Hans Christian Aavik. Photo: Susann Kõomägi
The Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn (WKO) is delighted to announce that Estonian violin sensation Hans Christian Aavik will be its Young Artist in Focus for the 2025/26 season. With his charismatic stage presence, radiant sound, and bold musical vision, Aavik is already captivating audiences across Europe – and now he will bring his artistry to Heilbronn in a series of exciting projects with the WKO.
Still only in his mid-twenties, Aavik has established himself as one of the most promising violinists of his generation. In 2024, he performed Bruch’s Violin Concerto with the Estonian Festival Orchestra under the direction of Paavo Järvi at the prestigious Pärnu Music Festival. During the 2023/24 season, he curated and performed a full cycle of Mozart’s violin concertos with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. His performances of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Olari Elts, further showcased his artistic maturity and versatility.
Aavik first drew international attention after winning first prize at the 2022 Carl Nielsen International Competition. His rapidly growing discography includes a debut orchestral album with conductor Gemma New, pairing Bruch’s Violin Concerto with Erkki-Sven Tüür’s Violin Concerto No. 2, released on Orchid Classics in May 2025. He also appeared in Deutsche Grammophon's new „Rising Stars” series on STAGE+ and recorded three singles with pianist Karolina Aavik in the label's „Musical Moments” series. The duo's critically acclaimed debut album AETERNUS was recorded at the Arvo Pärt Centre in 2021.
Born in Tallinn in 1998, Hans Christian Aavik began playing the violin at just five years old. In 2017, he moved to Germany to study at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts. He is currently studying at the Music and Arts Private University of Vienna with Julian Rachlin and Evgeny Sinaiski and at the Kronberg Academy with Erik Schumann.
As the WKO’s Young Artist in Focus, Hans Christian Aavik will appear in multiple concerts throughout the 2025/26 season, offering audiences the chance to experience one of today’s most compelling young violinists at the heart of the orchestra’s programming. His residency promises a season full of discovery, energy, and unforgettable music-making.
The principal conductor of the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn is Estonian conductor Risto Joost, who is also the music director and chief conductor of the Vanemuine Theatre in Tartu.
More info: https://www.wko-heilbronn.de/ueber-uns/wko-young-artists