Günter Pichler began his studies at the Academy of Music in Vienna when he was 15, he was appointed Leader of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra when he was 18, and when he was 21 Herbert von Karajan engaged him as leader of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Since 1963 he has been Professor at the University of Music in Vienna and Guest Professor in Cologne since 1993. In 1969 he was awarded the "Mozart Interpretation Prize". In 1970 Günter Pichler founded the Albas Berg Quartett and has led this famous quartet ever since. He actually plays a Stradivari violin "Baron Oppenhem" from 1716.

Günter Pichler has embarked upon a career as a conductor to give further expression to his musical ideas, thus complementing his work in the quartet. He made his conducting debut at the Vienna Konzerthaus with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra in January 1989.

Besides conducting further concerts with this orchestra, he has received invitations from orchestras in Germany and Holland, including the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and the Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam. Conducting engagements in the UK have included the London Mozart Players and the Northern Sinfonia, and in ,1995 he made his debut conducting the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester.

In July 1991 he conducted a concert at the Sumory Hall, Tokyo, as part of a prestigious Mozart series given by the NHK Orchestra, made his debut with the Tokyo Philharmonic in August 1993. He has toured Japan twice with London Mozart Players, in 1994 and 1996, and conducted them in several concerts in London and British Festivals in 1997.

In Spring 1995 he toured Europe with the Israel Chamber Orchestra, who subsequently invited him to conduct them in Isreal in December 1997, Recent engagements in Europe have included the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra de Chambre de Lausanne, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra da Camera di Padova, and Leipziger Kammerorchester, and he premiered works by Berio and del Corno with the Accademia Bizantina at thtr Lucerne Festival.

In 1998 cooperation with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and with Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam was intensified, there were concerts in Europe, a Japan Tour with Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie etc.

In 1999 Günter Pichler conducted concerts in Italy with the Orchestra della Toscana Firenze and with Orchestra d'Archi Italiana, an Ireland tour with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and concerts with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris at the Théatre des Champs Elysées and at the Châreiet.