Albrecht was born near Dresden in Germany. He started taking violin lessons at the age of four and gave his first international concert performance at the age of eight in Italy. Additional musical studies included piano and composition. His early works were even premiered by members of the chamber orchestra Sinfonietta Dresden and the Malle Symen Quartet Amsterdam. Albrecht played his solo debut at the age of 13 in front of a full house at the Dresdner Music Festival.

Albrecht has repeatedly won 1st Prizes at various national and international violin competitions. He won 1st Prize and a Gold Medal at the International Louise Henriette Competition 2004, the Johann-Georg-Pisendel Prize from the Dresdner Bank Cultural Foundation 2004, 1st Prize and a special prize for the best musical interpretation at the International Kocian Violin Competition 2006 in the Czech Republic. At the German national competition 'Jugend musiziert' 2007, Albrecht was awarded the 1st Prize on the category 'Violin Solo' with an absolute maximum jury points and received also the 'Eduard-Söring-Prize' by the German Foundation 'Musikleben' for his outstanding accomplishment in the category 'String Instruments'. Further awards include the 3rd Prize and a special EMCY Prize at the Moscow International David Oistrakh Violin Competition 2010.

Concert performances have led Albrecht to various corners of Europe, Israel and Russia. He performed as a soloist at the Mecklenburg Vorpommern Festival, the Rheingau Musik Festival and at series of summer concerts 'Preetz and Bergedorf concerts Hamburg', in the 'International Performing Art Center Moscow - House of Music' during the Vladimir Spivakov Festival Moscow, in the Big 'Laeisz' Concert Hall Hamburg, Herod's Pavilion Concert Hall in Israel during the Eilat Chamber Music Festival Israel, also in the Rachmaniov Hall and in the Svetlanov Hall in Moscow. Albrecht performed with international orchestras such as the Philharmonic Orchestra Heidelberg, the Camerata Hamburg, the Landesbühnen Sachsen, the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra Leipzig, the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra and the State Symphonie Orchestra New Russia.

He is also interested for modern music and performed as a soloist at the German premiere of the Suite concertante for violin, piano and orchestra by the Russian composer Lera Auerbach in the Big 'Laeisz' Concert Hall Hamburg.

Albrecht was able to gather valuable artistic experience in the Academies at the Verbier Festival and the 'Julian Rachlin and Friends' Festival Dubrovnik, as well as through participation in international master classes such as the International Summer Academy of the Mozarteum University Salzburg and the Viennese master classes, working with renowned professors Yair Kless, Igor Ozim, Zakhar Bron, Boris Kuschnir and Ana Chumachenko.

He is currently enrolled as a student of Prof. Boris Kuschnir at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz (Austria).

Albrecht Menzel plays on violin by Giovanni Francesco Pressenda (Turin 1829) sponsored by the German Musical Instrument Fund.

Watch Albrecht performing here.

EMCY invited Albrecht to perform a lunchtime recital at the Muziekgebouw Eindhoven in April 2011.


Repertoire

Solo

J. S. Bach, Violin solos from Sonatas and Partitas
I. Frolov, Fantasia for solo violin in the memory of David Oistrakh
N. Paganini, Violin solo from Caprices (Op. 1)
E. Ysaye, Violin solo from Sonatas (Op. 27)

With piano

A. Bazzini, Dance of the Goblins (Op. 25)
L. van Beethoven, Sonata No. 3 in E flat Major (Op. 12)
C. Debussy, Claire de Lune
A. Dvorak, Sonatina (Op. 100)
G. Faure, Berceuse
F. Geminiani, Sonata in C minor
F. Kreisler, Liebesleid
F. Kreisler, Prelude and Allegro
W. Lutoslawski, Subito
J. Massenet, Meditation from Thais
V. Monti, Cszardasz
W. A. Mozart, Rondo from Haffner Serenade (arr. F. Kreisler)
W. A. Mozart, Sonata in G Major (K. 301)
N. Paganini, Moto perpetuo (Op. 11)
N. Paganini, Sonata No. 12 in E minor
S. Prokofiev, Masks (from Romeo and Juliet)
S. Prokofiev, Sonata No. 2 (Op. 94a)
C. Saint-Saens, Introduction and Rondo capriccioso
P. de Sarasate, Introduction and Tarantella (Op. 43)
P. de Sarasate, Zapateado (Op. 23)
P. de Sarasate, Zigeunerweisen (Op. 23)
A. Schnittke, Sonata No. 1
F. Schubert, Sonatina in D Major
G. Tartini, Sonata in G minor 'The Devil’s Trill'
G. Tartini, Sonata in G minor 'Didone abbandonata' (Op. 10, No. 1)
P. I. Tchaikovsky, Waltz–Scherzo (Op. 34)
E. Tosselli, Serenade (Op. 6)
H. Vieuxtemps, Ballade and Polonaise (Op. 38)
T. Vitali, Chaconne in G minor
F. Waxman, Carmen-Fantasy
H. Wieniawski, Dudziarz
H. Wieniawski, Kuyjawiak
H. Wieniawski, Legende
H. Wieniawski, Polonaise Brillante No. 4 in A Major (Op. 21)
H. Wieniawski, Polonaise de Concert in D major (Op. 4)
H. Wieniawski, Scherzo and Tarantella (Op. 16)
H. Wieniawski, Variations on an Original Theme (Op. 15)

Chamber music

L. van Beethoven, Piano Quartet in E flat Major (Op. 16)
L. van Beethoven, Trio No. 1 in D Major 'The Ghost' (Op. 70)

With orchestra

L. Auerbach, Suite Concertante for violin, piano and orchestra (Op. 60)
J. Haydn, Concerto in G Major
E. Lalo, Symphonie espagnole (Op. 21)
K. Lipinski, Concerto militare No. 2 in D Major (Op. 21)
F. Mendelssohn, Concerto in E minor (Op. 64)
W. A. Mozart, Concerto No. 3 in G Major (K. 216) (with cadences)
W. A. Mozart, Concerto No. 4 in D Major (K. 218) (with cadences)
N. Paganini, Concerto No. 1 (Op. 6) (with cadence by E. Sauret)
J. G. Pisendel, Concer in E flat Major (with cadences by A. Menzel)
J. Sibelius, Concerto in D minor (Op. 47)
L. Spohr, Concerto No. 2 in D minor (with cadence by A. Menzel)
P. I. Tchaikovsky, Concerto in D Major (Op. 35)
H. Vieuxtemps, Concerto No. 4 in D minor
H. Vieuxtemps, Concerto No. 5 in A minor
A. Vivaldi, Concerto in G minor
A. Vivaldi, Concerto No. 6 in A minor (Op. 3)
A. Vivaldi, Concerto No. 8 in A minor for two violins (Op. 3)
A. Vivaldi, Four Seasons
H. Wieniawski, Concerto No. 2 in D minor

If you are interested in working with Albrecht, please get in touch with the EMCY Office.