Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke was born in Athens in 1988 and had her first violin lessons at the age of 5. From 1997 to 2002 she was taught by the Russian violinist Nina Volinskaya and by the Albanian violinist Vassilis Papas.
In September 2002 she was accepted as a pupil in "Musikgymnasium Schloss Belvedere", the school of music in Weimar (Germany) in the violin class of Jost Witter, professor of the Higher School of Music "Franz Liszt". At the same period she attended the master class of Prof. Igor Ozim as part of the International Summer Courses of Weimar (2002, 2003, 2004). Additionally in Summer 2005 she attended the master class of Prof. Ana Chumachenko and Prof. Zakhar Bron at the Verbier Academy. Between 1996 and 1998 she was a member of the Greek Radio Youth Orchestra.
She gave her first recitals at the festivals of Symi and Hydra, at the age of 11 and subsequently in various German cities. She has played as a soloist with the German Symphonic Orchestras "Westsächsisches Symphonieorchester" and "Vogtland Philharmonie" and in Greece with the "State Orchestra of Thessaloniki" and the "Symphonic Orchestra of Volos". She gave recitals as part of the German Music Festival "Festspiele Mecklenburg - Vorpommen" and in Greece in the Concert Halls of Athens and Thessaloniki and also at the Festivals of Syros and Chalkidiki.
Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke was awarded the first prize for a solo violin performance in the following competitions:
- 2001 – Panhellenic music competition for pupils, Athens
- 2003 – International violin competition "Andrea Postacchini", Italy
- 2004 – National German competition “Jugend musiziert”
- 2004 – 1st International competition for young soloists "Ersi Saratsi", Greece
- 2005 – 2nd International violin competition "Henri Marteau", Germany
Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke has received scholarships by the Greek Society of the Friends of Music ("Alexandra Triandi" scholarship) and by the German Organization Musikleben (Gerd – Bucerius scholarship).
Today Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke receives a scholarship by the "Alexandros S. Onassis" Foundation. As a prize winner of the 14th competition of the German Foundation of Musical Instruments in Hamburg she is playing on an Italian violin made by Carlo Giuseppe Testore (Milan 1710), offer of a private collection of Heidelberg.
Uwe Matschke, piano
Uwe Matschke was born in Germany in 1956 and represents the younger generation of pianists influenced by E-Fischer.
He studied at the "Franz Liszt" Higher School of Music in Weimar, as a student of professor Juliane Lerche and after obtaining a state scholarship he followed postgraduate studies at the "Franz Liszt" Academy in Budapest. At the same time he attended seminars given by professors Jacob Lateiner and Peter Solymmos at the "International Music Seminary" in Weimar. Furthermore, he successfully participated in international piano competitions in Germany, Hungary and Italy.
From 1980 until 1987 he taught piano at the Higher School of Music "Franz Liszt" in Weimar. From 1987 he lives and works in Greece and today he is professor of piano and Head of the
“Department of Music Science and Art” of the University of Macedonia, Economic and Social Sciences, in Thessaloniki.
Uwe Matschke has given numerous solo concerts in Hamburg, Moscow, Monaco, Berlin, Leipzig, Dresden etc. The press has many times praised his skillful way of interpretation, that is characterized by great sensitivity.
As soloist he has played with orchestras from many European countries such as the State Orchestra of Athens, State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, "Virtuosi di Praga", Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, "Orchestra of Colors", etc.
He has played with a big variety of chamber music groups which enjoy international fame and recognition (Gewandhausquartett - Leipzig, Leipziger Streichquartett, string quintet of Dresden etc) and with internationally acclaimed soloists V. Hudecek - violin, K. Feltz - violoncello, V. Milanova - violin , L. F. Rabin - song .
He has also appeared at international festivals and performed at famous Concert Halls like the Braunschweiger Festival, Erfurter Festival, Mozart - Gesellschaft Munchen, Cemal Resit Rey Konser Salonou - Constantinopel, Dimitria Festival-Thessaloniki, the Athens Concert Hall, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall etc.
Recordings of Uwe Matschke’s interpretations have been made in the studios of the German, Greek and Cypriot State Radios & Televisions.
Uwe Matschke’s records and CDs have been released by EMI and Virgin Records.
DANAE PAPAMATTHAOU-MATSCHKE
Extracts from Newspaper Articles and Reviews
Impressive morning with a soloist only 14 years old
“… With the “Havanaise” of Camille Saint-Saens, the young violinist had the opportunity to prove beyond doubt her proficiency in playing the violin. This is a particularly demanding challenge for any performer’s virtuosity and even more so for a violinist who is so young. The listeners were ecstatic in their appreciation, admiring what the fingers of this young girl could do, when she was reaching for the high positions and simultaneously for the double notes. The applause was enthusiastic and sustained”.
