Obituary Prof. Werner Hink

At the age of six, Werner Hink, born on March 18, 1943, in Vienna, received his first violin lessons at the Conservatory of the City of Vienna with Luise Bilek and continued his studies in 1962 with Franz Samohyl at what was then the Music Academy. In 1962, he passed his diploma examination for concert violin with distinction. On January 1, 1964, he was engaged as a principal violinist in the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera and was admitted to the Vienna Philharmonic on November 1, 1965.

After successful auditions, he advanced in 1967 to the position of leader of the first violin section and became concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic in 1974.

In addition to his work in the orchestra, Werner Hink, who was awarded the title of professor and honors such as the Cross of Honor for Science and Art and the Grand Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria, dedicated himself extremely successfully to chamber music.

With the "Vienna String Quartet," which he founded in 1964, he performed all over the world, recorded numerous albums, and established himself as an outstanding representative of the Viennese musical style.

He also celebrated great international successes with the "Vienna Octet," which he led, and devoted himself to the piano trio with Jasminka Stančul and Fritz Dolezal. Since 1974, Werner Hink had been a member of the Wiener Hofmusikkapelle, and since 1982, he led a violin class at the Vienna Conservatory.

"We will always fondly remember our colleague Werner Hink. He was an outstanding musician and a dear friend. Our thoughts are with his family."