Studies & Classes

Hartmut Rohde teaches as a professor for viola at the University of the Arts (UdK) in Berlin, which appointed him in 1993. He is also an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music London, where he regularly holds chamber music courses. He is a sought-after lecturer at international master classes in Europe, the USA and Australia as well as throughout Asia. His students have received highest awards at several international solo and chamber music competitions ARD, Banff, Geneva, Berlin – to name a few: VISION String Quartet, Faurè Quartet, Quatuor Hermès. Individual Prize winners are Julia Adler, Hwayoon Kim, Matan Gilitchensky, Kyungsik Shin, Konstantin Sellheim, Martin v.d. Nahmer, Joaquin Riquelme. Besides Professorships and teaching positions they hold positions for example at the Berlin and Munich Philharmonic, Berlin State Opera, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Hessischer Rundfunk and Semperoper Dresden, Ensemble Intercontemporain Paris, Vienna Philharmonic, Santa Cecilia Rom. Since 1997 he has been artistic director of the International Max Rostal Competition for violin and viola, Berlin and juror of well-known competitions such as the ARD Munich International Competition.

Dear young violists: A very warm welcome to my 2024 master classes! Please visit the individual websites of the following locations. 

Repertoire is open from Barock to todays modern oevres. Viewing all various styles there is a focus on the use of vibrato and articulations in relation to the composer and it´s time. Questions on how to read different editions up to the unanswered question of Bartok´s Viola Concerto will be illuminated next to lifting technical problems to their highest levels as well as stage performance and charisma in concert life.

Articles by Hartmut Rohde in “The Strad”

• 20th of March, 2018: With vibrato the question isn’t just about more or less, but also about variety of sound
• 20th of October, 2017: The Strad Masterclass – Hartmut Rohde on Reger’s Viola Sonata op.107
• 23rd of May, 2017: How to balance the left-hand when playing chords and double stops

Some student’s prizes – positions and awards

The following list contains notable prizes, positons and arwards of student’s of Professor Hartmut Rohde:

• Sander Stuart: VISION Quartett – 1st prize, Geneva
• Przemo Pujanek: 1st solo violist at the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 1st solo violist Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt, 1st solo violist Deutsche Oper Berlin, 3rd prize Brahms Competition
• Luke Turrell: 1st solo violist Gewandhaus Leipzig
• Sara Kim: 1st solo viola at the Brunswig State Theater, solo violist of Gewandhaus Leipzig, 1st prize Mendelssohn Competition Berlin, Teacher at the Munich University of Music
• Gregoire Simon: 1st solo viola at the Ensemble Intercontemporain Paris (Boulez)
• Dorian Wetzel: ECHO Klassik award with Berolina Ensemble
• Sejune Kim: 1st solo viola Radio Philharmonic Orchestra NDR Hannover, 1st prize International Viola Competition Poznan, 3rd prize Mendelssohn Competition Berlin, 2nd prize Hindemith Competition Frankfurt, 2nd Prize Tokyo Viola Competition
• Atsushi Komatsu: 1st solo violist Göttingen Symphony Orchestra
• Théodor Delianne: Quatuor AKOS
• Matan Gilitchensky: 1st prize Aviv Competition Tel Aviv, 1st solo violist Dresden Philharmonic
• Johannes Pennetzdorfer: 2nd prize Max Rostal Competition Berlin
• Gabriel Tamayo: Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt
• Young-Hsin Yang: 1st prize Young Concert Artists New York with Quatuor Hermes, 1st prize Geneva
• Konstantin Sellheim: Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, 3rd prize Max Rostal Competition Berlin
• Giovanni Menna: BR Symphony Orchestra
• Joaquin Riquelme: Berlin Philharmonic
• Martin von der Nahmer: Berlin Philharmonic
• Julia Mai-Adler: assistant solo violist Munich Philharmonic, Professor UdK Berlin since 2016
• Gabriel Uhde: Elbphilharmonie Hamburg
• Sascha Frömbling: Fauré Quartett (ECHO award)
• Nilay Özdemir: Solo Konzerthaus Berlin