Marie-Elisabeth Hecker - Biography

Marie-Elisabeth Hecker received support from BBT between 2009 and 2011. For an up-to-date biography see karstenwitt.com

Born in Robert Schumann’s hometown Zwickau in 1987, Marie-Elisabeth Hecker started playing the cello at the age of five and attended the Robert Schumann Conservatory, before the distinguished German cellist Peter Bruns became her principal teacher. She continued her studies with Heinrich Schiff and subsequently took part in masterclasses with eminent figures such as Anner Bylsma, Bernard Greenhouse, Frans Helmerson, Gary Hoffman and Steven Isserlis. Early recognition came when she won Germany’s important Jugend musiziert competition at the age of twelve, followed by the special prize at the 2001 Dotzauer Competition and her sensational success at the Eighth Rostropovich Competition in Paris in 2005, where she became the first contestant in the event’s history to win the first prize as well as two special prizes. In 2009 she won a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award. She is supported by the Kronberg Academy.

Highlights of her career to date include performances with Dresden Philharmonic, Filarmonica della Scala, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Staatskapelle Berlin and Wiener Symphoniker. She collaborated with conductors such as Barenboim, Gergiev, Harding, Hengelbrock, Herreweghe, Janowski, Luisi, Nagano, Saraste, Thielemann and von Dohnányi.

As a passionate chamber musician, she has appeared in different constellations such as in duo with her husband Martin Helmchen as well as with Veronika Eberle, Christian Tetzlaff and Carolin Widmann.

Marie-Elisabeth Hecker is a professor at Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden. In co-operation with Music Road Rwanda she regularly travels to Rwanda in order to support a local music school with concerts and educational projects.

Last updated: October 2018

Not only is the BBT-Award a unique financial aid, but it also establishes ties to great musicians and patrons. The Award inspires work on new ideas and helps me to use the financial means for productive purposes. I am very glad to have met a number of people, who regularly support me, provide advice and help me to find my place in the music world.

Photographs by Benjamin Ealovega