Nominated Classical Revelation of the ADAMI 2021 at the age of 20, Paul Zientara has already won several international competitions: 3rd prize at the prestigious Lionel Tertis Competition on the Isle of Man, Grand Prize of the Safran Foundation, 1st prize at the Epernay String Competition, 3rd prize at the Festival Musical d’Automne des Jeunes Interprètes…
He began playing the viola at the age of 7 with Yves Pruvot at the Conservatoire de Yerres. After two years at the CRR of Paris in the class of Françoise Gnéri, he was admitted at the age of 16 to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in the class of Sabine Toutain and Christophe Gaugué. He also did an Erasmus exchange with Tatjana Masurenko at the HEMU in Switzerland.
Paul has had the opportunity to perfect his skills with masters such as Tabea Zimmermann, Gérard Caussé, Tatjana Masurenko, Lawrence Power, Bruno Pasquier, Nils Mönkemeyer, Claire Désert, the Ebene Quartet, Laurent Korcia…
In 2022, he performed as a soloist in Mozart’s Symphonie Concertante for violin and viola with Renaud Capuçon and the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. His debut as a soloist was marked by the Bartók Concerto with the Pasdeloup orchestra at the age of 16, followed by multiple experiences as a soloist with orchestras such as the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg, Orchestre de la Garde Républicaine, Le Cercle de L’Harmonie…
Paul’s chamber music partners include Renaud Capuçon, Gérard Caussé, Valeriy Sokolov, Alexandre Kantorow, François Salque, Pierre Fouchenneret, Liya Petrova, Emmanuel Pahud in Festivals such as La Roque d’Anthéron, Festival de Pâques d’Aix-en-Provence et de Deauville, Festival Berlioz, Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad.
In November 2021, he was invited by Renaud Capuçon to the Nouveaux Horizons festival where he performed various contemporary creations including a work by Diana Soh in a viola duet with Gérard Caussé.
He regularly plays in duo with the organist Vincent Warnier who recently composed “Légende”, a work for viola and organ dedicated to Paul. He also performed the creation of “Couleurs de vie” for viola and organ by Graciane Finzi at the Radio France Auditorium with Vincent Warnier.
In 2023, he recorded Mozart’s Piano Quartets with Renaud Capuçon, Stéphanie Huang and Guillaume Bellom under the Deutsche Grammophon / Beau Soir Productions label.
He joined Beau Soir Productions from its creation, which allowed him to work with Renaud Capuçon and his teams.
Paul suona con una viola di Patrick Robin.