Ivan Saez Schwartz

I am a baroque violist from the Canary Islands who has been residing in the Netherlands for a decade. My interest in historically informed performance led me to move to The Hague, where I have since built a solid career as a violist in various prestigious early music ensembles in Europe.

For several years, I have been a regular musician with "Le Concert des Nations," conducted by Jordi Savall, with whom I have performed multiple concerts in major European halls and recorded several CDs. For the past two years, I have also occasionally collaborated with "Les Musiciens du Louvre," conducted by Marc Minkowsky, and the "Nederlandse Bachvereniging," with whom I have made several recordings for the "All of Bach" platform. Additionally, I am the principal violist of the "Orquesta Barroca de Tenerife" and frequently collaborate with the "Kölner Akademie,” leading the viola section on some occasions as well.

I have had the privilege of participating in projects with ensembles such as "Les Arts Florissants," "The Orchestra of The Eighteen Century," "UTOPIA", "Luthers Bach Ensemble," "Ensemble Jupiter," and "Il Pomo d'Oro."

My passion for chamber music, especially the development and evolution of the string quartet, led me to found the "Gara Quartet" in 2020, with whom I regularly perform concerts in Europe, including a concert for the “Joseph Haydn Institut Köln” and “G. Henle Verlag” in 2022.

Born in Tenerife, I began my violin studies at the age of 3. At 16, I switched to the viola, and in 2011, I started my Bachelor's studies at the “Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias” under the guidance of Professor Macarena Pesutic Hecker. A couple of years later, I moved to the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where I completed a double master's degree in modern and baroque viola, studying with professors Ásdís Valdimarsdottir and Walter Reiter, respectively. After completing the master's program, I was admitted to the class of Professor Shunske Sato at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where I studied for a year as a post-grad student.

In addition to the mentioned professors, I have had the fortune to work with or receive guidance from prominent figures in the world of early music such as Ton Koopman, René Jacobs, Jane Rogers, Leonardo García-Alarcón, Barthold Kuijken, Christophe Coin, and others.

As a historically informed viola player, I rely on a variety of bows to perform a wide range of repertoire with authenticity and nuance. It is wonderful that I can count on the Het Muziekinstrumentenfonds to support me with bows that are of exceptional quality and that I truly love working with.