Paul Zientara began studying the viola at the age of seven at the Music school of Yerres in Yves Pruvot's class. In 2015, he joined the CRR (Regional Conservatory) of Paris studying with Françoise Gnéri, before continuing his studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris with teachers Sabine Toutain and Christophe Gaugué. 

Paul regularly participates in various international academies and masterclasses including the Kronberg Academy Festival and the Anton Rubinstein Academy in Düsseldorf. He had the opportunity to improve his skills with masters such as Tabea Zimmermann, Gérard Caussé, Tatjana Masurenko, Bruno Pasquier, Nils Mönkemeyer, Claire Désert, the Ebene Quartet and Laurent Korcia. In addition, he received a scholarship from the International Music Academy in Liechtenstein and took part in the academy's intensive weeks and activities. 

Paul has won several prizes at international competitions, including the 3rd prize at the prestigious “Lionel Tertis Competition” (Isle of Man), Grand Prix at the Safran Foundation, 1st prize at the “Concours de Cordes d 'Epernay” and 3rd prize of the “Autumn Musical Festival of Young Performers”, which paved the way to performances as a soloist with several orchestras under the direction of Nicolas Simon, Philippe Barbey-Lallia, Nicolas Krauze, Roman Dumas and Martin Lebel. 

At the age of just 16, Paul performed Bartók's Concerto with the Pasdeloup Orchestra, and has since performed as a soloist with the Republican Guard Orchestra, Column Orchestra, New Europe, Pocket Symphony and the COGE. 

Furthermore, he is passionate about chamber music, and has shared the stage with artists such as Valeriy Sokolov, François Salque, Pierre Fouchenneret, Jérôme Pernoo, Marc Coppey, Adam Laloum, Emmanuel Strosser, Adrien Boisseau, Liya Petrova, Adrien La Marca, Jérôme Ducros, Jérémy Menuhin, Victor Julien-Laferrière and Nicolas Baldeyrou, and many others. 

Viola

Paul Zientara

Nominated by Renaud Capuçon, violist Paul Zientara  joins the Classeek Ambassador Programme for the 2022-23 season.

22-year-old Paul Zientara began studying the viola at the age of seven at the Music school of Yerres in Yves Pruvot's class. In 2015, he joined the CRR (Regional Conservatory) of Paris in Françoise Gnéri's class. He regularly participates in international academies and masterclasses including the Kronberg Academy Festival.

Paul Zientara & Arthur Hinnewinkel | Brahms, Viola Sonata No 2 in Eb major, Op. 120

Viola Sonata No 2 in Eb major, Op. 120

Classeek Showroom performance, November 2022

Paul Zientara & Arthur Hinnewinkel | Prokofiev, Extracts from Romeo and Juliet

Extracts from Romeo and Juliet

Paul Zientara talks with Michel Le Naour about his education, experiences, inspirations  and collaborations.

Paul Zientara Interview

with Michel Le Naour

Nominated onto the Classeek Ambassador Programme by esteemed French violinist Renaud Capuçon, Paul Zientara performs a trio of lyrical viola works alongside pianist Arthur Hinnewinkel. They open the recital with Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, one of the best loved works in the orchestral repertoire, which has undergone many arrangements for every imaginable instrumentation. Extracts of the ballet are heard here for viola and piano, adapted by renowned Soviet violist Vadim Borisovsky. The drama and heightened intensity of the large-scale production are stripped back to expose the raw emotion of Prokofiev’s writing and storytelling. 

To follow, Brahms’ Viola Sonata No. 2, a mellow, intimate work with a contrasting, impassioned central movement. Originally written for the clarinet, the sonata was written at a time when the combination of clarinet and piano was rarely heard, but Brahms enjoyed experimenting with the rich variety in the clarinet’s sound and tonal colours. The altered arrangement for viola also exploits the rich colours and timbres of the instrument, before ending on a sweet, tranquil note that brings us to a calm, contented conclusion. 

To complete this expressive programme is Enescu’s Concertstück, a piece written at the turn of the 20th century as a commission from Fauré for a work for the annual viola concours at the Paris Conservatoire. It is, by its very nature, a show piece, exhibiting the full potential of the instrument and its player – but is rigorously demanding of both. Its composer Enescu was a virtuoso string player himself, still remembered as one of the greatest musicians in Romanian history. His cultural heritage manifests throughout the piece with a bold, rhapsodic style, with influences and elements of Romanian folk music. 

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