Garth Knox

Garth Knox was born in Ireland and grew up in Scotland. The youngest of four siblings, all of whom played string instruments, he learned the viola and decided early on to become a musician. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London with Frederick Riddle and soon won several awards for viola and chamber music. After his studies, he played with almost all leading groups in London, performing various repertoires from Baroque to New Music. In 1983, Pierre Boulez invited him to become a member of the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris. There, he had the opportunity to perform as a soloist – including in concerts conducted by Pierre Boulez – and to play chamber music. Together with the Ensemble InterContemporain, he toured worldwide and performed at international festivals. In 1990, he became a member of the Arditti String Quartet and performed in all major concert halls around the world. He worked closely with leading contemporary composers and premiered works by Ligeti, Kurtag, Berio, Xenakis, Lachenmann, Cage, Feldman, and Stockhausen (the famous "Helicopter Quartet"). In 1998, Garth Knox left the quartet to focus on his solo career. As a soloist, he premiered pieces by various composers, including compositions by Henze (who dedicated his Viola Sonata to him), Ligeti, Schnittke, Ferneyhough, James Dillon, George Benjamin, and many others. Recently, Garth Knox has given concerts in Cologne, performed as a soloist in Brussels, Vienna, and Paris and other locations, recorded for WDR in Germany, premiered Peter Eotvos's composition for two violas with Tabea Zimmermann, and played a series of duo concerts with Kim Kashkashian. Recently, he has become a pioneer on the viola d'amore, discovering its possibilities for New Music – with and without electronics. He is currently developing a new repertoire for this instrument. Garth Knox lives in Paris, where he is fully dedicated to his solo career. He gives solo concerts, performs as a soloist with orchestras, and plays chamber music concerts throughout Europe, the USA, and Japan. He recently released a solo CD (MO 782082) and won the coveted German Record Critics' Award.