Thomas Brandis, born 1935 in Hamburg, started playing the violin at the age of six. After music studies in Hamburg with Eva Hauptmann he changed to London to work with Max Rostal.

He won prizes in the competition of the German Music Academies and the ARD competition in Munich.

After being concertmaster in Hamburgs Bach Orchestra and the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Brandis was one of the first concertmasters of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for more than twenty years.

Besides a huge experience in solo playing with conductors like Herbert v. Karajan, Karl Böhm, Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt, Georg Solti, Joseph Keilberth, Eugen Jochum, Klause Tennstedt, he concentrated in chamber music:
Starting as a student with "the Junges Hamburger Streichquartett", the Brahms Trio Hamburg, later the Berlin Philharmonic Soloists, he founded the Brandis Quartet and was its leader for twenty six years.

The Quartet played all over the world and recorded for EMI, Deutsche Grammophone, Teldec, Orfeo, Harmonia Mundi France and Nimbus Records.

He started his teaching career at the Music Academy in Hamburg before getting professor in Berlin.

After being officially retired Thomas Brandis now teaches in Lübeck, Germany and since six years at the Royal Academy in London.

Master classes are given in Japan, USA, Canada, Italy, Netherlands and every year in Vaduz (Liechtenstein), Weimar, Hamburg and Traunstein (Germany).

Besides of working several times with the Young German Philharmonic Orchestra he was leading the Chambermusic for "Jugend Musiziert" in Germany and was judge in several Competitions for violin and chambermusic all over the world.

May 2008