Eszter Haffner
Biography
...Viennese Elegance and Hungarian Temperament...“ Die Presse“ Austria
Eszter Haffner is one of the most exciting and respected violinists of our time. Over the last 25 years, she has been captivating audiences around the world with her distinctively rich sound, superb musicianship and outstanding interpretations. She has established close relationships with many of the most prestigious conductors and orchestras. Her social missions and her tireless commitment of the arts to the Republic of Austria was rewarded in summer 2021 with the federal award "Golden Decoration of Honor“ for artistic services to the Republic of Austria".
Always willing to expand her musical horizons, Eszter is also much sought after as a viola player.
Since 2002 she has been Professor of Violin at the KUG University of Music Graz, Austria and since 2010 also at the Royal Academy of Music Copenhagen,Denmark. As a guest professor she is teaching at Royal College London, Franz Liszt Academy Budapest, Aurora Old-Ox Stockholm, Sibelius Academy Helsinki, Music Academy Stockholm, Yale University, Eastman School of Music, Jacobs School Bloomington, NYU New York, Toho University, Villa Musica Mainz and lots of more..
Eszter plays the 1750 "ex Hamma Segelmann" Violin by Nicola Bergonzi on loan to her of the Austrian Nationalbank.
Her strings are kindly sponsored by „Larsen Strings“, her bow by Mr.Charles Shih and her 7 CD recordings by NEIRO Productions, Vienna and her new recording of Mozart Violin Concertos is coming out next February.
She is member of Haffner Strings, Haffner Trio and „Aurora Chamber” in Sweden. She is consultant of the Austrian Embassy Copenhagen and of the Organisations Live Music Now,Vienna founded by Lord Yehudi Menuhin.
Eszter Haffner was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1969. She studied for 13 years in the Gifted Musician Class at the Budapest Liszt Ferenc Music Academy with Andras Kiss, Ferenc Rados and György Kurtag. After the completion of her studies in Hungary, she came to the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria to study with Gerhard Schulz ( Alban Berg Quartet ) and Josef Sivo. She received her Diploma with unanimous distinction and prize from the Department of Culture Vienna.
From 1987-1995 she participated in a variety of masterclasses with Josef Gingold, Lorand Fenyves, Alberto Lysy, Tibor Varga, Igor Ozim, Sandor Vegh and in 1995, she completed postgraduate study in Holland with Viktor Libermann and Philip Hirschhorn. Ms.Haffner has been the recipient of scholarships from the Alban Berg, M.Sobotka, Erasmus, Janecek and Ziehrer Foundations, as well as the PE Förderkreises (Promotion Circle ) in Mannheim, Germany.
She has also been prize winner in numerous international competitions:
Concertino Praha, Koncz Violin Competition Hungary, Jugend Musiziert, Stephanie Hohl Vienna, International Chamber Music Competition Trapani and Caltanissetta Italy.
She has taught at countless Music Festivals such as the Menuhin Festival Blonay, Prussia Cove, Sion, Brighton Festival, Römerberg Festival, Bates Festival, Montana Festival USA, Wörthersee Classics, Klangbogen Wien, Neuberger Kulturtage, Mondsee, Casals Festival France, Brahms Tage Mürzzuschlag, Styriarte Graz, Villa Musica, Cervantino Festival Mexico, Festival Tamaulipas, Haydn Festspiele, Schubertiade, Bregenzer Festspiele, Macau and Hong-Kong Festivals, Porto Gruaro Festival, Lucca Festival , Festival Stavanger etc.
As soloist and chamber musician (violin and viola ), she has appeared with artists such as Clemens Hagen, gerhard Schulz, Leonard Hokanson, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Alexander Lonquich, Arto Noras, Melvyn Tan, Pamela Frank, Lars Anders Tomter, Patrick Demenga, Christian Altenburger,Wolfgang Schulz, Marko Letonja, Nicholas Chumachenco, Torleif Themen, Marianna Shirinian and Stefan Vladar.
Her recordings reflect her unusually extensive musical range, covering chamber and concerto works from Haydn to Eisler. These include Piano Trios from Martinu,
Mozart, Brahms, Schubert, Kodaly with the Haffner Trio, Mozarts Sinfonia Concertante with Bettina Gradinger, Schubert, Schumann and Eisler Sonatas on behalf of the Austrian National Bank.
Her upcoming CD recordings of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart`s Violin Concertos sponsored by the Austrian Nationalbank will be released in 2022..
As pedagogue, Ms.Haffner`s experiences include 1999-2002 assistant to Prof.Gerhard Schulz and violin Lecturer at the University of Music in Vienna, as well, as being a regular violin and viola instructor at Neuberger Seminare, Casals Festival France, Danish Strings, Int.Sommer Academy Semmering, EMI-Vienna,Tokio,Hamburg,Madrid and Copenhagen, as well in the USA and Villa Musica,Germany.
She was Jury member at many international violin competitions as: Spohr Competition Germany, Isang Yung Competition Korea, Piccolo Magico Violin Competition Italy, Andrea Postacchini Competition Italy, Szymanowsky Competition Poland, Baczewich Competition Poland, Serguei Azizian Competition Denmark, LIVE Music Now Austria, Singapur Violin Competition, Brahms Competition Austria etc.
Since 2001 she has been Professor of Violin at the KUG University of Music Graz, Austria and since 2010 at the Royal Academy of Music Copenhagen.
Ms. Haffner plays the „ ex Hamma Segelmann“ violin by N.Bergonzi ( Cremona 1750 ) from the collection of the Austrian National Bank.
