Ruth Killius

“Ruth Killius shines in a revelatory performance of Bartók’s Viola Concerto.”

Ruth Killius’ extraordinary ability to use her instrument to revive the wealth of viola literature from the Classical to the Modern Age is without equal. The versatility of her playing has bestowed her instrument with new meaning.

Particularly through her interest and commitment to contemporary music, Ruth Killius, who studied with Ulrich Koch and Kim Kashkashian, has succeeded in establishing the viola as an integral part of the musical 21st century and in expanding the standard repertoire for her instrument. She collaborated in the performance of numerous original premieres e.g. the Brian Ferneyhough String Trio together with members of Geneva’s Ensemble Contrechamps as well as in Elliott Carter’s Oboe Quartet with Heinz Holliger. Holliger wrote his double concerto for violin, viola and a small orchestra, a commission from the Salzburg Festival, for her. The performance of the original premiere of John Casken‘s double concerto That Subtle Knot, dedicated to the duo Thomas Zehetmair and Ruth Killius, together with the Royal Northern Sinfonia attracted widespread attention. In the spring of 2023, the work was released paired with Bartók’s Viola Concerto on ECM New Series.

Ruth Killius can be heard on the international concert podiums with solo and double concertos and as a chamber musician. She has made guest appearances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic, Russian National Youth Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Mozarteumorchester Salzburg and repeatedly in Gateshead and Clermont-Ferrand. Ruth Killius was Artist in Residence with the Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra in the 2016/17 season.

Together with Thomas Zehetmair, Ruth Killius formed the Zehetmair Quartet in 1994, which is now considered one of the world’s leading string quartets. A recording featuring Hindemith’s String Quartet No. 4 and Bartók’s String Quartet No. 5 was distinguished with the Diapason d’Or de l’Année of the year. In 2013, the ensemble released a recording dedicated to Beethoven, Bruckner, Hartmann and Holliger.

For ECM, Ruth Killius has recorded a CD featuring works by Elliott Carter and Isang Yun together with Heinz Holliger and Thomas Demenga. The recording released under the Glossa label featuring Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century under Frans Brüggen is considered to be a reference recording. In April 2018, her latest recording of all Hindemith sonatas for viola was published by NoMadMusic.

The duo Thomas Zehetmair and Ruth Killius can be heard in numerous music centers. The widely regarded album Manto and Madrigals, inspired by Scelsi’s Manto for a singing violist featuring works of Bartók, Holliger, Martinů et al. was released on ECM in March 2011.

Season 2023/2024 | Photo: Jean-François Mariotti | Quote: Radio France, March 5 2023
Amendments or edits need the consent of Künstlersekretariat Astrid Schoerke GmbH

No entries.

J. S. Bach
Brandenburg concerto No. 6 in B-flat major BWV 1051

Bartok
Concerto for viola and orchestra op. posth.

Berio
Chemin III
Voci

Berlioz
Harold in Italy – Symphony in four movements with viola solo op. 16

Britten
Lachrymae: Reflections on a song of Dowland op. 48 version for violin, viola and orchestra
Double concerto for violin, viola and orchestra in B minor

Bruch
Romance in F major op. 85

J. Casken
That Subtle Knot 

Enescu
Concert piece

Glinka
Sonata D minor

K. A. Hartmann
Concerto for viola, piano and orchestra

Hindemith
Chamber music No. 5 for viola and orchestra op. 36 No. 4
Der Schwanendreher concerto for viola and chamber orchestra
Trauermusik for viola solo and string orchestra

Hoffmeister
Concerto for viola and orchestra in D major

Holliger
Janus

Martin
Ballad

Martinu
Rhapsody-Concerto for viola and orchestra

Milhaud
Concerto No. 1
Concerto No. 2

Mozart
Sinfonia concertante in E-flat major for violin, viola and orchestra

Paganini
Grand sonata in A major

Penderecki
Concerto for viola and orchestra

Schnittke
Concerto for viola and orchestra

Stamitz
Concerto for viola and orchestra in D major op. 1

Telemann
Concerto for viola, strings and b.c. in G major TWV 51:G 9

Walton
Concerto for viola and orchestra

B. A. Zimmermann
Antiphonen for viola and 25 instrumentalists

Bartók/Casken/Beethoven
John Casken: Concerto for violin, viola, orchestra That subtle Knot
Bartok: Concert for viola
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 in C minor op. 67
Partner: Thomas Zehetmair (conductor, violin), Northern Sinfonia
ECM New Series (2023)

Paul Hindemith
Complete sonatas for viola solo
NoMadMusic (2018)

Manto and Madrigals
Killius: Ó min flaskan friða
Scelsi: Manto
Holliger: 3 Skizzen
Bartók: Duo
Skalkottas: Duo
Maxwell: Davies Midhouse Air
Martinů: 3 Madrigals
Nied: Zugabe (Encore)
Partner: Thomas Zehetmair (violin)
ECM New Series 2150 (2011)

Mozart
Sinfonia concertante in E flat major K 364
Partner: Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, Frans Brüggen (conductor), Thomas Zehetmair (violin)
GCD 921108 (2009)

Bartók/Hindemith
Bartók: String quartet No. 5 Sz 102
Hindemith: String quartet No. 4 op. 22
Partner: Zehetmair Quartett
ECM New Series 1874 (2007)

Carter/Yun
Carter: Oboen quartett, 4 Lauds for solo violin
(A 6 Letter Letter for Englisch horn; Figment, Figment II for solo cello)
Yun: (Piri for solo oboe) Quartet for oboe and string trio
Partner: Heinz Holliger (oboe, Englisch horn),  Thomas Zehetmair (violin), Thomas Demenga (cello)
ECM New Series 1848/49 (2003)

Hartmamm/Bartók
Hartmann: String quartet No. 1
Bartók: String quartet No. 4
Partner: Zehetmair Quartett
ECM New Series 1727 (2001)

Schumann
String quartet No. 1
String quartet No. 3
Partner: Zehetmair Quartett
ECM New Series 1793 (2003)

Ruth Killius live at LAC Lugano

Ruth Killius, Thomas Zehetmair & Ural Philharmonic Orchestra: Benjamin Britten – Double Concerto for Violin and Viola