Hélène Schmitt (FR)

About

Few violinists have staked out a territory in baroque music as distinctively as Hélène Schmitt. The French violinist spent a decade in Bâle working alongside Chiara Banchini and Jesper Bøje Christensen, and that immersion shaped everything she does. She picked up prizes at Musica Antiqua Bruges, the Van Wassenaer competition in Amsterdam, and the Schmelzerpreis in Melk along the way, establishing herself as a serious force in the early music world. Her discography runs deep into the solo repertoire, with recordings of Bach's Sei Solo, Schmelzer's violin sonatas, and music by lesser known composers like Marco Uccellini and Ignazio Albertini. She has also recorded Mozart and Beethoven sonatas on historical instruments, partnering with pianist Rémy Cardinale. These days she teaches baroque violin in Boulogne Billancourt and regularly performs with Jörg Andreas Bötticher and Rolf Lislevand.