Gunter Teuffel studied with Enrique Santiago and the Melos Quartet at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart. He then continued his studies with Jürgen Geise and Sandor Végh at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He completed his concert diploma with the highest honours. Whilst still at the Mozarteum, he met the legendary violist William Primrose on a course.
This very important encounter for him led to the translation of David Dalton’s Primrose book “Playing the viola- conversations with William Primrose”, which was published in 2012 under the title “Die Kunst des Violaspiels – Gespräche mit William Primrose”.
Gunter Teuffel began his career as principal violist of the Camerata Academica of the Mozarteum Salzburg under Sandor Végh. From 1982 to 2021 he was principal violist of the SWR Symphony Orchestra.
He was also professor of viola at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart until 2023 and teaches highly talented young violists at the Filum Music School’s talent academy in Filderstadt.
For over 25 years, Gunter Teuffel has been teaching at the masterclasses at Raabs a.d. Thaya Castle in Lower Austria at the beginning of August: www.raabsmusik.com
As a sought-after chamber music partner, he has played with numerous ensembles: the Melos Quartet, Parnassus Piano Trio, Camerata Lencses, String Quintet Mozarteum, Stuttgart Soloists, Diabelli Trio, Ensemble Villa Musica, Mandelring Quartet, Linos Harp Quintet, Trio Xavier de Maistre, Gaby Pas- v. Riet, Gunter Teuffel, Dohnanyi Trio, Musica Antiqua Köln, Ensemble Triolog, Ensemble…time for more! also with Gil Shaham, Antoine Tamestit, Tristan Cornut and many more.
As a soloist with viola and viola d’amore he has played with numerous conductors: Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Neville Marriner, Dennis Russel Davies, Andrej Boreyko, Christopher Hogwood and others.
He has an intensive artistic friendship with the violist, viola d’amore player and composer Garth Knox. The two have performed together several times and Gunter Teuffel premiered Garth Knox’s Pocket Concerto, which was dedicated to him, in 2019.
Gunter Teuffel has recorded numerous CDs with viola d’amore and viola.
