RAINER KÜCHL

 

Rainer Küchl was born on August 25th 1950 in Waidhofen an der Ybbs, Lower Austria. At the age of 11 he began learning to play the violin. From 1964 until 1970, he studied violin at the Music Academy of Vienna* under Professor Samohyl.

 

He was appointed Concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna State Opera in 1971 at the age of 20, and since then has played with all the great conductors of our time – including Böhm, Bernstein, Karajan and Solti.

 

Professor Küchl combines a career as principal concert master of the VPO with solo and chamber music concerts as well as teaching. He plays as a soloist with the Vienna Philharmonic as well as numerous concerts in Austria, Japan and Europe with many renowned orchestras.

 

In 1973 he formed the Küchl-Quartet, also known as the Vienna Musikverein Quartet, which since 1976 has had a regular concert series in the Brahmssaal of the Musikverein in Vienna - frequently premiering contemporary works as well as the extensive classical repertoire.

 

In 1982 Rainer Küchl was appointed full Professor and Head of Violin at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. He has given Master Classes in Europe and Japan.

 

 

Many awards have acknowledged his outstanding contribution to music, including the “Mozart Interpretation Award” in 1973 by the Mozart Society of Vienna, the “Golden Order of Merit of the Federal Province of Salzburg” in 1985, The “Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Arts” in 1988, in 1994 the ”Order of Merit of Services rendered to the Republic of Austria Grand Decoration” in 2010 “Honorary Goodwill Ambassador of Kawasaki” and “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon of the Japanese Government”.

 

In 1995 he participated as concert master of the World Peace Orchestra under the baton of Sir Georg Solti at the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations. In 1998, at the opening of the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, he also appeared as concert master under Seiji Owawa. In 2001 he was awarded official honorary status with the Vienna State Opera.

 

*University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna