Simone von Rahden, Viola (Associate)

Simone had her first string quartet experience when she swapped the violin for the viola, age 9 – being intrigued with the darker, more mysterious sound world of the lower instrument. A few years later, it was obvious that chamber music would always feature strongly in her life, as she loves the communicative and connecting role of a middle voice. Countless engagements have taken her to the major and minor concert halls across Europe, to Japan, New York and Israel, among her chamber music partners are Sir Andras Schiff, Alexander Lonquich, Lorenza Borrani, Malin Broman, Matthew Truscott, Tabea Zimmermann, Antoine Tamestit, Luise Buchberger, Clara Andrada de la Calle and Lorenzo Coppola, to name a few.

Simone joined the Chamber Orchestra of Europe in 2009, she has been a member of the Spira mirabilis studying project since 2007, was appointed co-principal viola of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in 2016 and is a regular guest with the Dunedin Consort.

Since 2014, Simone holds a teaching position at the Hochschule für Musik „Hanns Eisler“ in Berlin, where she currently lives.

She enjoys swimming, dancing and reading and is fluent in German, English, Italian and Spanish.