Andra Darzins, Viola
Violist Andra Darzins was born in Australia. She studied at the University of Adelaide and in Berlin with Wolfram Christ, finishing her "soloists exam" with distinction. She is prizewinner of various national and international competitions. 1992 she won 2nd prize of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, with no 1st prize awarded.
For ten years she was principal viola in the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2004 she is Professor of Viola at the University of Music in Stuttgart. She has played as a soloist with numerous orchestras, is an active chamber musician, a guest of many renowned festivals in Europe, Australia and South America.
She often plays as guest principal viola in various orchestras, for instance in the Munich Philharmonic (tours in Europe and Asia).
In 2011 she premiered the Viola Concerto of Maija Einfelde, which is dedicated to her, in Riga. Being of Latvian descent, she has a special interest for the music of the Baltic. In 2011 her CD "Latvian Impressions" (with pianist Andreas Kerstin) was released and received excellent press reviews.