Karwendel Artists
&
Guests
The Karwendel Artists were created to champion the spirit of the Karwendel Music Festival and share the musical heritage of Mittenwald with audiences around the world. Serving as artistic ambassadors, they represent the festival’s commitment to excellence, collaboration, and international exchange.
Over the past decade, KMF has had the privilege of welcoming and collaborating with internationally acclaimed musicians who bring their artistry, experience, and inspiration to the festival. Together, these distinguished artists and special guests enrich the festival community, mentor young musicians, and help carry the voice of Mittenwald onto the international stage.
Karwendel Artists
Sven Stucke
Kawrendel Artist & Founding MemberWinner of the Louise-Henriette International Violin Competition and the Queen Sophie Charlotte International Violin Competition, German violinist Sven Stucke has performed globally across Europe, Asia, and the USA. Renowned for his collaborations with masters like Pinchas Zukerman, his acclaimed Mozart tour led to his appointment as concertmaster of the Montgomery Symphony. He has recorded extensively for major broadcasters including RBB, WDR, and SWR.
Xi Wang
Kawrendel Artist & Founding MemberRecognized for her charismatic performances and dazzling virtuosity, Chinese-born violinist Xi Wang gained early fame as a child prodigy. At seventeen, she performed for the United Nations on a major U.S. tour. A graduate of the New England Conservatory, she has debuted with the Tucson and ASU Symphony Orchestras. She has recorded for the Summit Records and Canyon Records. Her solo and chamber music performances were broadcast through NPR, KBAQ and WMRA in the U.S.
Yushan Li
Kawrendel ArtistSince 2022, violist Yushan Li has performed with the Niederbayerische Philharmonie. Trained at the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, she is a specialist in both modern and baroque viola. Her repertoire spans from Bach to 20th-century jazz.
Alexander Larin
Kawrendel ArtistA prize-winning soloist and chamber musician, Alexander Larin has served as Principal Cellist for the Niederbayerische Philharmonie since 2022. He has performed under conductors like Mariss Jansons and Vladimir Jurowski. Since 2017, he has played a 1907 Luigi Contavalli cello, performing in major halls from St. Petersburg to Munich.
Guest Artists
Stradivarius Quartet, ViolaLech Antonio Uszynski
Lech Antonio Uszynski is an internationally-acclaimed violist and professor at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. Famed for his mastery of the "Gibson" Stradivarius, he now performs on a 1690 Hendrick Willems, balancing a prolific solo career with the acclaimed Stradivari Quartet.
ViolinViktor Tretjakov
Viktor Tretyakov is a world-renowned Russian violinist and conductor, celebrated as a symbol of the Russian violin school. Since winning first prize at the 1966 International Tchaikovsky Competitionat age 19, he has performed with major global orchestras. He is also a distinguished professor and former director of the Russian State Chamber Orchestra.
ViolinNatalia Likhopoi
Natalia Likhopoi is a prizewinner of numerous international competitions, including the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, the Kreisler Competition in Vienna, the Tokyo Competition, and the Ruggiero Ricci Competition in Berlin. Itzhak Perlman called her “the Soviet pearl, Natalia Likhopoi.”
ViolaLiyuan Liu
A graduate of the Juilliard School and the Columbia University, Dr. Liu Liyuan is a prominent Chinese violist and educator. She is Associate Professor of Viola and Deputy Chair of the Orchestral Department at the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, where she also serves as Deputy Dean of the Chamber Music Institute and a graduate advisor.
Peter Hörr
CelloPeter Hörr is a prominent German cellist and conductor, recognized as one of the most versatile artists of his generation. He rose to international attention after winning the 1989 Scheveningen International Cello Competition and has since established a multifaceted career in performance, recording, and education.
CelloLeonid Gorokhov
Russian-born cellist Leonid Gorokhov is a world-renowned virtuoso and pedagogue. A winner of the Concertino Praga and Geneva International Competitions, he has performed with premier orchestras globally. Currently a professor at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, he is celebrated for his profound artistry and technical mastery.
Manhattan School of Music, Chair of the Strings DepartmentNicholas Mann
Nicholas Mann is a renowned violinist, chamber musician, and educator serving as Chair of the String Department at the Manhattan School of Music (MSM) and a faculty member at The Juilliard School. A founding member of the Mendelssohn String Quartet, he has performed worldwide and recorded for labels such as Bis and Nonesuch.
PianoJohann Blanchard
Born in France and based in Germany, Johann Blanchard is an award-winning pianist known for his emotional and uncompromising performances. A prize-winner at numerous competitions, he has recorded extensively for the MDG label, earning the Opus Klassik. He currently teaches in Berlin while maintaining an active international solo career.
ViolinArtur Kaganovskiy
A Ukrainian-born American violinist and conductor, Artur Kaganovskiy is praised for his rich tone and technical mastery. A former student of Isaac Stern, he has performed globally and recorded major concertos. Beyond performing, he is a violin maker, crafting instruments for professional musicians worldwide.
ViolaEszter Kaganovskiy
An accomplished violist, Eszter Kaganovskiy completed her musical education in Romania before earning advanced degrees in the United States. She and her husband, violinist Arthur Kaganovskiy, are a celebrated musical duo known for their virtuosic performances.
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Assistant Principal ViolaSarina Zickgraf
German violist Sarina Zickgraf is the Assistant Principal Violist of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. A former student of Tabea Zimmermann, she has performed at the Verbier and Kronberg festivals. Recognized for her "exceptional musical and social competence," she was named "Scholar of the Year" by Villa Musica in 2016.
Lysander Piano Trio, CelloJames Kim
Winner of the 2006 David Popper International Cello Competition and 2012 Salon de Virtuosi’s Sony Career Grant, James Kim is a laureate of the 2015 Isang Yun International Cello Competition and 2024 Naumburg International Cello Competition. From 2016 to 2021, Kim performed on a Matteo Goffriller cello from Venice ca. 1715, generously loaned by Samsung Cultural Foundation and Stradivari Society® of Chicago, Illinois. Kim currently serves as Assistant Professor of Cello at University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music.