Barbara Buntrock received her first violin lessons at the age of five and only discovered her love of the viola shortly before starting her studies. She has studied with Werner Dickel, Barbara Westphal, Heidi Castleman, Tabea Zimmermann and Lars Anders Tomter. Buntrock has won prizes in many international competitions, including a second prize at the Tokyo International Viola Competition in June 2012. Her hometown Wuppertal has also awarded her with the Von der Heydt Prize in 2008. From February 2009 to December 2010, Barbara Buntrock was first solo viola player in the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig before embarking to solo and chamber music projects. Buntrock’s latest album releases include the recording of Walter Braunfels' Scottish Fantasy for viola and orchestra, as well as the viola concertos by Christian Westerhoff.