Emmanuel Koch

Emmanuel Koch (June 4, 1930, Liège, Belgium – March 15, 2005, Mons-lez-Liège, Belgium) was a distinguished Belgian violinist and conductor. The son of François-Henri Koch, he studied at the Royal Conservatory of Liège under the tutelage of his father, Henri Koch. He graduated with the medal of great distinction and went on to further his studies in Paris with the renowned violinists Jacques Thibaud and George Enescu.

Koch participated in numerous international competitions, winning the competition in Munich in 1953 and finishing as a finalist in the same event in Venice. In 1955, he was awarded the Vieuxtemps Prize with the greatest distinction and the acclamation of the jury. He also reached the semi-finals of the International Music Competition Queen Elisabeth of Belgium in 1954.

In 1954, Emmanuel Koch became the concertmaster of the Maastricht Symphony Orchestra, then under the direction of André Rieu (the elder). Simultaneously, he pursued a soloist career that extended far beyond the Benelux countries, performing in France, Germany, Poland, Russia, North America, and Canada. He collaborated with many esteemed pianists, including Monique Pichon, J. Grubben, Patrick Crommelinck, Taeko Kuwatta, Jorg Demus, Marcel Cominotto, Patrick Dheur, Lucette Deliens, Natalia Sharoyeva, Yasuko Eguchi, and Jean Schils. Koch also worked with notable singers such as Jules Bastin and Cécile Leleux, and participated in festivals in Domme, Durbuy, and others.

From 1969, Koch served as the Musical Director of Les Solistes de Liège (The Soloists of Liège), a chamber music ensemble originally founded by his father, Henri Koch, and the conductor Géry Lemaire in 1954. In 1970, he became a Professor of Violin at the Royal Conservatory of Liège.

Le Quatuor Municipal (The City Quartet), initiated by Louis Poulet and Henri Koch in 1951, regularly performed at the Chapelle du Vertbois in Liège. The quartet’s participation in the Wégimont competition, sponsored by HM Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, brought it international fame. The quartet initially comprised Henri Koch on first violin, Emmanuel Koch on second violin, Paul Lambert on viola, and Charles Bartsch on cello. Over the years, the quartet’s composition varied, but for over fifty years, it played a central role in animating Liège’s musical life with a wide repertoire.

Source: Bach-Cantatas.com