Alongside Herr Hempel's friendly and professional manner is a dedicated, nurturing and creative educator who guided me to musical maturity and helped me to bring out the best in myself. He shared with me his insights into tone production, articulation, phrasing; and his interpertations, which were always backed by a deep understanding of the classical music tradition. He actively encouraged an atmosphere of inclusiveness and mutual support in his class. My time studying with him were some of the best years of my life.

The solo violin master study I got to spend with Prof. Hempel was extremely important for my instrumental and musical development. I could even say, decisive, since I arrived in his class after finishing a string quartet master in Berlin and after a long period of playing only second violin in the quartet, neglecting the other musical aspects. He saw right away that I needed to strengthen my technique in order to express the musical ideas, and I got to study with him a wide range of musical repertoire, from Bach (solo Sonatas and Partitas and Sonatas with Cembalo), Mozart (Concertos that I got to perform also as a soloist with orchestra), Paganini (Le Streghe), Ysaÿe (Solo Sonatas), Bartók (Second Violin Concerto), Schönberg (Phantasy op. 47) and other pieces. I will be forever grateful to Prof. Hempel because, apart from a wonderful set of technical tools and musical ideas, he gave me confidence, offering me opportunities to perform and showing constant encouragement.

Stefan Hempel impresses not only with his musical sensitivity, brilliance, and curiosity. Through his versatility and his own concert activity (he’s a teacher who is there every week! ;) ), he brings the constant joy and exploration of expressive sounds into the lessons. This openness, both musically and personally, makes him a teacher who, in my view, approaches each individual where they are and meets them at their current level. What I personally appreciated the most was that he believed so strongly in my violin-playing abilities, even despite some health limitations I experienced at times. A lesson and playing music together with Stefan Hempel is motivating, often humorous, and inspiring!

Stefan Hempel and I have known each other since I was 13 years old. I completed both my early studies and my bachelor’s degree under his guidance. He took me on during a phase of relative stagnation and provided me with a strong intrinsic motivation, a solid technical foundation, and a clear perspective on where I wanted to go with my violin playing. His tonal and musical ideas have had a profound influence on me, far beyond my bachelor’s degree, and his approach to music still resonates within me today. Stefan Hempel’s teaching strikes a remarkable balance between musicality, analytical thinking, and pragmatic craftsmanship—qualities that students often search for in vain. Moreover, I always valued his extraordinary ability, likely stemming from his expertise in chamber music, to make works accessible and tangible for students. Many aspects of his methodology still influence me today, whether in self-study, orchestra settings, or chamber music rehearsals. Vivid images from his lessons remain deeply ingrained in my memory, such as the “lost butterfly before a church window,” and I have even incorporated terms like “peppermint sound” into my own vocabulary.