About Me
"...Sensation!...This colourful sound, sure virtuosity and utterly accomplished handling of the viola in its hardest regions actually urges one to use the term "Devil-violist!" - Lubeckische Blaetter, 11-2001
Mikhail Zemtsov first took violin lessons from his mother Loudmila Levinson at the age of 5, later studying at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Prof. G. Odinetz). He gained Soloist Diplomas with Distinction from ABRSM (Mexico-GB, B. Dinerstein), Hochschuele fuer Musik in Hamburg (Germany,M. Nichetianu) and Maastricht Conservatory (Netherlands, M. Kugel). He is a prizewinner of the first International Viola Competion (Vienna) and of th Elisa Meyer String Competion (Hamburg).
He began his professional career in 1988 playing in the Moscow Conservatory and «Ensamble XXI» chamber orchestras.Since 1991 he was a principal violist of the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico and ENP Chamber Orchestra teaching at the same time in the «Center of musical studies and investigations» (Mexico-City). In 1998-2001 M.Zemtsov worked as Principal Violist in Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, (Norway, Chef Conductor - F. Bruggen) and as Professor of Viola in Kristiansand Conservatory. He worked as a guest principal violist with the London, Luxemburg and Gran Canaria Philaharmonic Orchestras, Kammersymphonie Berlin and the New European Strings among others.
Mikhail Zemtsov has participated in numerous International Festivals – Cervantino, Camarissima (Mexico) Rosendal, Speculum, Egersund (Norway) Baastad (Sweden) Luebecker Kammermusikfest, Oldenburger Promenade, Amadeus Aachen (Germany) , Cividale del Friuli, Tuscan Sun Cortona, Settimane Musicale di Stresa (Italy) Ost-West Musikfest (Austria) Grachtenfest., Schostakovitchfest. Amsterdam, Delft, Middelburg, Groningen (Holland) and he has played as a chamber music partner to Bella Davidovitch, Dmitri Sitkovetski, Sara Chang, Janine Jansen, Alexei Ogrinchouck, Julian Rachlin, Liza Ferschtman, Natalia Prishepenko, Sebastian Klinger,Frans Helmerson, Mihaela Martin, Nobuko Imai, Quirine Viersen, Eliane Rodrigues, Haakon Austboe, Sergei Stadler, Enrico Pace, Torleif Thedeen, Plamena Mangova and Alexander Markovitch among others. He has recorded 6 chamber music CDs for Sony Masterworks, Tower Records, Deutsche Welle. His Solo CD "The Last Rose of Summer" has been placed as number 2 among Top 50 on the TROS - Dutch Brodcast/TV Channel and it got 9 points (exellent) in the main dutch recording magazin "LUISTER".
Mikhail plays in duos with the pianist Boris Berezovsky and with the guitarist Enno Voorhorst (Duo Macondo).
He is also member of Beynon Trio, with Emily Beynon (soloflutist of the Concertgebouw Orchestra ) and harpist Godelieve Schrama.
Zemtsov's solo appearances include performances with the Moscow Conservatory Chamber Orchestra, Lima Philharmonic, New World Chamber Orchestra, National Symphony of Mexico, Luxembourg Philharmonic (R.Strauss "Don Quixote" with Misha Maisky as cello soloist), Wiener Volksoper, Hamburger Symphoniker, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (Norway) ODSO (Canada), Residence Orchestra (Netherlands). He has performed in Russia, Germany,Canada, Belgium, Holland, Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland, Luxembourg,Sweden, Norway, Mexico, Peru and S. Corea.
Mikhail Zemtsov is currently principal violist in the Hague Philharmonic (Residentie Orkest Den Haag, chef conductor Neeme Jarvi) , a position he has held since 2001. Since 2002 he is also member of the Artistic Comitee of this orchestra.
