Thomas Kakuska
Encyclopedia
Thomas Kakuska was an Austria
n viola
player, best known as the violist of the Alban Berg Quartett from 1981 until his death in Vienna in 2005.
Kakuska was a professor
at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna from 1971, and a visiting professor at the University of Cologne
in Germany
from 1993.
Following his death, Kakuska's close friend, the composer Hilda Paredes
, wrote In Memoriam Thomas Kakuska for solo violin, which was given its premiere performance by her husband, Irvine Arditti
, at a memorial concert in Vienna in 2006.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
player, best known as the violist of the Alban Berg Quartett from 1981 until his death in Vienna in 2005.
Kakuska was a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna from 1971, and a visiting professor at the University of Cologne
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with over 44,000 students, one of the largest universities in Germany. The university is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, an association of Germany's leading research universities...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
from 1993.
Following his death, Kakuska's close friend, the composer Hilda Paredes
Hilda Paredes
Hilda Paredes is one of Mexico's leading contemporary composers, and has received many prestigious awards for her work...
, wrote In Memoriam Thomas Kakuska for solo violin, which was given its premiere performance by her husband, Irvine Arditti
Irvine Arditti
Irvine Arditti is a British violinist.-Life:He began his studies at the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 16 where he studied with Clarence Myerscough and Manoug Parikian. He joined the London Symphony Orchestra in 1976 and after two years, at the age of 25, became its Co-Concert Master...
, at a memorial concert in Vienna in 2006.