Antoine Tamestit

Antoine Tamestit, born in Paris in 1979, is one of the world’s foremost violists, a soloist who has done much to raise the profile of his instrument. Trained at the Paris Conservatoire and at Yale, and a pupil of the great violist Tabea Zimmermann, he won major prizes including first place at the ARD and William Primrose competitions and was a BBC New Generation Artist. He is celebrated for his flawless technique and, above all, for the exceptional warmth and richness of his tone. A committed champion of new music, he has premiered concertos written for him, including Jörg Widmann’s. He plays the ‘Mahler’ Stradivarius of 1672, the very first viola made by Antonio Stradivari, and one of the most storied instruments in the world.