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Michaela Paetsch Neftel | |
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.jpg/1280px-Michaela_Modjeska_Paetsch_Neftel_(12_Nov_1961_in_Colorado_Springs_-_20_Jan_2023_in_Bern,_Switzerland).jpg) Michaela Paetsch Neftel with her violin | |
| Born | Michaela Modjeska Paetsch (1961-11-12)November 12, 1961 |
| Died | January 20, 2023(2023-01-20) (aged 61) Bern, Switzerland |
| Occupation | Concert violinist |
| Years active | 1971–2023 |
| Spouse |
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| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Johann Sebastian Paetsch (brother) |
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Michaela Paetsch Neftel (November 12, 1964 - January 20, 2023), also known as Michaela Modjeska Paetsch, was an American violinist.
Early life
Paetsch was born on November 12, 1961, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to cellist Günther Johannes Paetsch and violinist Priscilla Paetsch, both of whom played in the noted Colorado Springs Symphony.[1][2]
When Paetsch was 12 years old, she won both the Colorado Springs Young Artists Contest and the Pueblo Young Artists Contest.[3] She subsequently performed as a soloist with the Colorado Springs Symphony, the Pueblo Symphony, under the direction of Gerhard Track and the Jefferson Symphony in Denver, Colorado.[4]
At the age of 14, Paetsch was the youngest full-time member of the Colorado Springs Symphony[4], which she did while attending Cheyenne Mountain High School.[5] At 16 years old, she won first prize in the National String Competition held in Chicago, Illinois.[6]
Career
1970s
In 1972, Paetsch became the concertmaster of the Cosmic Heights Chamber Orchestra and played as a first violinist and soloist with the Baroque Players.[7] The Paetsch String Sextet, a family group formed in 1972, consisted of Michaela as concertmaster and solo violist; Priscilla Paetsch as both violinist and violist; Günther Johannes Paetsch as the principal cellist; Brigitte and Phebe Paetsch performing the tutti voices and solo inner violin and viola parts, and Johann Sebastian Paetsch as the continuo cellist, a chordal instrument considered part of the basso continuo part.[8]
In 1979, Paetsch performed Dvořák's Violin Concerto with Myung-Whun Chung conducting the Debut Orchestra of Young Musicians Foundation in the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, California.[9][10][11]
1980s
Paetsch went to study at Yale University with the Polish-born violinist Szymon Goldberg, who also taught Paetsch’s mother, Priscilla. Paetsch followed Goldberg to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia,[12][13] where he continued teaching after leaving Yale due to its mandatory retirement age. In one of her recitals at the Curtis Institute, she performed solo works by Bach, Paganini, and Bartòk, and premiered Daron Aric Hagen's “Occasional Notes” and William Coble's “Intrada”.[14]
Paetsch was awarded a special prize for the best performance of a compulsory work by Russian composer Yuri Falik at the closing ceremony on July 4th, 1986, in the International Tchaikovsky Competition, which is held every four years in Moscow, Russia.[15] Her brother, Johann Paetsch, participated in the cello competition at the same event.
In October 1987, Paetsch played three concerts in Holland, directed by the leader of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. The orchestra's manager arranged for Paetsch to come to Zurich, where a Swiss millionaire with a large collection of stringed instruments loaned her a Guarneri violin to use. Shortly after that the German recording company Teldec signed her to a recording contract.[16]
In October 1987, Paetsch recorded the 24 Capricci, Op.1 by Niccolò Paganini for Teldec.[17] Paetsch then returned to Denver to perform the Brahm's Violin Concerto in D Major with Maestro JoAnn Falletta and the Denver Chamber Orchestra in April 1988.
