Univ.-Prof. Helmut Zehetner

Violinist and music educator
Professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna
Member of the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera House
Member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Helmut Zehetner, born in Lower Austria, began his musical career as a violinist with the 1st prize at the competition of the Music Schools in the province Lower Austria. Solo concerts in Austria and the USA followed (one-year stay as an exchange student in Berkeley/San Francisco, California, 1971/72, high school graduate). After graduating from high school (1973), studied violin with Franz Samohyl (diploma 1980), composition with Friedrich Neumann and conducting with Karl Österreicher and Otmar Suitner (diploma 1982) at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

Since 1980 violinist in the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera House, since 1983 member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, principal of the 2nd violins. Numerous appearances as chamber musician and conductor of various international chamber orchestras.

During his studies, he led and founded youth and student orchestras (youth orchestras of the music schools in Vienna, TU orchestra), lecturer and director of summer academies ("Musikfabrik Rosenau/Zwettl"). Since 1985 director of the course "Orchestra" at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Regularly own concerts with the Webern Sinfonietta as well as rehearsing programs of the Webern Symphony Orchestra for conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Pierre Boulez, Franz Welser-Möst, Kirill Petrenko, Bertrand de Billy, Claudio Abbado, Mstislav Rostropovich and Zubin Metha. Establishment of a cycle of this orchestra at the Vienna Musikverein as a cooperation between the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, the Society of Friends of Music (Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde) and Jeunesse.

Since 1997 head of the string department at the "International Orchestra Institute Attergau", where under the patronage of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, gifted students from all over the world are confronted with or introduced to the Viennese style of sound and the Viennese tradition of playing - with a final concert at the Salzburg Festival.

Appointment as university professor for orchestral education at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in March 2008.