Barbara Helfgott and Rondo Vienna

Barbara Helfgott was born near Vienna in Mödling, she was able to play the violin already before she could read or write. When she was only ten years old she won her first competition, this was the beginning of a long series of national and international successes. In the early years of her career she was well know for her many solo performances in Austria as well as in countries all over the world e.g. at the “Steirischer Herbst” or at the Martinu Festival. Finishing her studies at the University for Music in Vienna at Prof. Günter Pichler, the Primarius of the Alban-Berg-Quartet, she attended master classes e.g. at Zachar Bron, and was studying voice at Prof. Franz Lukasovsky. Until now she is performing as solo violinist as well as with small ensembles and orchestras of different sizes.

Barbara Helfgott was the concertmaster of several Viennese orchestras like the “Neue Oper Wien”, or the “Ensemble des 20. Jahrhunderts” and at the “Wiener Kammeroper”. She  participated regularly at the summer festivals in Mörbisch as concertmaster and soloist. Barbara Helfgott did numerous records for radio and TV and live recordings of many performances in European countries and in Japan have been taken as well. Since 1995 she is the artistic manager and solo violinist of the ensemble “Rondo Vienna”, that is based on her ideas and has been founded by her.

“Rondo Vienna” has become well-known first of all to lovers of classic music, but very soon to enthusiasts of pop and musical too. Barbara Helfgott and her ensemble are well known because of their impressive and virtuoso classical repertoire for solo violin with orchestra as well as for their arrangements of famous pop-hits. At least since numerous CD-recordings and the participation in various TV-shows, e.g. “Dancing Stars”, Barbara Helfgott and her ensemble have established themselves in the field of entertaining music.

“Rondo Vienna” looks back on highly acclaimed guest-performances in many European cities, in Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan), Dubai and m. m. The ensemble is particularly attractive for gala events and concerts for several reasons: Its members are exclusively female. Nearly all pieces of music are played from memory, therefore the musicians can easily get in contact with the audience and concentrate on their scenic performance. The orchestration is very flexible, ranging from one to 25 musicians. Barbara Helfgot presents a versatile program that is rich in variety from classical music and traditional Viennese music to the great classics of the last century (Gershwin, Porter, Joplin, Morricone…) and includes melodies of musicals and a manifold pop-program.

“Rondo Vienna” appears as an independent formation as well as accompanying acts for noted artists. Due to this dual function the ensemble is favoured for CD recordings as well as for live performances in radio and TV. Because of the solo qualities of every member of the orchestra it is possible to amplify all the single voices, and so “Rondo Vienna” is best qualified for large performances.

Barbara Helfgott and Rondo Vienna with “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” and “Music was my first Love” as well as Barbara Helfgott with piano with “I am what I am” and “Flashdance”.