Maria Sawerthal studied under Michael Schnitzler and Christian Altenburger at the University of Music in her home city of Vienna, and – with the support of a merit-based scholarship from the Austrian Ministry of Education – under Jonathan Crow at McGill University in Montreal. The violinist also attended masterclasses with Nikolaj Znaider, Ernst Kovacic and members of the Vienna Philharmonic, and was a scholarship holder of the ‘Live Music Now’ foundation established by Yehudi Menuhin.
Maria Sawerthal has been a member of the Camerata Salzburg since 2010.
She is also a violinist with ‘Trio Frühstück’, a piano trio specialising in Viennese Classical and contemporary music, with whom she regularly performs at prestigious venues such as the Musikverein in Vienna, the Wien Modern Festival and the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt. Trio Frühstück’s debut CD, “Mosaique”, has been released by Gramola.
Interview
In conversation with Maria Sawerthal
If the CAMERATA’s music were a culinary speciality from your home country – what would it be and why?
For me, the CAMERATA would be a Kaiserschmarrn with stewed plums: fluffy, light and crispy all at once – simply special!
If Mozart were still alive, what would you like to say to him?
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
What does ‘good ensemble playing’ mean to you?
Listening, listening intently – and then taking a stand yourself.
Constant curiosity and the pursuit of ‘that’ moment of musical connection.
What has been your most memorable experience with the CAMERATA Salzburg so far?
One of many: Mozart Week 2009, my first time taking part. I was overwhelmed to find myself in an ensemble that performs with such finesse and verve, and which is so at home in the music of Mozart and Haydn.
