The Leipzig-born Stefan Hempel is one of the most versatile violinists of his generation. He has won numerous prizes as a soloist in international competitions, such as the Max Rostal Violin Competition, the Michael Hill International Violin Competition in New Zealand, and, together with Israeli pianist Daniel Seroussi, at the “Schubert and Modern Music” competition in Graz.
Since 2009, Stefan Hempel has been the violinist of the Morgenstern Trio, one of the leading piano trios of its generation, performing on the most important European stages as well as regularly in some of the most prestigious concert halls in the United States. In 2017, the trio, which is also the recipient of the renowned “Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson” Award, made its debut in South Korea and Taiwan. Numerous radio recordings, portraits, and CD productions with DLF, Deutschlandradio Kultur, WDR 3, and Bayerischer Rundfunk document the ensemble’s exceptional status. In 2015, the Morgenstern Trio was awarded the sponsorship prize of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
From 2001 to 2009, he was the first violinist of the Chagall Quartet, with which he won awards at the German University Competition in Frankfurt/Main and the International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition. The quartet also received the Boris Pergamenschikow Prize for Chamber Music in 2005.
He received his artistic training from Stephan Picard (violin) and Eberhard Feltz (chamber music) at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin. Following teaching assignments (assistant to Stephan Picard from 2007 to 2009) and a temporary professorship at the Stuttgart University of Music (substituting for Kolja Lessing in 2009), Stefan Hempel was appointed in 2010 as one of Germany’s youngest professors at the Rostock University of Music and Theatre.
Stefan Hempel is also a sought-after guest concertmaster for several chamber orchestras (Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Neuss Chamber Academy, Neues Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra Leipzig, Ensemble Ruhr) and often leads them (without a conductor) from the concertmaster’s chair. He gives masterclasses in various countries, such as France, Italy, the USA, Japan, and China, and is now also in demand as a jury member at international music competitions.
Stefan Hempel plays a violin by Nicola Gagliano, Naples, circa 1760, and a new instrument made 2024 by the Berlin-based Violin maker Ragnar Hayn.