With or without her bow and arrow, Anne-Sophie Mutter is no diva, despite being hailed as the “undisputed queen of violin playing” and a “superstar.” The four-time Grammy Award-winner and dedicated humanitarian has garnered prestigious honors from around the globe, including in her native Germany.
Celebrated composer John Williams is among the many composers who have written music for Mutter. He also adapted several works from his film scores specifically for the violinist, including pieces from the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” series.
The San Diego-bound Mutter’s take on learning archery defies any hint of diva-ness.
“I have this Korean hunting bow, which is very short because you’re supposed to hunt with it,” she said, adding that she has no intention of snaring any living thing.
“It’s a narrow, small bow — nervous and difficult to control. It’s a very humbling experience. But I love learning new things and I’m not shy confessing that I can’t do it — I don’t know how to do it — but the sky’s the limit.”
La Jolla Music Society will present the Mutter Bronfman Ferrández Trio Saturday at downtown’s Balboa Theatre. Surprisingly, it is Mutter’s first performance here since her 1991 solo recital at the San Diego Civic Theatre.
The members of the Mutter Bronfman Ferrández Trio are Mutter, 61, her protégé, up-and-coming cellist Pablo Ferrández, 34, and her old friend and “wonderful collaborator,” Yefim Bronfman, 67.
“Yefim and I go back a long time,” said Mutter, speaking from her home in Munich. “We also have great fun offstage. We both like food a lot, and occasionally also wine. And we have the same kind of totally childish humor.”
In 2015, Mutter formed a trio with Bronfman and the late cellist Lynn Harrell for a highly praised tour. She recalls them having the “most spectacular concerts together.”
Mentorship
For this trio tour, Ferrández will play cello. Mutter has mentored him for around 10 years. The two recorded “Brahms: Double Concerto; Clara Schumann: Piano Trio,” which hit the classical best-seller album charts in 2022.
Ferrández earned a scholarship from the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation and later became a part of Mutter’s Virtuosi, an ever-changing group of scholarship recipients. The acclaimed violinist not only guides these string musicians, she also often performs publicly with them.
“As a mentor, I can hear, feel and witness what the person on my left or right side is made of,” Mutter said. “I can tell how my less-experienced colleague is performing under different circumstances – sometimes difficult, sometimes so-called ‘perfect’ — and how much of their soul is shining through under pressure.
“Pablo has a very distinct voice. He is easily recognized, which is a great compliment. He pairs an inner fire and total dedication in his playing with an absolute perfect technique and great poetry.
“I hope that Pablo will continue in his endeavor to be one of the great cellists, not only of his generation, but period.”
Saturday’s concert here will feature the high-powered musicians playing Beethoven’s beloved Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97 — popularly known as the Archduke — and Tchaikovsky’s virtuosic Piano Trio in A Minor, Op. 50.
Archduke was the last piano trio Beethoven composed. It was dedicated to his benefactor, student and friend, Archduke Rudolf of Austria.
“It’s like a portrait,” Mutter noted. “It’s regal and noble. It is full of love for the Archduke but also has these rather rustic moments. It’s Beethoven at his very best.”
Tchaikovsky’s trio was written in memory of his longtime friend and mentor, Nikolai Rubinstein. Despite earlier believing the instrumentation of piano, cello and violin was impossible, Tchaikovsky decided to write one in honor of Rubinstein.
“It’s the greatest piece of music,” Mutter said excitedly. “It is so dense, so passionate. It is like a voyage to life.
“After 45 minutes, we all schlep ourselves offstage and we are just done. Done! Hopefully, the audience is in seventh heaven. The music is fabulous.”
Humanitarian efforts
While renowned for her interpretations of legendary composers, Mutter has regularly performed new works. In 2025 alone, she will play four world premieres.
In addition to John Williams and many others, she has collaborated with such notable composers as Thomas Adès, Unsuk Chin, Sebastian Currier, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutoslawski and Sir André Previn (who she married in 2002, divorced in 2006 and collaborated with until his death in 2019).
Despite her busy schedule, Mutter has prioritized giving benefit concerts throughout her career. From 2022 to 2024, she presented 11 concerts that supported humanitarian and medical organizations, and two more for music associations.
In 2022, less than two weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, Mutter launched a series of benefit concerts — two for Save the Children and two for the International Committee of the Red Cross — to support their efforts in the war-shocked country.
“I’ve been affiliated with Save the Children for ages,” said Mutter, who has two adult children, Arabella and Richard. “I’m trying to shed light and be of help with my benefit concerts. It’s not just Ukraine, but Yemen, Syria and so many other countries.
“The future of these children will be totally lost. My next benefit concerts will again be for Save the Children. I’m also working on a benefit concert for world hunger, which — because of climate change — has exploded around the world. We should all be very concerned about that.”
Mutter believes that supporting these causes contributes to her music, as do her walks in nature, collaborating with people and organizations, learning archery and meditating.
“Almost anything in life you encounter will inform all the other things you do,” she said. “It is important as a musician to live outside of your comfort zone, to be active in the community, to experience life and be full of empathy. Basically, being a musician is being a hands-on person and a useful part of human society.”
The Mutter Bronfman Ferrández Trio
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter
Tickets: $49-$94.50
Phone: 858-459-3728
Online: theconrad.org
Prelude Lecture by Michael Gerdes at 6:30 p.m.