Eva-Christina Schönweiß

Eva-Christina Schönweiß lives in Berlin and is principal second violin of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester (DSO). Her work as an honorary professor teaching a performance class of violin students at the Hanns Eisler School of Music is of great importance to her. In addition to many chamber concerts in a wide variety of formations, she is also the first violinist of the Niccolo Quartet, which is known for its lecture recital series.

She fondly remembers her early years playing the violin, first at the music school of the Hof Symphony Orchestra and then with Bruno Bauer (a teacher at the high school in Münchberg). She still maintains contact with him. His enthusiasm for music and the violin kindled a fire in her that has never stopped burning.

She completed her studies with Gerhart Hetzel at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna and pursued further studies with Dorothy DeLay and Kurt Saßmannshaus in the US. She also received decisive impetus through many courses with Igor Ozim, Walter Forchert and from working on chamber music with the LaSalle and the Tokyo Quartet. In addition, she thoroughly enjoys the inspiring work with many outstanding colleagues and conductors at the DSO.

From 1994 to 2000 she was closely involved with the Aspen Music Festival as a teacher, soloist and concertmaster. Encouraging the next generation of musicians is very important to her. Among other projects, she is a co-founder of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Academy as well as the DSO chamber music outreach project in schools in Berlin.

She firmly believes that “the desire to bring music closer to the listener in all its vitality, allowing one soul to touch another, lies at the core of all music making.”


The Duo Eva-Christina Schönweiß (Violin) and Kirsten Ecke (Harp)
The duo’s discography includes the CD Poésie and the fall 2018 release of the concert suite Le Petit Prince for violin, harp and orchestra by Jean-Pascal Beintus – which he dedicated to the duo – with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin conducted by Kent Nagano.

Photo: Ruediger Schestag