Melinda Watzel midshot square
2023, 2022 UK, 2022, 2019, 2018 India, 2018, 2017 Moorambilla Project, 2017, 2016, 2016 Singapore, 2015, 2013, 2011
“This is the opportunity that we’ve all dreamt of, but never thought would happen! How exciting to be part of such a collaboration of talent on our own home soil, and have the chance to inspire and give back some of what we’ve been given to fellow Australians. See you there!”

Melinda Watzel

Violin

Principal 2nd Violin – Komische Oper Berlin; Violin – Deutsche Kammerorchester

Australian Hometown: Melbourne
Education: Klagenfurt Conservatorium; Hochschule für Musik, Cologne

PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHY
Melinda Watzel was born in Melbourne and began to play the violin when she was 8 years old.

After winning numerous prizes and awards in Australia, at 16 she left to study in Europe, beginning at the Conservatorium in Klagenfurt before moving to Cologne at the Hochschule for Music as a student of Prof. Igor Ozim. She also studied chamber music with the Amadeus and Alban Berg String Quartets. In 1995 she moved to Berlin after being accepted into the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1996 she was the winner of the Australian Music Foundation prize in London. From 1999-2002 she completed a post graduate performance degree at the UdK Berlin, under the guidance of Prof. Mi-Kyung Lee and Prof. Antje Weithaas.

From 1998-2001 she was a scholarship holder of the Villa Musica Foundation, a chamber music organization.

She has been a member of the Komische Oper Berlin since 2002, and 1st Principal of the 2. Violins since 2009. She plays regularly as guest principal leader of the 2nd violins in the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, Staatsoper Hamburg, Staatsoper Hannover, Staatsoper Berlin, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester, Rundfunk Sinfonie Orchester Berlin, Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin and the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Melinda is a member of the Deutsche Kammerorchester and enjoys playing chamber music in various ensembles, and teaches students within the orchestra academy program of the Komische Oper. She has been a member of AWO since 2011.

Last updated 2023