Giora Schmidt
Encyclopedia
Giora Schmidt is an American/Israeli violinist.
Schmidt began his violin studies at the age of four, and by 12 was commuting between Philadelphia and New York to study with Patinka Kopec and Pinchas Zukerman
at the Manhattan School of Music
.
Schmidt did not truly become serious until the age of 14 when he began spending summers at the Perlman Music Program
in Shelter Island, NY. There he met Itzhak Perlman
who invited Schmidt to study with him and the late violin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay
at the Juilliard Pre-College.
In between his lessons in New York, Schmidt worked intensely with violinist Geoffrey Michaels on scales, etudes and the Sonatas and Partitas of Johann Sebastian Bach
– in the tradition of Efrem Zimbalist
and Oscar Shumsky
.
At 18, Schmidt entered the Juilliard School
where he continued his studies with Perlman and DeLay, graduating in 2004.
He has appeared as soloist with numerous symphony orchestras around the globe including Cleveland, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Vancouver, National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM (Mexico City), Orquesta Sinfonica de Chile, Sendai Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic. In February 2003, he made his Carnegie Hall debut performing the Barber Violin Concerto with the New York Youth Symphony
Schmidt is a regular guest at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
, and has collaborated with such acclaimed musicians as Itzhak Perlman
, Pinchas Zukerman
, Yefim Bronfman
, Lynn Harrell
, Anne Sofie von Otter, Ralph Kirshbaum and Michael Tree
.
Committed to sharing his passion for music, Schmidt regularly seeks out new ways of reaching young violinists through technology and social media.
His Facebook page Violinist Giora Schmidt, has over 30,000 followers.
Biography
Giora Schmidt was born into a family of musicians in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents emigrated from Israel in 1978, and are formerly of the Philadelphia Opera Company Orchestra. His mother, Michal Schmidt is a cellist and pianist and is on the faculty of Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges and the University of Pennsylvania. His father, Dov Schmidt is a violinist and businessman.Schmidt began his violin studies at the age of four, and by 12 was commuting between Philadelphia and New York to study with Patinka Kopec and Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman is a world-renowned violinist, violist, and conductor. He is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th and 21st centuries, and his ongoing 45-year career has seen him perform with the world's best-known orchestras and record over 100 works...
at the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
.
Schmidt did not truly become serious until the age of 14 when he began spending summers at the Perlman Music Program
Perlman Music Program
The Perlman Music Program was founded by Itzhak Perlman and his wife, Toby, in 1995. The program is headquartered in Shelter Island, New York. It offers exceptionally talented young string players, aged 12 to 18, a six-week summer residential courses in solo performance, chamber music, string...
in Shelter Island, NY. There he met Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
who invited Schmidt to study with him and the late violin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay
Dorothy DeLay
Dorothy DeLay was an American violin instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School.She was born in Medicine Lodge, Kansas.-Career and education:...
at the Juilliard Pre-College.
In between his lessons in New York, Schmidt worked intensely with violinist Geoffrey Michaels on scales, etudes and the Sonatas and Partitas of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
– in the tradition of Efrem Zimbalist
Efrem Zimbalist
Efrem Zimbalist, Sr. was one of the world's most prominent concert violinists, as well as a composer, teacher, conductor and a long-time director of the Curtis Institute of Music.-Early life:...
and Oscar Shumsky
Oscar Shumsky
Oscar Shumsky was an American violinist and conductor born to Russian-Jewish parents.-Biography:...
.
At 18, Schmidt entered the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
where he continued his studies with Perlman and DeLay, graduating in 2004.
He has appeared as soloist with numerous symphony orchestras around the globe including Cleveland, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Vancouver, National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, Orquesta Filarmónica de la UNAM (Mexico City), Orquesta Sinfonica de Chile, Sendai Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic. In February 2003, he made his Carnegie Hall debut performing the Barber Violin Concerto with the New York Youth Symphony
New York Youth Symphony
The New York Youth Symphony is a tuition-free music organization for youth in New York City. Its programs include its flagship symphony orchestra, Chamber Music program, Jazz Band Classic, Apprentice Conducting, and Making Score. Its members range from 12 to 22 years of age...
Schmidt is a regular guest at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival is a six week long summer Festival of chamber music held annually in July and August and located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was founded in 1972 and presented its first series of concerts in 1973. Well-known musicians and young performers appear each season in...
, and has collaborated with such acclaimed musicians as Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
, Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman is a world-renowned violinist, violist, and conductor. He is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th and 21st centuries, and his ongoing 45-year career has seen him perform with the world's best-known orchestras and record over 100 works...
, Yefim Bronfman
Yefim Bronfman
Yefim "Fima" Naumovich Bronfman is a Soviet-born Israeli-American pianist.-Biography:He was born in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, and emigrated to Israel at the age of 15...
