Violist Paul Beckett is a prominent figure in contemporary music,celebrated for his exceptional artistry and interpretation of classical contemporary music.
Paul is the violist of Klangforum Wien and was previously a member of Ensemble recherche. He is a founding member of Trio Estatico with acclaimed violists Megumi Kasakawa (Ensemble Modern) & John Stultz (Ensemble Intercontemporain).
His collaborations extend to renowned ensembles and orchestras such as Ensemble Modern, Boulez Ensemble, Riot ensemble, der/gelbe/klang, guest solo viola for Bayerisch Staatsoper, Münchener Kammerorchester and Mainz Staatsorchester.
As a soloist recent performances include Chemins II for solo viola and ensemble by Luciano Berio at notable venues like the Wien Konzerthaus and the Boulez Saal, Berlin for the Siemens Stiftung 50th anniversary concert. He has appeared as a soloist of Klangforum Wien alongside the ORF Radio Symphony orchestra performing Wound by Rebecca saunders. Paul performed the world premiere of Pomen II by Milica Djordjevic at the Purcell Room London followed by acclaimed performences at the Warsaw Autumn Festival and Berlin Ultraschall festival for new music.
Dedicated to music education, Paul has conducted masterclasses at institutions like Sibelius Academy Helsinki, Bern Music School and Conservatory, Tchaikovsky Academy Kiev, Gustav Mahler Academy Bolzano, Freiburg Academy and International Ensemble Modern Academy Frankfurt. With the Klangforum Wien a collective professorship is held at the University of Music and Peforming arts Graz offering a specialized master's programme "Performance Practice in Contemporary Music" (PPCM).
His work with composers includes Beat Furrer, Sir George Benjamin, Enno Poppe, Helmut Lachenmann Georges Aperghis, Márton Illés, Oliver Knussen, Hans Abrahamsen, Carola Bauckholt, Hugues Dufourt and Milica Djordjević.
Paul attended Chethams School of Music, before continuing his studies in Manchester at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Mark Knight. He then attended Frankfurt Hochschule for Musik for specialised masters in contemporary music.