Volkhard Steude was born in 1971 and received his first violin lessons at the age of five, with Gabriel Zinke at the Cottbus Conservatory. Following his studies at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin with Joachim and Werner Scholz, he found his way via the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester to Vienna, where he continued his studies with Alfred Staar. He won the concert master audition for the Vienna Philharmonic and the State Opera Orchestra in 1994 — as one of the youngest participants ever.
He performs regularly as a soloist with the Vienna Philharmonic under renowned conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Franz Welser-Möst, Andris Nelsons and Tugan Sokhiev. He also performs regularly with Japan’s major orchestras.
Numerous concerts and recordings with the pianist Roland Batik and with the Steude Quartet, which he founded, along with his long-term leadership of the ensemble Wiener Virtuosen, testify to his love of chamber music.
Volkhard Steude plays an Antonius Stradivarius 1714 (ex Smith-Quersin), on loan from the Austrian National Bank.
