Rudolf Haken - violinist

Rudolf Haken has been on the music faculty of the University of Illinois since 1996, having previously served as Viola Professor at West Virginia University. Professor Haken enjoys an international reputation as one of the finest and most versatile violists and composers of his generation, as well as a leading teacher and mentor for young musicians.

Haken has performed under such renowned conductors as Christoph Eschenbach, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Neville Marriner. His European tours have received critical acclaim: the Badische Zeitung praised him for his “absolutely infallible intonation, intense concentration, and endless variety of interpretation,” while the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung lauded him for his “extroverted, resonant tone” and the “delicate, yet strong intensity” of his playing. He has performed as Violist for the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera, and has toured in London, Beijing, and Shanghai as Principal Violist of the Sinfonia da Camera of the University of Illinois.

Of particular interest has been Haken’s advocacy of the five-string viola, in both its acoustic and electric forms. Centaur Records has issued a CD of concertos composed by him (CD #2826) and WTTW-Chicago produced a video of him, which can be seen on YouTube, Google Video, and other internet sites. He performed his Concerto for Five-String Viola with orchestras in North and South America and Europe, and has conducted Master Classes internationally in Singapore,
England, Wales, and Brazil.

Rudolf Haken’s recordings and numerous compositions can be found on his website, www.rudolfhaken.com