The Official Website of Mischa Lefkowitz, Virtuoso Violinist, Performer, Teacher
Violin /Organ Recital- Age of Sublime Baxter Concert Series November 12 ,2017 2:00 pm Mischa Lefkowitz violin, J.Thomas Strout organ Program Tomaso Vitali Chaccone in G minor. George Frideric Handel Sonata No.4 in D major . Tomaso Albinoni Adagio , J.S. Bach Selected Movements from Sonata no.2 and Partita No.3 for Solo Violin ,Fritz Kreisler Praeludium and Allegro in style of Pugnani
Evening of Romantic Pleasure – Part 3
1. Romance from Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22 – Henryk Wieniawski
3. Krunk – Vardapet Komitas
4. High Pass – Mirioslav Skorik
5. Nocturne – Aleksandre Scriabin
6.Tango Isaac Albeniz 7. Peter Tchaikowski Melody
7.Segei Rachmaninov Vocalise 8.Zdenko Fibich Poem
9. Maurice Ravel Pavane
10.Danae Vlasse Nocturne
Mischa Lefkowitz, Violin
Valeriya Morgovskaya, Piano(1-8)
Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, Piano (9-10)
Evening of Romantic Pleasure – Part 4 TBA
1. Nocturne in C-sharp minor – Frédéric Chopin
2. Valse Bluette – Riccardo Drigo
3. Méditation from Thaïs – Jules Massenet
4. Souvenir – Franz Drdla
5. Clair de lune from Suite bergamasque – Claude Debussy
6. Swan from Carnaval of Animals- Camille Saint- Saens
7. Midnight Bells from The Opera Ball – Richard Heuberger arr. by Fritz Kreisler
8. Libertango – Ástor Piazzolla
Mischa Lefkowitz, Violin
Mischa Lefkowitz, Violin and Friends
Program
Richard Wernick – Cadenzas and Variations II for Solo Violin
Daniel Capelletti – Cariatides for Violin and Piano
George Rochberg – Caprice and Variations for Solo Violin
Petar Christoskov – Caprice No. 1 for Violins
Ezra Laderman – Sonata for Violin and Piano
John Corigliano – Sonata for Violin and Piano
Sergei Prokofiev – Sonata for Solo Violin
Dmitri Shostakovich – Three Fantastic Dances
Mischa Lefkowitz
“He is a musician of purpose and drive, heart and intellect.” – The Los Angeles Times
Mischa Lefkowitz was born in Riga, Latvia, and began his violin studies at the age of seven. He made his symphony debut at the age of twelve, and at age seventeen he was admitted to Leonid Kogan’s violin class at the Moscow Conservatory. He has also studied with such renowned master performers as Nathan Milstein, Mischa Mischakoff, Roman Totenberg, Henri Temianka, and Jean Fournier of the Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria.Lefkowitz was a top prizewinner at the 1983 Carnegie Hall International American Music Competition (co-sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation). He was also the winner of the City of Paris “Music Française” prize from the 1985 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition. Other awards include First Prize at the Rotary International Competition in California and prizes at the Paganini International Competition, the Bach Festival Young Artists Awards, the All-State contest for violin soloists, and the Concertino-Prague Radio Competition.
The recipient of a solo recitalist grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and touring grants from the California Arts Council, Lefkowitz performed around the world with the London Philharmonic, the Detroit Symphony, the English Chamber Orchestra, the California Chamber Symphony, the American Chamber Symphony, the Academica Camerata of Salzburg, and the Victoria Symphony of Canada. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall (New York), the Philips Collection (Washington, D.C.), Salle Pleyel (Paris), the Wilshire Ebell Theatre (Los Angeles), the California Palace of the Legion of Honor (San Francisco), and is a frequent guest artist at many summer festivals, including Meadow Brook, Aspen, and Kneisel Hall. He joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 1977 and plays in the First Violin section as well as performing at the Philharmonic’s Chamber Music Society at Disney Hall. He is the Founder and Music Director of Masterpiece Virtuosi, a chamber orchestra and string ensemble. For 18 years (1988-2006) Lefkowitz was an Artist in Residence at Chapman University. He served as a guest violin professor on the faculty of UC Irvine in 2001, and has also given numerous master classes at many California universities. He continues to teach today, and can count many professional musicians among his former students.
