by Robert Schumann in four movements for clarinet (violin ad libitum), viola and piano. He composed the clarinet-viola-piano trio in B-flat major, between 9 and 11 ...

'', Op. 132. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano, Eduard Brunner, clarinet. (CD ECM 1508) *

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throughout his life as a major compo ...

: Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 147. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1425) *

: String Quartet No. 14, Op. 142.

, Yuzuko Horigome, violins, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, cello. Edition Lockenhaus Vol. 4/5. (LP ECM 1347/48) *

: String Quartet No. 15, Op. 144.

, Daniel Phillips, violins, Kim Kashkashian, viola,

, cello. (CD Sony MK44924) *

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

: Romance for Viola and Piano. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1316) * Henri Vieuxtemps: Elegie for Viola and Piano, Op. 30. Kim Kashkashian, viola, Robert Levin, piano. (CD ECM 1316) * Morton Feldman,

Erik Satie Eric Alfred Leslie Satie (, ; ; 17 May 18661 July 1925), who signed his name Erik Satie after 1884, was a French composer and pianist. He was the son of a French father and a British mother. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, but was an und ...

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading f ...

: Rothko Chapel. Kim Kashkashian, Sarah Rothenberg,

Steven Schick Steven Schick (born May or June 1954) is a percussionist and conductor from the United States, specializing in contemporary classical music. He teaches at the University of California, San Diego and is currently the Music Director and Conductor of ...

, Houston Chamber Choir, Robert Simpson. (CD ECM 2378)

References

External links

* – official site at

*
''Kim Kashkashian's Vocal Viola''
at

, 4 September 2009
Kim Kashkashian
interview by Classicpoint.ch, 3 November 2011 (German)

interview by Bruce Duffie, 16 July 1993
Kim Kashkashian
in concert from

WGBH WGBH may refer to: * WGBH Educational Foundation, based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States ** WGBH (FM), a public radio station at Boston, Massachusetts on 89.7 MHz owned by the WGBH Educational Foundation ** WGBH-TV WGBH-TV (channel 2), ...

Boston
''Music for Food''
a musician-led initiative for local hunger relief {{DEFAULTSORT:Kashkashian, Kim 1952 births American people of Armenian descent Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition prize-winners Living people American classical violists Women violists Musicians from Detroit New England Conservatory faculty Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences ECM Records artists Classical musicians from Michigan