Tabea Zimmermann: The viola is my voice

The position of Artist in Residence at the Berliner Philharmoniker includes concerts with the full orchestra, performances in small ensembles, and working together with the scholarship holders of the Karajan Academy. An ideal situation for violist Tabea Zimmermann, who is known not only as an internationally successful soloist and passionate chamber musician, but also took on the role of professor and mentor for young musicians at an early age. Zimmermann describes the Berliner Philharmoniker’s offer to become Artist in Residence for the 2020/21 season as “the best thing ever” and the highlight of her career.

Zimmermann, who made her debut with the Philharmoniker in 1992, is shown in our film in interview, in concert and in recordings of rehearsals. Members of the orchestra talk about the virtuosity, expressiveness, humour and inner peace that characterise Zimmermann’s music-making. With regard to the many cancelled cultural events during the corona pandemic, the artist confesses that she missed meeting colleagues and concert visits almost more than her own performances.

Her residency began in October 2020 with the concerto Der Schwanendreher by Paul Hindemith, who of all the major composers was the most famous violist. In our film portrait, Zimmermann also explains why she feels particularly attached to Hindemith’s music and personality.

Tabea Zimmermann