In the summer of 1988, the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra, under conductor Charles Ansbacher, invited Paetsch to play in Colorado Springs and in the Ford Amphitheatre in Vail, where she performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor.[18]
Paetsch performed for audiences worldwide as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician across the world. Notably, she played venues such as Carnegie Hall and Avery Fischer Hall in New York, as well as at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Paetsch also performed at music festivals, including Marlboro in Vermont, Davos in Switzerland, Brandenburg Summer Concerts in Berlin, Banff in Canada, and Boulder Bach Festival and the "Mostly Mozart" festivals in New York.[19] She also participated in the Rhein-Sieg and Niederrhein Chamber Music Festivals, both located in Germany.[20]
She performed internationally, appearing with orchestras in Japan, South Korea, Belgium, Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Italy. Her engagements included the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo; the philharmonic orchestras of Osaka and Seoul; the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège; and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. She also worked with ensembles such as the National Orchestra of Belgium, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, the Residentie Orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London, and the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana. She collaborated with conductors including Kent Nagano, Dmitri Kitayenko, Horst Stein, and Myung-whun Chung.[21][13][22]
Her recorded music contains a diverse range of pieces, including Niccolo Paganini's 24 Caprices (1987), Joachim Raff's concertos with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, and "Sonatillen, Op. 99" and "Morceaux, Op. 85" featuring Eric Le Van on piano. She recorded Brahms' "21 Hungarian Dances" and "La Capricieuse". Paetsch also contributed to the live recording of Sofia Gubaidulina's Offertorium as the featured soloist with the Bern Symphony Orchestra. Her recordings have been released through record labels such as Sony Classical, Arte Nova, CPO, and ARSIS.[23] In 1993, she became the violinist for the quartet Ensemble Incanto, with which she toured extensively and recorded regularly.[13]
Personal life
On August 3rd 1990, Paetsch married Klaus Neftel in Bern, Switzerland. Their daughter, Anna Nora Neftel, was born in 1992.
Paetsch was a horse rider and broke her first stallion at age nine.[24] Her parents also raised Polish-bred registered Purebred Arabian horses at their house in Colorado Springs.[25]
Death
Paetsch died in a palliative clinic in Bern, Switzerland, on January 20th, 2023, at the age of 61, from complications due to cancer.[26][27]
Achievements
In 1984, Paetsch was awarded the first prize at the G. B. Dealey Awards,[28][29] followed by a top prize in the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 1985.[13] She was awarded a special prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1986.[15][30]
Paetsch was the first American woman to record all 24 Paganini Caprices for solo violin.[31]
Discography
Her discography includes:
- The 24 Caprices by Niccolò Paganini with Teldec.[13]
- She has also recorded with Sony Classical, Arte Nova (BMG) and Tudor.[13]
- Her recent disc of the Concertos by Joachim Raff with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra (TUDOR 7086).[13]
- The complete music for solo strings of Daron Hagen for Arsis.
- Ensemble Incanto - String Quartet
| Release | Composer/Title of work | Performer | Label/Catalog no. | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Niccolò Paganini |
|
Teldec
6.43922 |
CD |
| 1990 | Sofia Gubaidulina
|
|
BMG
DDD 1002 Konzeertmitschnitt |
CD |
| 1991 | Luigi Boccherini
|
Pina Carmirelli, Gary Hoffman, Ramon Bolipata, Toby Hoffman, Michaela Paetsch | Sony
47298 |
CD |
| 1992 | Davos Music Festival
F. Poulenc, W.A. Mozart, R. Strauss, S. Prokofiev, E. Toch, F. Mendelssohn |
Stefan Henneberger (conductor), Chamber Ensemble: Stefan Buri, Diana
Doherty, Dénes Várjon, Pascal Siffert, Marina Piccinini, Stephanie Gonley, Françoise Groben, Guido Schiefen, Irina Nikitina, Kyoko Takezawa, Douglas Paterson, Regula Schneider, Regine Guthauser, Andreas Haefliger, Ursula Fiedler, Stefano Wenk, Anthony Marwood, Michaela Paetsch, Ilya Konovalov, Anna Pfister |
Sony
47298 |
CD |
| 1995 | Johannes Brahms
|
|
Tudor
7037 |
CD |
| 1995 | Johannes Brahms
|
|
Oehms Classics
259 |
CD |
| 1995 | Paul Hindemith
|
ensemble incanto
|
cpo
999 302-2 |
CD |
| 1997 | W. A. Mozart
|
|
Arte Nova-Nr.
74321433252 |
CD |
| 1997 | Daron Hagen
|
|
Arsis
111 |
CD |
| 2000 | Joseph Joachim Raff
|
|
Tudor
7086 |
CD |
| 2000 |
|
ensemble incanto | Arte Nova-Nr.
