Galina Zinchenko

As one of the true specialists on the baroque and classical viola, Galina Zinchenko has been a prominent and illustrious personality in the European early music scene for over two decades. She has performed and recorded with most of the eminent orchestras and ensembles such as La Petite Bande (Sigiswald Kuijken), Le Concert des Nations (Jordi Savall), La Chapelle Royale (Philippe Herreweghe), Anima Eterna (Jos van Immerseel) and Concerto Vocale (René Jacobs). For many years she has led the viola section of the acclaimed French orchestra Les Arts Florissants and in its chamber music formation has toured throughout Europe, the United States and Australia.
In Australia, after having finished her studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music on piano and violin, she was invited to play viola with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Elizabethan Theatre Trust Opera Orchestra. She became a full time member of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra before moving to The Netherlands to further her studies.
As an invited guest student at The Royal Conservatory of the Hague she obtained her solo performance diploma on modern viola, studying with Jurgen Kussmaul. During this period she became interested in baroque and classical performance practice, and studied with Lucy van Dael. From 1984-89 she was a full time member of the Brussels La Monnaie Opera Orchestra but decided to leave the position in favour of the many opportunities available to her to express her passion for historical performance practice.
Galina is also hailed as an expert on the viola d’amore, on which she performed as soloist with The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra in its 2001 season, Anima Eterna, and Les Arts Florissants.