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Internationally renowned violinist Jacques Israelievitch has become a popular and active member of the Canadian music scene since becoming Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He appears regularly with the orchestra as both soloist and conductor. Mr. Israelievitch also plays, teaches and conducts regularly in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Born in France, Mr. Israelievitch made his debut on French National Radio at the age of eleven and graduated from the Paris Conservatory at just sixteen. He has studied under such acclaimed teachers as Henryk Szeryng, Janos Starker, William Primrose and Josef Gingold, with whom he later served as Assistant at Indiana University.
At age 23, Sir Georg Solti appointed Jacques Israelievitch to assistant Concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, making him the youngest musician in the orchestra. In 1978, after six seasons in Chicago, he became Concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for ten years.
Since 1988, Mr. Israelievitch has been the Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. In great demand as a soloist and chamber musician, he has collaborated with Sir Georg Solti, Carlo Maria Giulini, Leonard Slatkin, and Raymond Leppard, among many others. In addition to all the standard works, his expansive repertoire includes many new works such as R. Murray Schafer’s The Darkly Splendid Earth: The Lonely Traveller, commissioned for him by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1991.
In 2004, Mr. Israelievitch performed Jeffrey Ryan’s The Chalice of Becoming, with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and Bramwell Tovey. This concerto for violin was commissioned for Jacques and premiered by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Other recent solo appearances include the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, and the China National Symphony Orchestra of Beijing.
Mr. Israelievitch is also an accomplished chamber musician, performing with such distinguished artists as Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman and Yo-Yo Ma. He is also a member of the well-established New Arts Trio, the trio-in-residence at the Chautauqua Institute in New York.
While at Chautauqua, Jacques teaches an international class of violinists and coaches chamber music groups. He has also given master classes at the leading music conservatories around the world. Mr. Israelievitch currently serves on the faculties of the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Jacques’ discography includes the Juno-nominated Suite Hebraique, Bruch's Second Concerto in D Minor with the Chamber Orchestra of Lithuania, and the albums Suite Francaise, Suite Enfantine, Suite Fantaisie and Solo Suite. The recent release of Hammer and Bow marks his first full length CD with his son, percussionist Michael Israelievitch.
In 1995, Jacques Israelievitch was knighted by the French government into the order of Arts and Letters. In 2004, he was promoted to the honorable status of Officer. |