Heinz Holliger

Heinz Holliger is among the most versatile and most extraordinary musical personalities of our time.

After taking first prizes in the international competitions in Genf and Munich, Mr. Holliger began an incomparable international career that has taken him to the great musical centers on five continents. Exploring both composition and performance, he has extended the technical possibilities of his instrument while deeply committing himself to contemporary music. Some of the most important composers of the present day have dedicated works to Mr. Holliger, who also advocates certain lesser-known works and composers.

Recent North American performances include a tour with the Juilliard String Quartet with dates at the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, San Francisco Performances, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Pro Musica Society of Montreal, as well as chamber concerts at Da Camera of Houston and the 92nd Street Y.

Heinz Holliger’s many honors and prizes include the Composer’s Prize from the Swiss Musician’s Association, the City of Copenhagen’s Léonie Sonning Prize for Music, Art Prize of the City of Basel, the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, the City of Frankfurt’s Music Prize, the Abbiati Prize at the Venice Biennale, an honorary doctorate from the University of Zürich, and a Zürich Festival Prize, among others, as well as awards for recordings – the Diapason d’Or, Midem Classical Award, the Edison Award, the Grand Prix du Disque, and others.

As a conductor, Heinz Holliger has worked for many years together with leading orchestras and ensembles worldwide, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw Orchestra, the London Philharmonia Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the SWR Symphony Orchestra of Baden-Baden/Freiburg and Stuttgart, the WDR Symphony Orchestra of Cologne, the Frankfurt Symphony Orchestra, the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestra, L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Chamber Orchestra of Lausanne, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Lyon, and the Strasbourg Philharmonic, as well as his long standing collaboration with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.

In high demand as a composer, Heinz Holliger’s works are published exclusively by Schott Music International. His opera on Robert Walser’s “Schneewittchen” at the Zürich Opera House received great international attention. Other major works are the Scardanelli Cycle and the Violin Concerto.

Heinz Holliger’s recordings as an oboist, conductor, and composer are available on Teldec, Philips and ECM. He is currently recording the works of Charles Koechlin in a series of releases for the SWR/Hänssler label.  Of the five recordings currently released, a double CD with soprano Juliane Banse was awarded the Midem Classical 2006 Award and the 2006 Prize from Echo Classics.