Zuzana Schmitz-Kulanova was born in Slovakia and began taking violin lessons at the age of six. Her move to Igor Karsko at Lucerne Music College – where she obtained her diploma in concert and solo performance with honours – was followed by continued studies with Vesselin Paraschkevov at the Folkwang University of Arts in Essen.
Between 2007 and 2017, she was concertmaster of the Folkwang Chamber Orchestra in Essen and has held the same post with the Cologne Chamber Orchestra since 2016. The violinist is a very welcome guest performer with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne and the Aachen Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, Zuzana Schmitz-Kulanova has frequently performed with the Folkwang Chamber Orchestra as well as with the Kosice State Philharmonic and the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra.
Her particular passion is for chamber music. She is a founder member of Ensemble Ruhr, with whom she performs regularly in a variety of chamber music formations. She has been a member of The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen since 2017.
While still at school, Anette Behr-König regularly won national prizes in the ›Jugend Musiziert‹ competition, received art sponsorship awards from Südwestfunk and the state of Rhineland-Pfalz, played on various radio recordings and was a member of the European Community Youth Orchestra under Claudio Abbado, Sir Georg Solti and Leonard Bernstein. After finishing school, this Wiesbaden-born violinist first studied at Saarbrücken College of Music and then at University of the Arts Berlin. She was also very successful in several international competitions and subsequently gave many solo and chamber concerts, for example in a piano trio with Nicolai Schneider and Lars Vogt.
From 1992 to 1994, Anette Behr-König was co-leader with the Hessische Staatstheater Wiesbaden. She has been 1st Leader of Bremer Philharmoniker since 1994. In this role she regularly makes guest appearances with orchestras in northern Germany, such as the Hamburgische Staatsoper. In addition to her concert and opera activities, she also enjoys coaching violin groups, mostly young orchestras. Anette Behr-König also sees her annual work with the orchestra of the Music Academy of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes as a wonderful opportunity to express her gratitude as a former scholarship holder for the support she once received.
While still at school, Anette Behr-König regularly won national prizes in the ›Jugend Musiziert‹ competition, received art sponsorship awards from Südwestfunk and the state of Rhineland-Pfalz, played on various radio recordings and was a member of the European Community Youth Orchestra under Claudio Abbado, Sir Georg Solti and Leonard Bernstein. After finishing school, this Wiesbaden-born violinist first studied at Saarbrücken College of Music and then at University of the Arts Berlin. She was also very successful in several international competitions and subsequently gave many solo and chamber concerts, for example in a piano trio with Nicolai Schneider and Lars Vogt.
From 1992 to 1994, Anette Behr-König was co-leader with the Hessische Staatstheater Wiesbaden. She has been 1st Leader of Bremer Philharmoniker since 1994. In this role she regularly makes guest appearances with orchestras in northern Germany, such as the Hamburgische Staatsoper. In addition to her concert and opera activities, she also enjoys coaching violin groups, mostly young orchestras. Anette Behr-König also sees her annual work with the orchestra of the Music Academy of the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes as a wonderful opportunity to express her gratitude as a former scholarship holder for the support she once received.