Elaine Koene
The recipient of many prizes and scholarships, violist Elaine Koene studied at the RSAMD and the Royal Academy of Music. After beginning her professional career in Italy with three years in the Milan Symphony Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly, Elaine has been since 2002 a contemporary music specialist in Vienna, Austria, and has been in demand as a soloist and chamber player throughout the world, giving concerts in Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Africa. She has been a regular performer with new-music ensembles such as Klangforum Wien, Ensemble ‘die reihe’, and the Koehne Quartet, amongst others. Also an exponent of improvisation, she has been featured at festivals throughout Central and Western Europe, as well as New York, Shanghai, Beijing, and Melbourne; and has been invited to collaborate with such luminaries as Anthony Braxton, Joëlle Léandre, Peter Herbert and Georg Graewe. Her interest in ‘world music’ has led to several tours and recordings with the Lebanese musician, Marcel Khalife. With all she has compiled an extensive discography. From 2008–2015, Elaine was engaged as the principal solo violist of the Burgtheater in Vienna (the national theatre of Austria). Since recently returning to live in her native Scotland, she has regularly freelanced with a number of ensembles in this country.