'Intensity and conviction set this duo apart'

-The Strad

Marc Sabbah (1988, New York City) is a viola soloist, chamber musician, conductor, professor of viola and since 2019, director of the Kâsteaux Chamber Music Festival.

 

 

From 2012-2024 Marc was the solo and principal violist at the Belgian National Orchestra. In September 2017, Marc began a professorship of viola at the Royal Conservatory of Mons, Belgium. Described as"a magnificent player" by legendary conductor Zubin Mehta, Marc was invited to be guest Principal Violist of the Israeli Philharmonic. Graduating Cum Laude from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Marc was a pupil of Sven Arne Tepl and Nobuko Imai. His past awards include the 1st prize at the 2016 Rising Stars Grand Prix music competition performing solo at the Berlin Philharmonic hall, 1st Grand Prize at the Manhattan International Music Competition with a recital at Carnegie Hall and 1st prize at the Amsterdam National Viola Competition.

 

Having performed numerous concerti with International orchestras such as the Belgian National Orchestra, Athens State Orchestra, Antalya State Orchestra, Philharmonische Orchester Basel, Casco Philharmonic, de Filharmonie Amsterdam, la Orquesta Filarmónica de Coahuila, Filarmónica de Bogotá and others, Marc Sabbah is creating a path as a musical force of his generation.

 

 

Since 2016, Marc has collaborated with Belgian pianist Eliane Reyes forming the Duo Sabbah-Reyes, a unique duo dedicated to exploring viola and piano repertoire. The duo has just released its latest disc titled 'AppassionAlto' under the label, Prospero Classical. The album has received praise from the STRAD magazine and other publications. As a founding member and violist of the string Trio NOMADA, Marc plays along side the principal cellist of the London Symphony Orchestra, David Cohen and violinist and professor in Mannheim, Noé Inui.

 

 

Marc is establishing himself as a pre-eminent young violist with performances at the Varna Festival in Bulgaria, Grachten Festival Amsterdam, Delft Chamber Music Festival, Utrecht Chamber Music Festival, Viola Congress Rotterdam in the Netherlands, ArteAmanti, Festival van Vlaanderen, Les Sons Intensifs in Belgium, Goslar Festival in Germany, Zeeland Klassiek in the Netherlands as well as festivals Arcidosso, Les Nuits Romantiques, Cremona Academy and Talent Summer Courses in Italy and many others.