His discography includes world-premiere recordings of Giardini, Michelet Violin Concertos, and the Rózsa Solo Violin Sonata as well as concertos by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Vaughan Williams, Shostakovich, and Bloch on the Ontaris, Laurel, Cambria, Sequence, and Pantheon labels. He released an album of Romantic concertos that include Fauré, Sibelius, and Diciedue violin concertos with the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra (Cambria label), and a Bartók Concerto CD. His 2011 recordings include five CDs of German, French, Italian, Russian, and American music.
His 2012 releases, Romantic Showpieces, Shostakovich works, and Modern Metamorphosis are available in iTunes, along with recent recordings of Bach solo sonatas and Beethoven and Brahms sonatas.
His 2013 CD Recordings include Schumann’s Violin Concerto in a-minor, a 3 disk album entitled “10 Violin Concertos”, and two other CD’s: “Vivacious” and “Solo and Chamber Works: Part 2”.
Program
George Rochberg – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
Mischa Lefkowitz with Conductor Daniel Kingman and the Camellia Symphony
George Rochberg – Caprice Variations for Solo Violin (Versions 1 &2)
Mischa Lefkowitz, Violin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1beEVQRu9g
This recording is devoted to two major American composers of the 20th century: George Rochberg and Ezra Laderman. It features George Rochberg’s five movement violin concerto together with his solo piece: Caprice Variations on the theme of Paganini. Also included is Ezra Laderman’s early violin sonata. As a bonus selection, I end with Caprice for Violin Solo by Bulgarian composer Petar Hristostokov.
Program
Claude Debussy – String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartets Nos. 1 & 8
This CD features major quartets of string literature. Included are Claude Debussy’s impressionistic string quartet along with an early work of Russian giant, Dmitri Shostakovich.
Program
Franz Joseph Haydn – String Quartet
Robert Schumann – String Quartet in A minor, Op. 41, No. 1
Sergei Taneyev – String Trio
This recording is devoted to great Romantic quartets by Mendelssohn and Schumann. Also included is Russian composer Sergei Taneyev’s similarly Romantic String Trio for Violin, Viola, and Cello.
Program
Hebrew Melodies – Ernest Bloch / Joseph Achron / Joseph Sulzer, etc.
“Bird” String Quartet – Franz Joseph Haydn
“Prussian” String Quartet – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“Dissonnance” String Quartet – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Personnel
Mischa Lefkowitz, Violin
Claire Marie Martin, Violin
Thomas Hall, Viola
Richard Treat, Cello
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5jWxU4h4Cc
This DVD Release features great Classical quartets of Haydn and Mozart. These selected quartets all have titles such as: “Bird”, “Prussian”, and “Dissonnance” which perfectly match their eminent masterwork. Also, this DVD contains selections of Hebrew Melodies CD album works which was released before by Jewish composers. Among them are Ernest Bloch, Joseph Achron, and Joseph Sulzer.
This record is featuring Baroque and period classical works which I have performed frequently throughout the years. Corelli’s “La Folia” Variations is taken here from a live concert I did in Detroit’s Institute of Arts where I played with my sister, Tanya. There are several Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas movement which I have not recorded before.
Johann Pachelbel – Canon
Archangelo Corelli – “La Folia”
J.S. Bach – Sonata for Solo Violin, BMV 1005: Movement III and IV
J.S. Bach – Sonata for Solo Violin , BMV 1003: Movement I;Sonata for Solo Violin ,BMV 1oo6:Movements I and II
Christian Gottlieb Scheidler – Sonata for Violin and Guit
J.S. Bach – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in G minor, BMV 1056
W.A. Mozart – Divertimento in D Major for Strings, K. 136/125a
Joseph Haydn – Concerto No. 2 for Violin and Orchestra in G Major, H-VIIa;4
Program
Debussy – String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10
Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 1
Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8
This CD features major quartets of string literature. Included are Claude Debussy’s impressionistic string quartet along with an early and later work of Russian giant, Dmitri Shostakovich.
