Heinz Holliger (born May 21, 1939) is a Swiss oboist, composer and conductor. He is considered one of the most important oboists of the 20th century, and has been praised for his virtuosity, musicianship, and wide-ranging repertoire.
Holliger was born in Langenthal, Switzerland, and began playing the oboe at the age of nine. He studied at the Bern Conservatory and the Musikhochschule in Zurich, and later became a member of the orchestras of the Tonhalle Orchester Zurich and the Basel Symphony Orchestra.
In 1963, Holliger won the first prize at the International Oboe Competition in Geneva, and began his career as a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. He has also collaborated with many distinguished conductors, including Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, and Lorin Maazel.
Holliger has recorded over 100 albums, including works for solo oboe, concertos, chamber music, and orchestral works. He has also commissioned and premiered new works by many composers, including Elliott Carter, György Ligeti, and Luciano Berio.
In addition to his performing career, Holliger is also a composer and conductor. He has written several works for solo oboe, as well as concertos, chamber music, and orchestral works. He has also conducted many orchestras around the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Holliger is a professor of oboe at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg, Germany. He has also given master classes at many music schools around the world.
He is a recipient of numerous awards, including the German Music Award, the Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, and the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra).
Holliger continues to perform, record, and compose, and is regarded as one of the greatest oboists of all time.