music

arts&life

Some
Kind Of

Magic

W

hether on stage, in recording stu-
dios or even at home, violist Yuri
Gandelsman is happy when he can
perform classical music with professional musi-
cians who are family members — his wife, pia-
nist Janna Gandelsman; his daughter, violinist
Natasha Sher (Israel Camerata Jerusalem) and his
son, violinist Johnny Gandelsman (Brooklyn Rider
and Silk Road Ensemble). He also enjoys listening
to the work of his brother, composer Alexander
Zhurbin.
“When my wife and I per-
One of the world’s form, we listen [critically],”
Gandelsman says. “When we
great violists joins the listen to performances of our
kids, we just love everything.”
CMSD’s WinterFest.
Gandelsman, who was
born in and trained in Russia
before working with the Israel
SUZANNE CHESSLER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO)
for 10 years, now focuses on
guest appearances and teach-
ing as a professor at Michigan
State University (MSU).
WinterFest will have three concerts
Also appreciating opportu-
— Friday and Saturday evenings,
nities to work with talented
Jan. 19 and 20, and Sunday after-
performers beyond family and
noon, Jan. 21 — at Varner Recital
traveling the world for those
Hall on the Oakland University
experiences, Gandelsman is
campus in Rochester. $15-$30
about to entertain closer to
single tickets; $37.50-$75 series.
home with an invitation to
(313) 335-3300; CMSDetroit.org.
participate at WinterFest, a
weekend-long chamber music
festival sponsored by the Chamber Music Society
of Detroit. The event runs Jan. 19-21 in Varner
Recital Hall on the campus of Oakland University.
“I’m looking forward to working with these
established performers,” says Gandelsman, who
schedules about 25 appearances annually. “This
will be a great program because it features works
by Brahms and will have all kinds of arrange-
ments from solos to ensembles.”

details

Artists include Trio Solisti, the Aeolus Quartet,
soprano Ann Toomey and pianist Tian Tian. The
program, mostly spotlighting the compositions
of Brahms, also has works by Haydn, Dvorak,
Beethoven and Ives.
“I have not worked with these performers
before, but I expect some kind of magic each
time I come into a festival and play together with
others,” says Gandelsman, 66. “I have recorded
Brahms sonatas for a French record company.”
Gandelsman’s interest in music began by hear-
ing his mother, an amateur singer whose studies
were limited during World War II. She hoped that
her two sons could share her interest and realize
their talents professionally.
Although starting out with the violin,
Gandelsman was not very committed to practice.
His teacher recommended that he change to the
viola, which became more to his liking.
“One piece I played on the viola, Harold in Italy
by Berlioz, was very attractive to me,” he recalls.
“When I was in Israel, I played the piece as Zubin
Mehta conducted, and I have been soloist with
this piece around the world.”
After studying in Moscow with two professors,
Gandelsman won the National Viola Competition
in 1980 and joined the Moscow Virtuosi Chamber
Orchestra as principal violist and soloist. He often
worked with the Borodin and Shostakovitch quar-
tets.
At the invitation of Mehta, he joined the IPO in
1990 as principal violist. He also was appointed
a professor of viola at the Rubin Academy at Tel
Aviv University and for two of those years, he was
chairman of its Chamber Music Department.
“It was a privilege to play with Zubin Mehta as
conductor and with so many great American con-
ductors who came to Israel,” says Gandelsman,
who also conducts. “The orchestra was great, and
the concerts were incredible. I return to Israel all
the time and have worked with my whole family
for charitable concerts.”

Yuri Gandelsman

A Gandelsman Family Tour traveled Japan.
During his contract with the Israel orchestra,
Gandelsman had scheduling conflicts because
of his solo appearances and decided to retire
from his work in Israel and pursue opportunities
in the United States. In 2001, he joined with the
Fine Arts Quartet whose members are artists
in residence at the University of Wisconsin in
Milwaukee.
After performing more than 300 worldwide
concerts with the group while also teaching, he
heard about the opening at MSU and applied.
“I can always propose ideas for my students,
but I’m also taking their suggestions,” says the vio-
list, who taught his own children when they first
showed interest in instruments. “I’ve performed
with students, and I play festivals planned for pro-
fessionals to play with students.”
Gandelsman, who has taught many master
classes in Finland, has been director of the Viola
School at the Kuhmo Festival. In Europe, he has
performed and taught at the Pablo Casals, Verbier
and Savonlinna festivals.
Recordings have been made for the Melodya,
Sony Classical, Lyrinx, ASV and Naxos labels. His
most recent projects have been for Blue Griffin
Recording.
“Less than one year ago, I did a recording
with my wife,” he says. “It’s called Russian Giants
and has the music of Shostakovich, Prokofiev,
Stravinsky and Weinberg. I also recently made
a recording titled Chamber Music of Bohuslav
Martinu and worked with two friends, Miroslav
Hristov on violin and Vladimir Valjarevic on
piano.”
Gandelsman and his wife maintain a personal
connection with Milwaukee through a synagogue
and return for religious observance.
“WinterFest is having a great program,”
Gandelsman says. “All the music is so famous and
loved.” •

jn

January 11 • 2018

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