David Garrett in an interview

"Today I enjoy life."

David Garrett has become famous far beyond the classical music world for his crossover music. However, 70-80% of his concerts are still classical. At the age of thirteen, he was the youngest artist ever to receive an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Yehudi Menuhin called him "the greatest violinist of his generation."

Classicpoint.ch: Looking back, how do you feel about your childhood, when social contact was hardly allowed and any music other than classical was frowned upon and forbidden?
As a teenager, I hated the discipline and resented the lack of freedom. Today, I see it as a blessing in disguise and simply enjoy life.

At 18, you left home to study at the Juilliard School in New York. What was the deciding factor that allowed you to break free from home?
I've always loved New York, but the decisive factor for me was the opportunity to study with Itzhak Perlman.

What is your relationship with your parents like today?
I rarely see them, as I'm always traveling. But we'll see each other when I'm in Germany.

How would you encourage your own child's musical talent if you discovered a prodigious gift?
I would allow them to follow their own path, but I would nurture every talent.

At Juilliard, you studied composition and music history. What motivated you to do that?
To truly understand music, I believe you need as much knowledge as possible. These studies have been invaluable to me.

an internal composition competition at the school with a fugue in the style of Bach won. Do you still compose yourself, or do you "only" write arrangements?
I still compose new pieces. Celtic Rondo is the latest piece I wrote with my musical director, Franck. It's on my new album. Since I have Scottish roots, I wanted to give my music a Celtic influence.

What actually got you into crossover music?
I've always wanted to reach a broad spectrum of listeners, from my friends who might not normally listen to classical music, to children who are just beginning to engage with music, to older fans who appreciate my musical roots.

Does it bother you that the classical music world often reduces you to crossover music? After all, you play purely classical concerts 70-80% of the time, don't you?
Most classical musicians I know listen to contemporary music. Of course, some people in the classical world consider pop/rock music inferior. But all the great composers of the past, like Beethoven and Bach, incorporated popular influences of their time into their music.

You face strong criticism from many quarters. You're accused of marketing yourself at any cost, etc. How do you deal with criticism, and whose opinions do you listen to?
Everyone has a right to their own opinion. Such opinions can, to a certain extent, open up new perspectives. But everyone can decide for themselves what they want to do with them. The rest is a lot of hard work to make the most of all the possibilities.

Interview by Florian Schär | Classicpoint.ch | May 6, 2013

Next concerts

08/19/2026 - Millenium Symphony