Swiss Violin School Foundation Names "Golden Bow" Winner

Swiss violinist Sebastian Bohren was awarded the prestigious prize with a gold-mounted bow, joining a list of past winners including Leonidas Kavakos and Isabelle Faust

For over 20 years, the Swiss Violin School Foundation has recognized achievements in violin making and playing, and supported the Swiss Violin Making School in awarding the “Golden Bow” to string players who have enriched cultural life.

Sebastian Bohren, 35, is this year’s laureate and has received a special gold-mounted violin bow made by the Finkel Bow Workshop in Breinz, Switzerland. Inscribed on the bow’s ferrule and near the frog is the year, plus both Bohren’s name and the award title. A short video showcasing the bow can be watched below.

The award ceremony took place on July 8, 2022, during the opening of Swiss music-festival “Musikfestwoche Meiringen,” where Bohren performed Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto No.2. According to the press release, Bohren “once again inspired the audience with his expressive passion, warm tone, and uncompromising virtuosity.”

Born in 1987, Bohren studied violin with Jens Lohmann, Robert Zimansky, Zakhar Bron, and Igor Karsko. He also studied with Ingolf Turban at Munich’s University of Music and Performing Arts.

From 2013 to 2020, he was part of the Stradivari-Quartett and has made concerto appearances in many international orchestras, performing with conductors including Elim Chan, James Gaffigan, Clemens Heil, Heinz Holliger, Axel Kober, Patrick Lange, Andrew Litton, Andrew Manze, and Gábor Takács-Nagy.

Since 2006, he has coordinated the concert series Stretta Concerts in his native Switzerland. He currently plays the 1761 “Ex-Wanamaker-Hart” violin made in Parma by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini. 

Many “Golden Bow” winners have had an important influence on Bohren’s artistic life, including Hansheinz Schneeberger, Thomas Demenga, and Thomas Füri. Other winners include Thomas Zehetmair, Tabea Zimmermann, Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Kim Kashkashian, Antje Weithaas, Roby Lakatos, plus string quartets Quartuor Sine Nomine and Quatuor Ebène. 

Additionally, collaborations between the Swiss Violin School and the past winners have seen the school’s students learn from the world-class musicians.

During her award ceremony address, Birgit Steinfels, co-director of the Swiss Violin School, emphasized that “the Violin School Foundation is enthusiastic about young people who, in the 21st century, have their feet firmly planted on the ground and at the same time are committed to the great masters with heart and soul to make them ever present to us.”