Biography

Anna Naomi Schultsz, born in Basel, was introduced to the violin at the tender age of two by her mother Isabelle Ladewig. In 2010, she began her studies in Amsterdam under Prof. Coosje Wijzenbeek and was simultaneously taught by Françoise Zöldy in Basel. Anna Schultsz was also holder of the Scholarship from the music academy in Lichtenstein, where she participated in its intensive weeks. Later she was taught by Barbara Doll at the music academy in Basel. In the year 2018, Anna Schultsz was accepted as „young student“ by Prof. Julia Fischer in Munich, who has remained her teacher to this day.

In 2013, she won first prize at the Swiss Young Musicians’ competition “Duowe bewerb” in the violin category. At the international music compe on “Laupersdorf” she won first prize with distinction and maximum points. In Belgium, at the “Concours International Arthur Gurmiaux pour jeunes violonistes” in 2016 she received second prize. In 2018 she won first prize at the Dutch violin competition. In 2020, she reached the third place at the Davina van Wely competition. In 2022, Anna Schultsz won the public voting “Jeunes Etoiles” of the renowned Gstaad Menuhin Festival. Since 2023, she has been holder of the Scholarship awarded by the “Mozart Gesellschaft Dortmund“. In 2024, she received the „Förderpreis“ from the Sparkasse Dortmund. Also, she will receive the rare cultural award from the “Van Claver Stiftung Riehen.”

At the age of nine, she performed for the first me as a soloist with an orchestra in Basel. Further Public appearances followed: in 2015 at the well-known “Prinsengracht Festival” in Amsterdam, in 2016 at the Basler “Martinskirche” with Bruch’s violin concerto, in 2019 she played Saint-Saëns’ 3rd violin concerto, afterwards in 2020-22 she performed Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, Sibelius' violin concerto and Chausson's Poéme all with orchestra and was invited by the Dresdner Philharmoniker to perform Ravel's Tzigane. In 2022 she was invited to the Gstaad Menuhin Festival and the next year she was reinvited after a big success, to give a recital. 2023 she performed several recitals in Switzerland, was a soloist with the french chamber philharmonic orchestra in Germany and played Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy as a soloist again in the Gstaad Festival. In 2024 her performance of the Beethoven concerto in Basel was met with great praise, following this success she went on tour in Germany performing Mozart’s violin concerto No. 4. with great enthusiasmn of the public and critics, notably in the “Konzerthaus Dortmund” and the “Kölner Philharmonie.” Anna Schultsz also had a variety of appearances on the Swiss Radio and television as a “Young Talent.” Additionally, she was nominated for the “Opus Klassik” award for her first CD, “Mouvements.”

Since 2019 she is concertmaster of the Gstaad Festival youth orchestra. She received further artistic inspirations at the master class with Leonidas Kavakos, as well as from Raphaël Oleg and Heinz Holliger. Furthermore, she plays chamber music with Gérard Wyss (first CD), Oliver Schnyder, Jan Schultsz, Julia Fischer, and Nils Mönkemeyer. She frequently collaborates with the pianist Chiara Opalio.

From the age of four, Anna Schultsz also received recorder lessons by Margret Föppl and Kathrin Bopp at the “Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.” At the age of seven, she won first prize with distinction at the Swiss Youth Music competition in the category recorder.

Anna Schultsz plays a violin from Carlo Giuseppe Testore da Milano, build in the year 1690 on loan by the Music and Youth Foundation from Chur.