Violinist David Garrett Opposes German Trial of Four-Day Work Week

Garrett noted that the four-day work week is not well suited to music, saying that "career-wise, a work-life balance will never set you apart."

In the first half of 2024, Germany has been trialing the idea of a four-day work week following lobbying from a number of organizations, including IG Metall, the country's largest trade union. Not all are in favor of the idea, though, and recently violinist David Garrett made comments opposing the four-day work week, saying that it was incompatible with creative success and warning that young musicians need to focus on discipline and hard work.

Garrett has a proven history of having put in such work from a very young age. By the time he was 7, he was studying at the Lübeck Conservatoire. At 11, he was loaned a Stradivarius violin. At 12, he began studying with Ida Haendel, and at the age of 13, he became the youngest-ever soloist to sign with Deutsche Grammophon.

"Career-wise, a work-life balance will never set you apart," Garrett said. "Having a work-life balance can help you live a pleasant life, but it won't grant you a remarkable career because of it."

"You can embrace a four-day week in life, but it won't bring you anything financially or career-wise."

Garrett described his childhood as "strict" and "severely disciplined," noting that he often practiced until midnight. "That's the path the younger generation needs to take," he said.