Around the Music Festival

Vineta Sareika-Völkner, the orchestra’s first female concertmaster since 2023, will leave the orchestra. Her last concert as concertmaster will be next February.

Here is her announcement on social media:

After three enriching and exciting years with the Berlin Philharmonic I have made the decision to leave the orchestra.
It has been an honor for me to serve as its first ever woman concertmaster and I am truly grateful for this unique life experience, fantastic concerts and inspiring encounters.
One of the many valuable learnings during the past years however is that being part of this particular orchestra is not the path I’d like to continue on in the future. I wish the orchestra the best of luck finding a fantastic new colleague for this position, I am at the same time looking forward to the next chapter of my personal musical journey.
My last concerts as concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic will take place in February 2025.

Saleika-Folkner is 38 years old and was born in Jurmala, Latvia. She studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris and the Queen Elisabeth Academy of Music in Belgium, and was concertmaster of the Royal Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra in Belgium before becoming the first violin of the Artemis String Quartet in 2012.

Then, after the dissolution of the string quartet in 2021 and the birth of her child, she joined the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 2022, joining the first violin section and becoming the first female concertmaster in the orchestra’s 140-year history in February 2023.

PHOTO：Priska Ketterer / Lucerne Festival


　　Click here for details　▷