Biography

Award-winning Czech violinist Kryštof Kohout is celebrated for his profound artistry, virtuosity and dynamic performances both as a soloist and chamber musician. He is a laureate of the Bartók World Competition in Budapest and has recently been selected as the sole instrumentalist to join the prestigious Classeek Ambassador Programme in Switzerland. Having recently made his Carnegie Hall debut recital, he regularly performs across Europe and the USA, with notable appearances at Barbican Hall, Konzerthaus Berlin, Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy Budapest, Musikverein Vienna as well as Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Edinburgh International Festival. Upcoming engagements include his solo debut recitals at the Wigmore Hall and Bridgewater Hall as well as concerto performances with the BBC Philharmonic, Prague Chamber Soloists and the South Czech Philharmonic.

Having made his Barbican Hall debut aged 21 playing the Berg Violin Concerto, Kryštof works as a soloist with orchestras internationally including the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Pilsen Philharmonic Orchestra, Jenaer Philharmonie and Moravian Chamber Soloists and conductors such as Tomáš Netopil, János Kovács, Koji Kawamoto and Tomáš Brauner. His performances have been featured on international radio and TV including the Czech Radio, Dutch Concert Radio as well as the BBC. Most recently, he has made several recordings of music by George Walker, Kaija Saariaho and Missy Mazzoli in collaboration with the Barbican Centre and BBC Radio 3.

He is a winner and laureate of numerous competitions and awards including the Royal Over-Seas League Competition, Kocian Violin Competition, Art-Duo International Music Festival in Vienna and the Muse International Music Competition.

An avid chamber musician, Kryštof is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed Fibonacci Quartet, recent winners of First and Audience prizes at the Premio Paolo Borciani Competition. The quartet have also recently joined the YCAT artist roster and are currently a resident ensemble at ProQuartet Paris and the International Institute of Chamber Music in Madrid.

Kryštof studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama as a full scholarship student with professor David Takeno as well as on the prestigious International Artist Diploma Programme at the Royal Northern College of Music. Aside from his formal studies, he has been mentored by masters such as Midori, Leonidas Kavakos, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Pierre Amoyal and Josef Špaček and attended international courses including IMS Prussia Cove and Kronberg Violin Masterclasses.

He is grateful for the generous support he receives through the Countess of Munster Trust, Hattori Foundation, Harrison-Frank Family Foundation, Velehrad London and the Comenium Musicum scholarship of the MenART Academy Fund of prof. B. Viskupová and A. Viková.