, Lynn Harrell
Lynn Harrell
Lynn Harrell is an American classical cellist.-Biography:Harrell was born in New York City of musician parents; his father was the baritone Mack Harrell and his mother, Marjorie Fulton, was a violinist. At the age of eight he decided to learn to play the cello. When Lynn was 12, his family moved...
, Anne Sofie von Otter, Ralph Kirshbaum and Michael Tree
Michael Tree
Michael Tree is an American violist, born in Newark, New Jersey.-Biography:Michael Tree's principal studies were with Efrem Zimbalist on violin and viola at the Curtis Institute of Music...
.
Committed to sharing his passion for music, Schmidt regularly seeks out new ways of reaching young violinists through technology and social media.
His Facebook page Violinist Giora Schmidt, has over 30,000 followers.
Honors
- 2005: Classical Recording Foundation's Samuel Sanders Award, presented to him by Itzhak Perlman at Carnegie Hall.
- 2003: Avery Fisher Career Grant
- 2001: First Prize in the Concerto Competition at the Music Academy of the WestMusic Academy of the WestThe Music Academy of the West is a music conservatory located in Montecito, California near Santa Barbara, California. Every year, it hosts a summer music festival for the community highlighted by concerts and workshops directed by famous composers, conductors, and artists.A yearly maximum of 135...
- 2000: First Prize in the Philadelphia OrchestraPhiladelphia OrchestraThe Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
Greenfield Competition
Recordings
- Giora Schmidt Live from Miami (May 2010)
- Works by Tartini, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, KreislerKreislerKreisler may refer to:* Fritz Kreisler, Austria-born American violinist and composer* Georg Kreisler, Austrian-American German-language cabarettistFictitious persons* Johannes Kreisler, character from various novels by E.T.A. HoffmannSee also...
, & de Falla - Giora Schmidt (violin)
- Rohan de SilvaRohan de SilvaRohan de Silva is a Sri Lankan pianist. De Silva studied at the Royal Academy of Music and The Juilliard School, working closely with violin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. He has been awarded numerous prizes and scholarships including a special prize as Best Accompanist at the 1990 Ninth International...
(piano)
- Works by Tartini, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, Kreisler
- Schubert & Shostakovich Piano Trios (October 2008)
- Navah Perlman (piano)
- Giora Schmidt (violin)
- Zuill BaileyZuill BaileyZuill Bailey , Alexandria, Virginia, is an American cellist. A Juilliard graduate, he has appeared with a number of major orchestras internationally, and has an exclusive international recording contract with the Telarc label...
(cello)
- Vocalise (September 2007)
- Works by Vivaldi, de Falla, Philip LasserPhilip LasserPhilip Lasser is an American composer, pianist, and music theorist. He is a professor of music at the Juilliard School in New York City.-Career and contributions:...
, FranckFranck- People :* César Franck , Belgian composer of the Romantic era* George Franck , University of Minnesota & New York Giant* Harry A...
& Wieniawski - Giora Schmidt (violin)
- Rohan de SilvaRohan de SilvaRohan de Silva is a Sri Lankan pianist. De Silva studied at the Royal Academy of Music and The Juilliard School, working closely with violin pedagogue Dorothy DeLay. He has been awarded numerous prizes and scholarships including a special prize as Best Accompanist at the 1990 Ninth International...
(piano)
- Works by Vivaldi, de Falla, Philip Lasser
- Live From El Paso Pro-Musica (February 2007)
- Works by Arensky & DohnányiDohnányiDohnányi is a Hungarian family name belonging to a notable family of politicians and musicians descended from composer Ernő Dohnányi. The addition of "von" was a personal choice made by Ernő as it was usual by Hungarian noble families not having a prädicate to indicate their nobility.* Ernő...
- Giora Schmidt (violin)
- Soovin Kim (violin)
- Kirsten Johnson (viola)
- Lynn HarrellLynn HarrellLynn Harrell is an American classical cellist.-Biography:Harrell was born in New York City of musician parents; his father was the baritone Mack Harrell and his mother, Marjorie Fulton, was a violinist. At the age of eight he decided to learn to play the cello. When Lynn was 12, his family moved...
(cello) - Zuill BaileyZuill BaileyZuill Bailey , Alexandria, Virginia, is an American cellist. A Juilliard graduate, he has appeared with a number of major orchestras internationally, and has an exclusive international recording contract with the Telarc label...
(cello)
- Works by Arensky & Dohnányi
Media
- "It’s a digital life for a man with an analog soul" Lansing City Pulse
- Las Vegas Philharmonic Radio Preview 88.9 KNPR
- "Young violinist strives to bring back the Golden Age" South Florida Classical Review
- "The student becomes the master" Sarasota Herald Tribune
- "Violinist Schmidt, called a prodigy, hits recital trail" San Francisco Chronicle
- "A conversation with Giora Schmidt" Roanoke Times