Since making her international debut at the age of 12, and a year later participating in the legendary "joint concert" of the Israel and Berlin Philharmonics (conducted by Zubin Mehta in Tel Aviv), Viviane Hagner has acquired a depth and maturity in her playing that is reflected in her serene stage presence. She has appeared with the world's great orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Berlin, the Czech Philharmonic, the Bavarian State Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with conductors such as Abbado, Ashkenazy, Barenboim and Eschenbach. Recent concert highlights include performances of the Brahms Double Concerto with Yo-Yo Ma and Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with Pinchas Zukerman and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as well as recitals in New York, Washington and Boston.

As well as bringing insight and virtuosity to the central concerto repertoire, Viviane Hagner is an ardent advocate of new, neglected and undiscovered music. Composers whose work she champions include Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Karl Goldmark and Krzysztof Penderecki. In 2002 she gave the world premiere of Unsuk Chin's Violin Concerto with the Deutsche Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin and Kent Nagano, later taking the work to the US. After the premiere of Simon Holt's new Violin Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Jonathan Nott in 2006, The Sunday Times critic wrote that she "caught the music's soul".

An ardent chamber musician, she has performed at renowned international festivals including Schleswig-Holstein, Salzburg Easter Festival, Marlboro and Ravinia. With her sister and congenial duo partner, pianist Nicole Hagner, she has recorded a debut album for EMI Classics. Her first solo violin recording featuring works by Bartok, Hartmann and Bach will be released on the Altara label (www.altaramusic.com) in January/February 2007.

Upcoming highlights include her debuts with the New York Philharmonics under Lorin Maazel, the Boston Symphony under Charles Dutoit, the Montreal Symphony under Kent Nagano, and the Munich Philharmonics under Hugh Wolff. She has been invited by the Konzerthaus Berlin to be their Artist in Residence in 2007/8.

Viviane Hagner plays the Sasserno Stradivarius built in 1717, generously loaned to her by the Nippon Music Foundation. She is the recipient of a 2004 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award.

 Bio courtesy of www.vivianehagner.de.