David Garrett
His family means “a lot” to the star violinist
Violinist David Garrett with his mother, Dove Bongartz.
© Widex
Hardly anyone knows star violinist David Garrett as well as his mother Dove. In the interview, they talk about their very special relationship.
David Garrett (41) is one of the most successful violinists. Despite over 4.5 million records sold and sold-out concerts, he comes across as humble and down-to-earth. This is also confirmed by his mother Dove Bongartz in a joint interview with her son on the occasion of an appointment with hearing aid manufacturer Widex in Berlin.
“He hasn’t changed much. He’s authentic, open and very honest. A very good person and a very good son,” she enthuses. “We have a great relationship,” agrees David Garrett. “She is a very special person and we love spending time together. Family is something that means a lot to me.”
She has also accompanied him on tour. She experienced the acclaimed performances as well as the elaborate preparations. “There’s a lot behind it that the audience probably doesn’t see,” says the mother. Looking behind the scenes, David Garrett sees why she still thinks of him as her child and not as a celebrity. “I don’t see myself as a star at all,” he says. Doctors who save lives are stars and “not someone who plays the violin on stage”.
David Garrett: “My mother comes with me when I go to the doctor”
Speaking of the doctor: “My mother still comes with me when I go to the doctor. Nothing has changed there,” reveals Garrett. She almost had to “carry” him sometimes. “We are stage people. We are used to performing under difficult conditions or in physical pain,” explains the musician. His mother, a former ballet dancer, only admits that something is wrong after she has been asked several times. She recently admitted that her hearing had diminished somewhat during a hearing test: “You should have it tested from a certain age. Because you don’t notice it at first when it decreases. But now with the hearing aid it makes you big difference.” Her son David, who has been a sound ambassador for the hearing system manufacturer Widex since 2021, gave her the idea of doing a hearing test.
“I have to say that when it comes to health, he takes good care of me. We do that for each other,” says Dove Bongartz. So she is the one who gives him the opportunity to talk in stressful situations. “It’s about asking, ‘How are you?’ and mean it honestly. And don’t just throw out a blanket sentence like that, but also listen to what the answer is,” emphasizes the son.
Children are not an issue for the time being
For the future, the two wish one thing above all: that they remain healthy, happy and positive. The topic of grandchildren is “very personal” and she leaves that to him. “My mother already has three grandchildren, that’s enough for now,” says David Garrett, who has been in a relationship for around three years.
At the moment he has other priorities: “There are two, three, four musical projects in the pipeline,” he reveals, adding: “Among other things, I have a very exciting project in which I’m only a songwriter for the very first time.” He also used the corona pandemic to write a piano concerto and a biography. “It’s very difficult for me to switch off. I’m someone who likes to define myself through performance and work,” says the musician. The fans can be excited.