Violist German Tcakulov Joins Faculty at Mozarteum University in Salzburg

Tcakulov has previously taught at universities in Munich, Karlsruhe, and Florence

Salzburg's Mozarteum University recently announced that Russian violist German Tcakulov will join its faculty, effective immediately. He succeeds Thomas Riebl, who has served in the position for more than 40 years.

Born in Vladikavkaz, Russia, Tcakulov studied the violin, viola, and piano as a child. At age 15, he joined the special music school of the St. Petersburg Conservatory, where his teacher was Vladimir Stopichev. At 21, he went to Germany, where he studied with Tabea Zimmermann at Berlin's Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler".

He has won a number of competitions and awards, including the Charles Hennen International Chamber Music Competition, the International Youth Competition in Jyväskylä, Finland, and the Mravinsky Competition in St. Petersburg — as well as the ‘start-up! music’ prize from Hanns Eisler.

An experienced pedagogue, Tcakulov has been a teaching assistant to Tabea Zimmermann, and has previously taught at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich, the University of Music Karlsruhe, and the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole (Florence).

"I am so grateful and happy that from October 2024 on I will be professor of Viola at the Mozarteum University Salzburg," Tcakulov said. "It’s a special privilege and honor to succeed such a master like Thomas Riebl. I thank my teachers, colleagues and friends who have supported me and continue to do so!"