Wouter Raubenheimer

Wouter Raubenheimer’s story begins in Pretoria, South Africa. At the age of six, I joined the Pretoria String Orchestra. My studies at the University of Pretoria from 1996 to 1999 were a formative period, during which I studied viola under Professor Alan Solomon and performed with the university’s chamber ensemble, all while dreaming of international stages.

In 1999, this dream led me to Blonay, Switzerland, and the International Menuhin Music Academy. Under the guidance of mentors such as Alberto Lysy, I refined my musical craft and immersed myself in the art of chamber music. As a violist with Camerata Lysy, I performed in Europe’s most prestigious concert halls and at Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

In 2001, I moved to Glasgow to pursue a Master’s degree in Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). Through studies with exceptional teachers and masterclasses with violists like Nobuko Imai, I perfected my technique and graduated with distinction in 2003. Glasgow also provided practical experience: I performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, participating in events such as the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh International Festival under conductors like Donald Runnicles. As a member of the Scottish Ensemble, I contributed to innovative performances that combined music and art across the United Kingdom. In 2003, I won the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland (NYOS) competition in Aberdeen, where my solo viola performance earned me a featured appearance with NYOS.

In 2004, I relocated to Norway, where I was initially engaged with Musikk i Troms in Harstad. I later settled in Stavanger and joined the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra as a violist, a position I have held ever since.

In Stavanger, I co-founded the Skasei String Trio with Ingerine Dahl and Imari Hopkins, which has toured in countries including China and Italy. Collaborations with artists such as Leif Ove Andsnes have been musical highlights that have reaffirmed my career choice.

Since 2007, I have also been a member of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. I have performed in renowned venues such as the Concertgebouw and at the Salzburg Festival, sharing the stage with some of the world’s finest musicians.

Off the stage, I am a wandering soul. From Pretoria’s warm shores to Scotland’s rugged coastlines and Norway’s pristine fjords, bodysurfing has been my way of connecting with the sea, a source of vitality between musical notes. I collect folk melodies from the places I visit, adapting them for the viola to tell the stories of the places I have called home.

This is my story—a violist shaped by Pretoria’s warmth, Blonay’s refinement, Glasgow’s strength, and Stavanger’s wild beauty. Through music and waves, I have found my rhythm, and I look forward to writing the next chapter.