Newspaper: Leipzinger Volkseitung (3.3.2003)
The prize in her pocket, the devil in her
“In the first category, the laurels went to the 17-year-old Greek Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke. She made her appearance with the violin concert of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy –with an all-out, sharp and dramatic sound. Unhindered, with precision and technical maturity, she achieved her purpose with impatient and fast chords, darting of the bow and passing to trillings. In this way, she gave to this romantic piece an inciting and extroverted character. If it is true that violin playing resembles a song, then the performance of this up and coming violinist belongs to the class of grand opera. The audience gave their applause with fitting theatricality …”
Newspaper: Frankenpost (14.6.2005)
concerning the concert of the prize winning violinists 2nd International Violin Competition “Henri Marteau”
Virtuoso talent with a Testore violin
“…With the already assured and self-confident presentation on the scene of Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke, the audience forgot that what was in front of them was an 18-year-old violinist. Between the stubbornly sweet Bethoven’s Sonata in La minor and the French elegance of Ysaye’s ballad for solo violin, the interpreter played simply and confidently Paganini’s diabolic capriccio No 24, which provokes awe with its inherent and crafty trickery. The audience was left to hold its breath…”
“We had the greater enjoyment in fine play and artistry in the concert rhapsody of Maurice Ravel “The Gypsy”: here we were left with the impression that the high harmonic sounds, the pizzicati with the left hand, the chords in difficult positions, the enchanting singing lines were the simplest things in the world …”
Newspaper: Der Neue Tag, Review by Anastasia Poscharsky-Ziegler
concerning a concert in Waldsassen, Bavaria (10.7.2006)
“Mozart’s violin concert KV218 in Re Major was interpreted by Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke with great virtuosity and a brilliant sound. A violinist, who in 2004 was awarded the first prize on the national competition Jugend Musiziert and, also in the same year, the first prize in an international competition in her own country, Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke plays with the historical violin of Milanese Carlo Giuseppe Testore, dated 1710. The performance of the Greek violinist is distinguished by its spiritual fluency, which unreservedly competes at the same level of interpretation as Peter Damm’s”.
Newspaper: Auer Zeitung (14.5.2007)
“The director Takahashi and the orchestra adjusted happily with the young violinist who, in her turn, made them appreciate the fine points of their cooperation with an introverted and without gimmicks performance, which was not seeking extraneous effects: it was a service to the work, a service to Mozart. Its recognition by the audience was secured and she shared the applause with a most competent orchestra …”
Newspaper: Freie Presse (14.5.2007)
Dynamic finale in the Jagdschloss Granitz castle
“The violin studies of Danae Papamatthäou-Matschke (Athens, Weimar and now Salzburg) were obviously very good. She possesses a remarkable technique, an almost astonishingly big, powerful sound and a notably clear interpretative point of view. She performs with total dedication and with a youthful self-confidence and determination. Without convention we heard a persuasive Mozart, a particularly dynamic and, in certain parts, an almost violent Bethoven (the quick parts), one somewhat relaxed but brilliant Ysaye and an inspirational, though rather concise Brahms”.
“All this, contained something which was engagingly self-evident, the immediacy, more so the surprise and through the dynamic diversification of the output, the effectiveness …”
A remarkable talent –and a most stimulating and evocative evening.
Great the applause!”
Newspaper: Ostsee-Zeitung, Review by Ekkehard Ochs (7.9.2007)
“By infusing a massive charge of psychical energy into his musical performance, by possessing a brilliant technique and firing rhythm, by getting straight into the structure of musical phrases and following faithfully their waverings and dramatic explosions, Uwe Matschke, succeeded -without a trace of deviation and with the utmost concentration and maximal authenticity- to be always in the correct direction and in the right atmosphere. A pianist with a wide range, a master in expressing the musically unutterable”.
K Schina, “Kathimerini”, concerning a concert at Megaro Mousikis, Athens 1993
“The rare virtuosity of the pianist Uwe Matschke and a musicality which is inborn as well as cultivated by a high order education, together with a scientific approach to its subject, has fascinated us up to now mainly on the works of Litz: in these, his “touch” resembles that of the mythical Midas, in overcoming with ethereal ease the work’s massive technical difficulties, he transformed in a unique manner into pure gold all the excessess of an elaborately brilliant musical notation –obstacles to the normal unfolding of musical thought”.
G Leotsakos, “Proti”, concerning a recital at Ghoete Institute, Athens 1988
“Among the impressions we took away, the dominating one was the intoxicating sensation of the immediacy and of the excess energy in the playing of the two musicians. Impeccably coordinated at the technical level and in an unhurried uniformity of styles, the contribution of each one of them came out as musically and dramatically complete, making the final result doubly interesting musically and its dramatic effect doubly stimulating”.
G. Svolos in “Eleftherotypia” (13.3.2004), concerning a recital with the violonist Vania Milanova at Megaro Mousikis in Athens (8.3.2004)
“Through his fingers, the motifs shone with ease and elegance, leading together with the string quartet the work to a thrilling, joyfull and vigorous crescendo”.
B Pietsch, concerning F. Schubert’s Trout Quintet by Dresden Philarmonic in 2002.
“We must note the exceptionally well developed sound sense of Uwe Matschke and the particularly confessional and subjective character of his playing”.
Pr. M. Berg in “Thuringer Neueste Nachrichten”, concerning a recital at Saal am Palais-Veimar in 1984
