Biography
“Certainly, he has a unique and full-bodied sound, but it’s the musical intelligence that is capable of returning melodies to the musical phrases, filled with infinite inflections from the changing dynamics, like verses of a multi-voiced poem that constitutes the true mastery of his interpretation.”
Winner of the International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) Discovery Award in 2022 at the age of 16, Julian Kainrath regularly performs both as a soloist and recitalist. Born in Merano, Italy, he started his violin studies at the age of six and has been given public performances since he was ten years old. Announcing the ICMA’s Discovery Award the President of the Jury Remy Franck said: “our winners are the expression of the highest artistry”. Julian’s appearance under conductor Adam Fischer with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra at the Luxembourg Philharmonie was highly praised by critics: “In the second program item, the audience was treated to a particularly outstanding performance. The 16-year-old violinist Julian Kainrath from Merano, winner of the Discovery Award, not only gave a brilliant rendition of the Introduction and Rondo capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saens, but also, despite his young age, knew how to give this work a very personal interpretation, after which one can hope for much more to come from this true artist”.
During the 2023/2024 season, Julian performed recitals and concerts with orchestra in Italy, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, and the US. Of particular note was his debut in Venice, at the Sale Apollinee of the Teatro La Fenice, and his performance of solo Sonatas and Partitas by Bach at the Ristori Baroque Festival in Verona. He made his debut with the Leverkusen Sinfonia in Germany, his debut with the Orchestra dell’Università degli Studi in Milano, and performed at the Società del Quartetto di Bergamo, at the Amici della Musica in Padova, at the Austrian Cultural Center in Washington DC, and at the Festival Jeunes Talents in Cannes. Summer festivals in July and August 2024 saw him performing at the Engadine Festival in St. Moritz, at the Althafen Stiftung in Berlin and at the Tonadico Festival in Italy.
Watch Julian’s appearance under conductor Adam Fischer with the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra at the Luxembourg Philharmonie.
The 2022/2023 season saw the young violinist performing concerts in Schwarzenberg at the Angelika-Kauffmann-Hall in Austria, at the Scala Theater Museum in Milan, at the Teatro Ristori in Verona with ‘I virtuosi Italiani’, at the Bergerac Festival in France, and in Bern, Marseille, Munich and Liechtenstein.
In past seasons Julian was invited to perform at many venues in Italy, including the Settimane Musicali di Merano, the Società dei Concerti in Milan, the Mattinate Musicali Internazionali in Trieste, the Camerata Ducale in Vercelli, and the Bolzano Festival with the Streicherakademie Bozen.
Julian’s appearances included recitals with pianists Till Fellner and Louis Lortie. The recital at the BA Classica Festival in Busto Arsizio with the renowned pianist Louis Lortie was particularly significant for Julian’s musical development. As critics noted, “the concert provided moments of sublime music, thanks to the synergy between the two performers, which deeply moved the audience in the hall”. Louis Lortie has since become an important mentor and point of reference for Julian. During the pandemic in 2020, at the age of 15, Julian was invited by the Konzerthaus Wien to perform on their online concert series “Konzertzuhaus”. Joining the renowned pianist Till Fellner, Julian performed a Beethoven Violin Sonata to celebrate Beethoven’s year. Soon after, they were invited to perform a full recital in Appiano, Italy.
At the age of 14, Julian was selected as “student in residence” at the 26th Verbier Festival, where he played concerts and attended masterclasses of renowned violinists such as Pamela Frank, Donald Weilerstein and Kristóf Baráti. As part of his music education, Julian attended Ilya Gringolts’ class at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy, and had the opportunity to perform a recital with Gringolts dedicated to Steve Reich. He also attended the Sommerakademie Schloss Heiligenberg under the guidance of Marc Bouchkov and was awarded a prize for his performances. From the age of eight he studied violin with Dora Schwarzberg in Vienna. At twelve, he was admitted to Boris Kuschnir’s class at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. Since 2023, he studies with violinist Marc Bouchkov at the Conservatoire Royal de Liège in Belgium. Julian is also a scholarship holder of the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein.
Julian made his debut as a soloist with an orchestra in South America (Bolivia) in 2015, at the age of 10. Soon after, he was invited by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine to perform in Kiev. At 13, he toured with the Chamber Orchestra Innstrumenti. In addition, Julian performed at the Festival Arsonore in Graz, at the concert series ‘Young Excellence in Concert’ in Salzburg, at the festival Musica in Aulis in Bressanone, and participated in a RAI TV broadcast, performing works by Paganini and Bartók.
Julian participated in only one violin competition at the age of ten, the Austrian competition for young musicians ‘Prima la Musica,’ where he was awarded 1st prize.
