1966- Born in Hamburg, Germany, Christian Tetzlaff was named “Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America in 2005 and is internationally recognized as one of the most important violinists of his generation. He began playing violin and piano at age six and made his debut performing the Beethoven Concerto at age 14. After studies at the Lübeck Conservatory, he came to the United States to work with Walter Levine at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Equally at home in the classical, romantic and 20th century repertoire, Mr. Tetzlaff has been a soloist with the world’s leading ensembles, including the Berlin and Vienna philharmonics. He is much in demand as a soloist with major orchestras of the world. He plays a contemporary violin by Stefan-Peter Greiner which he has had since 2002, preferring it to his previous Stradivarius instrument. He uses a Peccatte bow, and Vision™ strings by Thomastik-Infeld in Vienna.