Annette Bik, violinist with the internationally popular Klangforum Wien, is familiar with both early and contemporary music. On her first solo album, “Double Bach”, she presents a fascinating experiment: she asked leading contemporary composers to write a “double” of each movement of Johann Sebastian Bach’s famous Partita in B minor. The idea seemed even more compelling since Bach also added a variation, or double, to each movement of his suite. As listeners we are in the unique situation of being able to experience a Bach double double, a stroke of genius in the mirror of our times, a fascinating auditory document where the greatest virtuosity and immediate impact come together in a rare coalescence. In that moment, we feel what the Austrian publicist Armin Thurnher expresses so succintly in the liner notes for this CD: “Bach is a complete cosmos for sceptics, Bach is the experience of infinity for mortals.”

Annette Bik graduated from the Mozarteum conservatoire in Salzburg. From 1982 to 1989 she was a member of the world-famous Hagen Quartett and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. She additionally took part in international chamber music tours with Gidon Kremer and other well-known musicians. She is guest musician at Concertus musicus Wien and is actively engaged in teaching at the School for Music and the Performing Arts.

Annette Bik is a founding member of Klangforum Wien, with whom she has performed throughout the world as a soloist and chamber musician, as well as in ensemble. CD recordings of her work have been released by KAIROS, ECM, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips and Durian, amongst others.