Andra Darzins – viola, born in Australia, studied in Adelaide and with Wolfram Christ in Berlin, passing her “Soloists Exam” with distinction. Various master classes and further studies with Kim Kashkashian rounded off her education. She is prize winner of the International Competition in Geneva and won second prize at the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition in the UK. From 1993 she was principal viola of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 2004 she holds a professorship in Stuttgart. Andra Darzins performs both as a soloist (with conductors such as Albrecht, Metzmacher and Sawallisch) and chamber musician, playing both at home and abroad. As a chamber musician she performs in various European music festivals. Andra Darzins has premiered several works for the viola, a number of which are dedicated to her including Maija Einfelde’s viola concerto which she premiered in Riga in 2011. For her CD “Latvian Impressions” of 2009 and her efforts in popularizing Latvian music she was awarded the “Krisjans Barons Prize” from the World Federation of Free Latvians in 2012. This is her second CD featuring Latvian works for viola and piano. Andra Darzins plays a viola of Giuseppe Odoardi from 1780.