Welcome to the official website of violist Benjamin Beck

An award-winning musician, Benjamin Beck performs as a soloist and principal viola in renowned orchestras and teaches as a professor at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles. He is an exceptionally versatile and explorative musician, which he expresses through his innovative arrangements and research projects to explore connections between classical music and various other art forms.

Benjamin Beck currently holds the position of 1st principal viola of the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra. In July 2023, he will take up the same position with the Vienna State Opera/ Vienna Philharmonic.

International Press:

“Benjamin Beck, with his impetuous and magical playing … beautiful phrasing and elegant interpretation … provoked tears of his Basque audience and a standing ovation”

— Sud-Ouest, France

“…wonderfully touching and expressive interpretation…a flexibility and soloistic virtuosity making a long-lasting impression…”

— Volksfreund, Germany

 “…a young musician with a generous and profound sound, powerfully embedding plentiful warmth and roundness…”

— 新潟日報モア, Japan

Benjamin has toured worldwide and performed solo and chamber music in venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, Paris Philharmonie, Paris Salle Pleyel, Munich National Theatre, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, Geneva Victoria Hall, and Tokyo Yamaha Hall. He plays at prestigious festivals, including the Bayreuth Festival and Verbier Festival, and has collaborated with inspiring artists such as Christian Tetzlaff and Midori.

In 2015, Benjamin released his first solo album, “Les voix de l’alto”. He has participated in the production of more than 10 CDs, among which the complete Sibelius’ symphonies with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. In April 2023, his second album, “Love beyond Death” will be released by German label GENUIN classics, which features works including Schumann’s Fantasiestücke, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, and Britten’s Lachrymae, etc.

As an arranger, his transcription of Schubert’s song cycle Winterreise for viola, harp, and the narrator was released by E-label Les Belles Ecouteuses in 2009. His arrangement of the Czech composer Janacek’s masterpiece – The Cunning Little Vixen, into an innovative form for viola, piano, and actor was funded by the French Ministry of Culture in 2019. Benjamin Beck’s most recent project is his arrangement of Wagner’s opera “Lohengrin” for string sextet, which premiered in the Richard Wagner Museum Bayreuth on 28 August 2020 – the 170th birthday of the original opera. This work includes Lohengrin’s most beautiful and impressive moments in a chamber music format.

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Benjamin Beck, musician

Playing music is an immense privilege and joy. It can speak directly to the heart of each person: music does not need words. I seek the most sincere and direct routes to express its unspeakable emotions and feelings and to communicate with the audience in the voice of music.

To fulfill this passion and making my viola a voice of its own, I am continually exploring new experiences and possibilities in performing, creating and sharing.”

Benjamin Beck

Performing, creating and sharing
music to more ...

 

Benjamin Beck is actively creating new content and looking for innovative ways to engage with his audience. This rich perspective is a great way to define his musical identity. It consists of many projects, researches and collaborations, which transform his interactions with the public into intense and personal moments. Through the years, Benjamin developed various projects, keeping a clear focus on expression and narration.

viola, music
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musician, viola, Benjamin Beck, CD
CD release

Featured Gyorgy Kurtag, Franz Schubert, Paul Hindemith, Johannes Brahms, Bernd Aloïs Zimmermann, Franck Bridge

The CD is an exploration of the relationship between the viola and voice. Benjamin attempted with the purpose to answer the questions “what makes the viola such a close instrument to the human voice?”, and “How to tell a story only with music?”

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Janacek, the cunning little vixen
Projects

Wagner, Lohengrin
Beethoven, Beethoven Himself
Janacek, The Cunning Little Vixen
Schubert, Winterreise
Fairy Stories and Love Tales

Benjamin Beck’s transcription works turn into the dreamlike performance that blurs the boundaries of the musical genre, where sublime music and fantastical storytelling at times follow one another, and at other times intertwine.

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Listen to Benjamin Beck online

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Contact us

Contact Benjamin Beck for concerts, projects, and educational programs here.

Contact Benjamin Beck