Micaela "Mica" Comberti (28 September 1952 – 4 March 2003) was an English violinist. Her concert career lasted from 1977 until her death. Born to a German mother and an Italian father, she was taught at the

University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (, abbreviated MDW) is an Austrian university established in 1817 located in Vienna. With a student body of over three thousand, it is the largest institution of its kind in Austria, and one of t ...

, the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

and the

Mozarteum University Salzburg Mozarteum University Salzburg (German: ''Universität Mozarteum Salzburg'') is one of three affiliated but separate (it is actually a state university) entities under the "Mozarteum" name in Salzburg municipality; the International Mozarteum ...

. Comberti was involved in

early music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750) or Ancient music (before 500 AD). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad Dates of classical ...

and played for

The English Concert The English Concert is a baroque orchestra playing on period instruments based in London. Founded in 1972 and directed from the harpsichord by Trevor Pinnock for 30 years, it is now directed by harpsichordist Harry Bicket. Nadja Zwiener has b ...

, St. James' Baroque,

Ex Cathedra Papal infallibility is a Dogma in the Catholic Church, dogma of the Catholic Church which states that, in virtue of the promise of Jesus to Saint Peter, Peter, the Pope when he speaks is preserved from the possibility of error on doctrine "in ...

and the

Collegium Musicum 90 Collegium Musicum 90 is an English baroque orchestra playing on period instruments. It was founded by violinist Simon Standage and conductor Richard Hickox in 1990 and was jointly directed by them (either together or separately) until the deat ...

. She also taught at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...

, the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music (RCM) is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including pe ...

and the Royal Academy of Music. An award and position at the Royal Academy of Music are named after the violinist.

Biography

Comberti was born to a German mother and an Italian father in London on 28 September 1952. She was known by the name Mica from an early age. Comberti demonstrated a talent for music from an early age; aged 19 she travelled to Vienna to study with the violinist Eduard Melkus at the

with her experiences directing her to historical performances. In 1970 Comberti performed with the jazz band Centipede run by the pianist

Keith Tippett Keith Graham Tippetts (25 August 1947 – 14 June 2020), known professionally as Keith Tippett, was a British jazz pianist and composer. According to AllMusic, Tippett's career "...spanned jazz-rock, progressive rock, improvised and contemporar ...

. She returned to the United Kingdom in 1972. Comberti spent the following three years under the tutelage of

Manoug Parikian Manoug Parikian (15 September 1920 – 24 December 1987) was a British concert violinist and violin professor. Early life Parikian was born in Mersin to Armenian parents. He studied in London. Career Parikian made his solo début in 1947 and le ...

at the

, London. She subsequently went back to Vienna for two years and underwent further education at the

as a pupil of

Sándor Végh Sándor Végh (17 May 19127 January 1997) was a Hungarian, later French, violinist and conductor. He was best known as one of the great chamber music violinists of the twentieth century. Education Sándor Végh was born in 1912 in Kolozsvár, ...

, whom had a profound influence on her life. Comberti had her interest in historical performance strengthened by attending the classes of

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, known for his historically informed performances. He specialized in music of the Baroque period, but later extended his repertoire to include Classical ...

. She returned to the United Kingdom for a second time in 1977 to become involved in

. Comberti played for a number of ensembles, record the scores of

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

and

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

with the Salomon Quartet from 1982 on and was principal player of

until 1990. Comberti left The English Concert in 1990 and began to lead orchestras for the St. James' Baroque, and

from 1987, and was a guest of other established groups. She played as a soloist with the

and recorded the Concerto for Two Violins for them. Comberti recorded the sonatas of

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

with the harpsichordist and long-time musical partner

Colin Tilney Colin Graham Tilney (31 October 1933 – 17 December 2024) was a British-Canadian harpsichordist, fortepianist and teacher. He is well known for his historically-informed approach to performance practice, performing on original or copied ins ...

. She taught at the

and then at the

and the Royal Academy of Music. Comberti was also associated with the Dartington Summer School and Festival. From 1999 on she trained the

Bavarian State Opera The Bavarian State Opera () is a German opera company based in Munich. Its main venue is the Nationaltheater München, and its orchestra the Bavarian State Orchestra. History The parent ensemble of the company was founded in 1653, under El ...

in period style for several of its productions of

Claudio Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string instrument, string player. A composer of both Secular music, secular and Church music, sacred music, and a pioneer ...

and

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

and enhanced the reputation of the opera for its performances of the latter composer within Germany. Comberti undertook a similar venture with the

Hamburg State Opera The Hamburg State Opera (in German: ) is a German opera company based in Hamburg. Its theatre is near the square of Gänsemarkt. Since 2015, the current ''Intendant'' of the company is Georges Delnon, and the current ''Generalmusikdirektor'' ...

in 2002. Her final public performance was with the violinist

Simon Standage Simon Andrew Thomas Standage (born 8 November 1941 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire) is an English violinist and conductor best known for playing and conducting music of the baroque and classical eras on original instruments. Biography and ...

in February 2003.

Personal life

She was married to the violinist Gustav Clarkson, and had three children with him (two sons and a daughter). Comberti became ill while holidaying in August 2002 and was diagnosed with cancer. She followed a strict diet to lessen the effects of cancer and continued to teach through her illness. She died on 4 March 2003.

Legacy

Standage in his obituary of Comberti in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' said Comberti was "at the forefront of an influential generation of British early musicians. As a zestful performer with an inquiring spirit and, more recently, as a thoughtful and dedicated teacher, she earned the affection and respect of colleagues and pupils alike." A performance of Bach's ''

St John Passion The ''Passio secundum Joannem'' or ''St John Passion'' (), BWV 245, is a Passion or oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach, the earliest of the surviving Passions by Bach. It was written during his first year as director of church music in Leipzi ...

'' by Ex Cathedra at

Lichfield Cathedral Lichfield Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Chad in Lichfield, is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Lichfield, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Lichfield and the principal church of the diocese ...

on 3 April 2003 was dedicated to her memory. The Micaela Comberti Chair for Baroque Violin at the Royal Academy of Music was established in September 2008 and is currently led by one of Comberti's pupils,

Rachel Podger Rachel Podger (born 30 May 1968) is a British violinist and conductor specialising in the performance of Baroque music. Career Podger was born in England to a British father and a German mother. She was educated at a German Rudolf Steiner scho ...

. The conservatoire also awards the Mica Comberti Prize on a yearly basis "for the performance of any complete work by JS Bach for violin,

viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...

viola da gamba The viola da gamba (), or viol, or informally gamba, is a bowed and fretted string instrument that is played (i.e. "on the leg"). It is distinct from the later violin family, violin, or ; and it is any one of the earlier viol family of bow (m ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Comberti, Micaela 1952 births 2003 deaths Musicians from London English people of German descent English people of Italian descent English classical violinists British women classical violinists British music educators British women music educators British performers of early music Women performers of early music Bach musicians 20th-century English women musicians 21st-century English women musicians University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music Mozarteum University Salzburg alumni Academics of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Academics of the Royal College of Music Academics of the Royal Academy of Music 20th-century British classical violinists 21st-century British classical violinists