Profile

German born musician, Anne-Sophie Mutter, is considered being one of the world’s greatest contemporary violinists. From an early age it was clear that she was precociously talented and, when only 13, she was invited by the legendary conductor, Herbert von Karajan to play with the Berlin Philharmonic –an orchestra with which she continues to collaborate with to this day. She has worked with many of the world’s greatest conductors – Seiji Ozawa, Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim, to name but a few.  Her musical skills and subtle, unique vibrato technique are beyond question. She commands a large and varied repertoire that often features works written for her by major contemporary composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki and Sofia Gubaidulina. So far, she has premiered 27 works. Through the Friends of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, a project started in 1997, to which the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation was added in 2008, she helps talented young musicians familiarize themselves with the life of a professional musician, resulting in the first tour of her ensemble of the Mutter’s Virtuosi in 2011. In her strong charity engagement, she gives regular benefit concerts, helping the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the children in Yemen to name but a few. Further to receiving 4 Grammys and the 2008 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, she is the recipient of many more distinctions. In 2017, she received the Commandeur de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2019, she was given the highly prized Polar Music Prize.

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German born musician, Anne-Sophie Mutter, is considered being one of the world’s greatest contemporary violinists. Her musical skills and subtle, unique vibrato technique are beyond question, as is her outstanding ability of expression, musical knowledge and love of broad range of music.
From an early age it was clear that she was precociously talented and, when only 13, she was invited by the legendary conductor, Herbert von Karajan to play with the Berlin Philharmonic – an orchestra with which she continues to collaborate with to this day.
“He said I was actually the only violin soloist he worked with in the year 1978 until his death. I found it incredibly humbling and a wonderful compliment.”
She debuted in Japan with von Karajan in 1981 and has continued to work with many of the world’s greatest conductors – Seiji Ozawa, Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim, to name but a few.  She commands a large and varied repertoire that often features works written for her by major contemporary composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki and Sofia Gubaidulina. In 2019 she will be touring and performing film themes that have been specifically rearranged for her by the composer, John Williams.
“It is the noble duty of a musician to educate the audience, to take them to this journey into a different universe because we need to enlarge our understanding of music, the player as well as the audience.”
At the age of 34, she established a foundation to support and find new talent. It developed into the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation, providing musical education, scholarships as well as the critical possibility of performing with Mutter herself. It also aimed at helping these young musicians to familiarize themselves with the life of a professional musician and introducing them to a broader audience. In the spring of 2011 she started the additional project, Mutter’s Virtuosi: this ensemble under the violinist’s artistic leadership consists of current and former scholarship holders of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation as well as selected other young musicians ensuring that what she had received from the great mentors will continue to be passed on to the next generation.
“Karajan made me aware of the importance of passing what we had received from our great teachers to coming generations.”
On the Mutter’s Virtuosi tours through Europe, North America and Asia, they regularly introduce their audience to new works; benefit concerts are also a fixed part of every tour program. Their upcoming tour this fall will lead them to South America. Mutter has also performed for charity concerts to help the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake or to help the Syrian refugees.
The recipient of many awards, in 2017, she received the France's Commandeur de L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2019, she was given the highly prized Polar Music Prize.