74321721052 |
CD |
| 2001 | Olivier Messiaen
|
ensemble incanto
|
Arte Nova-Nr.
70762 |
CD |
| 2003 | Joseph Joachim Raff
|
|
Tudor
7109 |
CD |
| 2004 | Peter Härtling liest Schumanns “Schatten” | Musik ensemble incanto | Querstand
VKJK 0403 |
CD |
| 2005 | Arthur Furer
|
|
Musikverlag Müller & Schade AG in Bern
live bit Schnitt |
CD |
| 2011 | ’’La Capricieuse’’
|
|
Tudor
7168 |
CD |
Felix, Mendelssohn
|
Francoise Groben (cello) |
Musik Festival Davos | CD |
References
- ^ Lusk, Alison Pierce (July 23, 1977). "Musical Angels Are 'Normal Kids'". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "Paetsch Family Orchestra Begins State Concert Tour". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. March 17, 1973. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ Niles, Laurie. "Violinist Michaela Paetsch (1961-2023), First American Woman to Record 24 Paganini Caprices". Violinist.com. Retrieved October 14, 2025.
- ^ a b "Paetsch Family Concert on Sunday". Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. May 22, 1976. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "Jan 25, 1975, page 51 - Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph at Newspapers.com™". Newspapers.com. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
- ^ "Young Violinist Honored". Gazette Telegraph. April 22, 1978. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "Paetsch Quartet Gives Concert at Unity Church". Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. May 13, 1972. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ Niles, Laurie. "Violinist Michaela Paetsch (1961-2023), First American Woman to Record 24 Paganini Caprices". Violinist.com. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "YMF Debut Orchestra at Ebell". The Los Angeles Times. October 16, 1979. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "YMF Debut Orchestra". The Los Angeles Times. October 14, 1979. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "YMF to Open Oct. 14". New Pilot. September 26, 1979. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "Notes on Arts - Violinist Michaela Paetsch". The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 10, 1984. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Queen Elisabeth Competition - Michaela Paetsch". Queen Elisabeth Competition. May 28, 1985. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ "3 Young musicians who are on the move". The Philadelphia Inquirer. February 16, 1985. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ a b "2 Americans among finalists in violin contest". The News and Observer. June 26, 1986. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ Schulgold, Marc (April 25, 1988). ""Violinist plays Europe; ready to win over America"". The News Journal. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ Molkhou, Jean-Michel (January 24, 2023). ""Michaela Paetsch (1961-2023), "a pioneer""". Classica. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
- ^ "Summer brings Symphony out to the parks". The Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO). September 9, 1988. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Michaela Paetsch". queenelisabethcompetition.be (in French). Retrieved September 20, 2025.
- ^ "Violinist Michaela Paetsch has died". The Strad. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
- ^ "Michaela Paetsch". queenelisabethcompetition.be (in French). Retrieved November 24, 2025.
- ^ "A short Bio of Michaela Paetsch". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
- ^ Niles, Laurie (January 23, 2023). "Violinist Michaela Paetsch (1961–2023), First American Woman to Record 24 Paganini Caprices". Violinist.com. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- ^ Farrell, John Aloysius. Strings that bind - Family's music is a way of life. Denver, Colorado. The Denver Post. 9 Mar 1986. pp.1-A & 6-A
- ^ Campbell,Robin. The Paetsch Family Ensemble: Musically coming of age. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Colorado Springs Sun, 13 Nov 1977.
- ^ "Violinist Michaela Paetsch has died". The Strad. January 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ ""Something you can't teach," family reflects on the life of world-renowned Colorado Springs violinist". KRDO News. January 26, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Colorado Violinist Wins Young Musicians' Prize". The New York Times. May 9, 1984. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ "Winners". The Kilgore News Herald. May 11, 1984. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ Schulgold, Marc (April 25, 1988). ""Violinist plays Europe; ready to win over America"". The News Journal. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ "Violinist Michaela Paetsch has died". The Strad. January 23, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
External links
- Michaela Paetsch's home page is http://www.michaelapaetsch.com.
- Michaela Paetsch discography at Discogs
- Bio from the Queen Elisabeth International Competition
