Hans Christian Aavik

Hans Christian Aavik is the 1st prize winner of the 2022 Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition and recipient of the Usedom Prize. Named “One to Watch” by Gramophone, he is praised for his “probing intellect and curiosity” combined with “an extroverted charisma” (Bachtrack). Already well established as a soloist at home in Estonia, Hans Christian Aavik performed Bruch’s violin concerto with the Estonian Festival Orchestra and Paavo Järvi at the 2024 Pärnu Music Festival. In 2024 he also curated his own concert series with the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, revolving around Mozart’s five violin concertos, and performed Beethoven’s violin concerto with the Estonian National SymphonyOrchestra under Olari Elts. Recent international engagements have included chamber music performances at the Wigmore Hall, Köln Deutschlandfunk Kammermusiksaal and Kölner Philarmonie. Hans Christian Aavik returns to the Pärnu Music Festival in July 2025 as soloist in Arvo Pärt’s Tabula Rasa and joinsPaavo Järvi and the Estonian Festival Orchestra for further celebrations of the composer’s 90th birthday this autumn,appearing as soloist alongside Midori at the Vienna Konzerthaus, Zürich Tonhalle, Hamburg Elbphilharmonie and New York Carnegie Hall. He performs on a Giovanni Paolo MAGGINI violin (ca 1610) and a bow made by Victor Fétique (ca 1930), generously on loan from the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments and the Sapožnin family.