Christine Raphael

Christine Raphael was born in Meiningen, Thuringia and was the second daughter of composer Günter Raphael (1903–1960). She only began taking violin lessons at the very late age of 13, although she had already shown her love for the violin in earliest childhood. Her dream only slowly came to the attention of her parents who had previously been forced to set other priorities. She compensated for her late start with irrepressible diligence and passion, and after only a few years her exceptional talent on the violin was recognized. After her father died, a violent and painful development in her young life, she studied for a year in Denmark with Martin Andersen (Det fynske musik konservatorium Odense). Back in Cologne she continued her studies with Igor Ozim at the State Music Conservatory, completing the solo master class with Max Rostal with a degree in music performance (künstlerische Reifeprüfung) and a performance degree in solo violin in 1970/71. In 1972 she won a DAAD scholarship to study with Ivan Galamian at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. She received support and musical insight in particular from Henryk Szeryng and Nathan Milstein. Her concert work was mainly as a soloist with orchestras, playing a large part of the standard literature, as well as in violin and duo chamber recitals in most European countries, Canada, the United States, South America, West Africa and Japan. She made numerous recording for radio and TV and with recording studios both in Germany and abroad. In addition to interpretations of the standard violin literature from the Baroque to New Music, she was especially interested in performing and recording her father’s works for violin.
Fredrik Pachla