Isabelle Faust is today considered to be one of the most fascinating artists of the younger generation in Europe. Her technical brilliance and the special sensitivity and maturity of her artistry have met with acclaim from audiences and reviewers alike. Isabelle Faust plays the "Sleeping Beauty" Stradivarius of 1704, loaned to her by the Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg. Christoph Poppen has made a name for himself in the world of international music as conductor, soloist and chamber musician, as well as being a respected teacher. For this artist, who was born in 1956 in Muenster, music is one of the most intense ways to experience life. He has won a great number of international violin competitions.