Around the Music Festival

German violinist Stephan Picard has died at the age of 66. The cause of death has not been disclosed. In addition to his active career as a soloist and as a member of the Michelangelo String Quartet, he was known for training numerous musicians as a violin professor at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin.

Born in Barcelona, ​​Spain, into a family of German-French heritage, he began studying the violin at the age of ten after returning to Germany.

He enrolled at the Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, where he studied under Sashko Gawriloff, and subsequently honed his skills at the University of Music, Drama and Media Hannover and the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim.

In 1984, the artist won first prize at both the Maria Canals International Violin Competition in Barcelona and the German National Music Competition. Since then, the artist has maintained an extensive international performance career, frequently appearing with major orchestras.

Additionally, the artist is a founding member of the Michelangelo String Quartet—established in 2003 under the leadership of violist Nobuko Imai—and is also a member of the Mendelssohn Trio Berlin.

In 1991, he was appointed professor at the University of Music Münster. After subsequently serving as a professor at the University of Music Mainz, he began teaching at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in 1995, where he established a reputation as an outstanding mentor. Alongside his teaching duties, he served as a juror for international competitions and conducted masterclasses around the world.

PHOTO：Stephan Picard