The Leipzig Viola Ensemble is a young formation founded by famous Tatjana Masurenko. Its members are active and former students of her class at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig.

Tatjana’s idea is to increase the popularity of music originally written for viola ensembles and viola solo. A great amount of original music for viola ensemble with interesting sound ideas, unexpected characters exists – it opens a new sight on the viola as a concert instrument.

Tatjana Masurenko is a successful viola professor and leads a wonderful viola class at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig. Many of her pupils are renowned soloist, professors and solo players in orchestras. For Tatjana it was quite a necessity to found this ensemble to be able to introduce young and highly professional viola players to the public.

Programme

• York Bowen, Quartett for four violas
• Georg Philipp Telemann, Concerto for four violas in e-flat major
• Gordon Jacob, Suite for six violas
• Georg Philipp Telemann, Concerto for four violas in a major
• Benjamin Dale, Andante and Rondo apassionato for eight violas
• Aram Khachaturian, Fragments from the ballet suite “Gaiane”
• Nejat Başeğmezler, diverse pieces for viola ensemble
• Encore miniatures by Gershwin, Shostakovitch, and the Beatles

Former members

Yuri Bondarev – from St. Petersburg, member of the Gewandhaus Orchestra Academy and Academy Quartett
Adam Newman – British graduate from Royal Academy of Music, founder of Cappa Ensemble London
Jeung In Byun – Winner of Korean Viola Competition, one of the best young Korean viola soloists
Bretislav Hera – Czech, very famous in new music scene in Leipzig, playing a lot of new compositions for viola
Cenk Erbiner – Turkish, extremely talented player and composer, founder of World Music Ensemble Leipzig
Ali Başeğmezler – Turkish, one of the best players of solo and chamber music repertoire in Turkey, solo violist of chamber Orchestra Camerata Athens in Megaron
Antonina Shvyduk – Ukrainian, extremely active in chamber music, solo violist of Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra
Linda Leharova – free lance chamber musician
Martin Smykal – solo violist in the Aachen Symphony Orchestra
Maria Burghoff – viola pedagogue
Khatchatur Yengoyan†