Hyperion Records

The violin gives Elizabeth Wallfisch a voice not only as a prominent interpreter of baroque and classical repertoire but also as the instrument of an inspiring leader and director. Always grounded in period performance practice, Libby—as she is universally known—proves herself time and again as a favourite with both audiences and orchestras because of her superb instrumental abilities, her generous and sparkling personality and her impeccable musicianship.

She is in demand world-wide as a soloist on both modern and period instruments, and as leader directing from her instrument. Her playing has taken her from the Lincoln Center in New York, where she led the Orchestra of the Enlightenment in the opening concert of the 2003 Handel Festival, to Zimbabwe, where she appeared as soloist with the Harare Symphony Orchestra (and brass band from the local police department!) in a rendition of Brahms’ Violin Concerto. She has appeared with and directed Les Musiciens de Louvre, Tafelmusik, Apollo’s Fire, L’Orfeo Barokorchester, Hanover Band, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Philharmonia Baroque and many others. For 15 years she has been the concert master of the prestigious Carmel Bach Festival in California.

Elizabeth Wallfisch’s long and impressive discography on Hyperion, Virgin Classics, Chandos, CPO and many other labels offers a window onto her expansive musical world. From the High Baroque Italian violinist-composers such as Vivaldi, Corelli, Veracini, Tartini, Geminiani and the Classical and Romantic greats from Mozart to Mendelssohn, she also embraces the music of their lesser-known contemporaries such as Myslivecek and Abel. She has explored the music of Paganini and Viotti and has recorded most of the music of the great Baroque tradition, from the earliest Italian violin music of Cima, to Biber, Telemann, Bach and the rich, sensual music of the French Baroque.

Over the years the fascination and mystery of that intimate dialogue between like-minded musicians has led to close collaborations with ensembles such as the Purcell Quartet, Convivium (formerly Locatelli Trio,) and now the Wallfisch Band. She has recently begun a collaboration with the renowned fortepianist Gary Cooper, exploring the languages of Beethoven, Schubert and the Romantics on period instruments.

Elizabeth Wallfisch’s energy is greatly prized by her students. So far she has published one treatise, specifically on fundamental aspects of baroque violin playing: The Art of Playing Chin-Off for the Brave and the Curious, published by King’s Music.