Mirijam Contzen is highly esteemed by the international musical world as a soloist, chamber musician, festival director and teacher. Her playing combines grandeur and technical mastery to create compellingly refined interpretations. Mirijam Contzen’s distinctive sound and unique power of expression testify to a profoundly individual musical understanding.

Born in Münster to a German-Japanese family, she was discovered at her orchestral début by the legendary Hungarian violinist Tibor Varga, absorbing through him the direct succession of Jenő Hubay, Franz Gábriel, Zoltán Kodály and Leó Weiner. International solo débuts with orchestra very soon followed in the greatest concert halls, including Cologne Philharmonie, the Rudolfinum, Frankfurt Alte Oper, London Barbican and Suntory Hall.

From the outset of her performing career, Mirijam Contzen has been a staunch advocate of unknown repertoire. In this vein, she recorded the violin concerto “Et derrière toi marchent les étoiles..” by Nicolas Bolens with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. For her début CD, which was awarded the Echo Preis in 2001, she chose seldom played works by Hubay, Ferrara and Geszler.

Her CD recording with pianist Tobias Bredohl juxtaposes works by the composer Stefan Heucke with sonatas by Hindemith.

In January 2020 Sony will release the two violin concertos of Franz Clement with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne under the direction of Reinhard Goebel, with whom Mirijam Contzen has worked intensively over many years. The second violin concerto will be the world premiere recording. Franz Clement was the dedicatee of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, which itself was composed in response to Clement’s first violin concerto. The recording forms the first part of the “Beethovens Welt” (Beethoven’s World) cycle, which evolved under the artistic direction of Reinhard Goebel and explores Ludwig van Beethoven’s milieu. A further CD of the Hummel Double Concerto for Violin and Piano with Herbert Schuch and the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, also under Reinhard Goebel, is due for release in May 2020.