Matthias Pintscher
Compositeur, chef d’orchestre
Matthias Pintscher is one of the most successful German composers of his generation whose works are also performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker, as well as a sought-after conductor in Europe and the USA. In September 2015, Pintscher made his conducting debut with the orchestra – with a programme that included his iridescent violin concerto [mar’eh], with soloist Renaud Capuçon.
Matthias Pintscher studied composition under Giselher Klebe in Detmold and Manfred Trojahn in Düsseldorf, and also received significant inspiration from Hans Werner Henze and Peter Eötvös, who taught him conducting. At a breathtaking pace, he became one of the most successful contemporary composers. He was commissioned by the Berliner Philharmoniker to write the violin concerto [en sourdine], which was premiered at the end of February 2003 with Frank Peter Zimmermann under the baton of Eötvös. Pintscher is music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporain, one of the world’s leading ensembles for Contemporary music. As a conductor of works from the late 19th and 20th centuries as well as the present, Pintscher has made guest appearances with ensembles such as the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Detroit, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Houston and Montreal. He was Artist in Association with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Artist in Residence with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Creative Chair of the 2018/19 season with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. A keen supporter and mentor of students and young musicians, Pintscher was principal conductor of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra from 2016 to 2018, and has worked with the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker.
