Born in Austria in 1940, he began his studies at the Vienna University of Music in 1955. He was appointed concertmaster at the age of 18 in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and, at 21, was chosen by Herbert von Karajan as concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic. In 1969, he was awarded the Mozart Interpretation Prize.
Since 1963, he has been a professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, and since 1993, a visiting professor in Cologne. In 2007, he was appointed Head of the String Department of the International Institute of Chamber Music in Madrid. In addition, he gives master classes at several prestigious summer academies.
Many of his students have won international awards, are concertmasters in major orchestras, professors at academies and universities, and pursue careers as soloists and chamber musicians in international concert halls. His students include the most important and successful European chamber music groups such as the Artemis, Belcea, Casals, Meccore, Fauré, Aris, Eliot, Voce, Van Kuijk, Goldmund, Tchalik, Calidore, Notos, Amaryllis, Barbican, Leonkoro Quartets, etc.
In 1970, he founded the Alban Berg Quartet, one of the most internationally renowned string quartets, which has performed in the most important concert halls around the world, such as the Konzerthaus and Musikverein in Vienna, La Scala in Milan, the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris, the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Berlin Philharmonic, etc. The quartet’s recordings have received more than 30 international awards and were praised by composers including Berio, Schnittke, Lutoslawski and Bourlez. The Quartet is an Honorary Fellow of the Konzerthaus in Vienna and the Royal Festival Hall in London.