Martine Varnik is an internationally acclaimed oboist whose career has spanned prestigious orchestras across Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East. After completing her studies in Melbourne and Stuttgart with honors and a DAAD scholarship, Martine became solo oboist of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, later joining the Orchestra Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker. She has performed with ensembles such as the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Qatar Philharmonic, among many others. A passionate chamber musician and educator, she has performed in many of Europe’s leading festivals and contributed to innovative musical projects and taught in orchestras from Berlin to Muscat. In 2023, Martine joined the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra as Solo Oboist, bringing her rich expertise and global experience to Armenia’s musical stage.
Martine
Varnik
Oboe Player
From Estonia
Currently working at Armenian
State Symphony Orchestra
25+
years of professional experience as a solo oboist and English horn player in prestigious orchestras around the world, including membership of Paavo Järvi’s renowned Estonian Festival Orchestra
40+
international orchestras including the Berliner Philharmoniker, Hamburg Staatsoper, Sydney Symphony, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester-Berlin, WDR Symphony Cologne, Malaysian Philharmonic and CBSO
10+
soloist performances in iconic venues such as the Liederhalle Stuttgart, the Vienna Konzerthaus, the Berliner Philharmonie, and the Royal Opera House Muscat
People ask how I chose the oboe, and I tell them—I didn’t, it chose me. That’s exactly how I feel about Armenia and this orchestra. From the very first rehearsal to the echoes of Komitas in the night, something here claimed my heart before I even understood it.