This CD recording is the second part of works by French composers. It features works by Debussy, Poulenc, Saint-Saens, and Faure. The Faure Violin Concerto, recorded earlier, with the Polish National Radio Orchestra, is presented here in a violin and piano arrangement. This is a seldom performed work which has been preserved in one gorgeous movement. Another rarity is Poulenc’s Sonata for Two Violins and Guitar. Debussy is represented here by his last work, his Violin sonata, along with his frequently performed String Quartet. Saint-Saens’ Caprice in a form of a Waltz was originally written as a showpiece for piano. Here you will hear Eugene Ysaye’s transcription for violin and piano, a well-known violinist/composer brings virtuosity and grandeur to the piece.
Debussy – Violin Sonata
Debussy – String Quartet
Poulenc – Sonata for Two Violins and Guitar
Saint-Saens – Caprice in the Form of a Waltz
Faure – Violin Concerto
Playing chamber music at Disney Hall in Los Angeles on several occasions is pure joy. Performing one of my favorite Haydn string quartets, the Lark, in this acoustically perfect setting is sheer pleasure for all of the string quartet members.
Program
Robert Schumann – String Quartet in A minor, Op. 41, No. 1
Sergei Taneyev – String Trio in D Major
Claude Debussy – String Quartet in G minor Op. 10
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 1 in C Major, Op. 49
Dmitri Shostakovich – String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110
I am especially happy to return to this venue, the FirstUnitedMethodistChurch, in Whittier. This church offers a splendid setting for chamber music and solo recitals. Haydn’s “Lark” String Quartet is so sunny in character which is full of beautiful tunes and it brings joy to the listening experience. The acoustical qualities are perfect for the Unaccompanied Bach Sonatas in this venue.
Haydn – “Lark” String Quartet
Bach – Selected Movements from Sonatas and Suites for Violin & Cello
Botessini – Grand Duo Concertante for Violin & Bass
Recorded Live. Here you hear one of the most frequently played violin sonatas by Cesar Franck performed live along with a hidden treasure by Franck’s student, Vincent d’Indy. The Vincent d’Indy sonata has similar characteristics of the musical form of his predecessor.
Vincent d’Indy – Sonata for Violin and Piano
Cesar Franck – Sonata for Violin and Piano
The last disc of this series is devoted to John Corigiliano’s early violin sonata ,Samuel Gardner’s From the Canebrake. Leon Stein’s Six Preludes and Invocations and Dances are presented here in celebration of the composer’s 100th anniversary.
John Corigliano – Sonata for Violin and Piano
Samuel Gardner – From the Canebrake
Leon Stein – Six Preludes for Violin and Piano
Leon Stein – Invocation and Dance
Time to celebrate Valentine’s Day. These tangos will definitely enrich your holiday with great melodies and stylish rhythms of these mysterious dances.
This second CD of American classics features Ernest Bloch’s Suite for Violin Solo which I perform frequently. This composition is influenced by Bach’s Solo Sonatas. Also included is the rarely played Nuit Exotique. Leon Stein was a good friend of mine and I am pleased to include his violin concerto to commemorate his 100th anniversary.
Ernest Bloch – Suite No. 1 for Violin Solo
Ernest Bloch – Baal Shem Suite for Violin and Piano
Ernest Bloch – Nuit Exotique
John Williams – Theme from Schindler’s List
Leon Stein – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
Program
Franz Joseph Haydn – String Quartet in C Major, “The Bird”, Op. 33, No. 3
W.A. Mozart – String Quartet No. 14 in G Major, “Spring”, KV. 387
W.A. Mozart – String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, “Dissonance”, KV. 465
Personnel
Mischa Lefkowitz, Violin
Claire-Jeanne Martin, Violin
Thomas Hall, Viola
Richard Treat, Cello
This CD features some great Classical quartets of Haydn and Mozart. These selected quartets all have titles such as: “Bird”, “Prussian”, and “Dissonanance” which perfectly match their distinguished masterworks.
Program
Mozart – Violin Sonata, K. 526
Brahms – Violin Sonata No. 3
Capeletti – Cariatudes
Sarasate – Introduction and Tarantella
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neJumAPfdN8
It is a pleasure to present to you my recital with pianist Brooks Smith, Jascha Heifetz’s collobarator and his frequent accompanist in recitals.l This album features Mozart’s late A-Major sonata along with Brahms’ last Violin Sonata in D minor. I also included a work by Daniel Capelleti, “Cariatudes” written for the Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition. Also included is a virtuoso showpiece by the Spanish Paganini, Pablo de Sarasate’s Introduction and Tarantella.
I am pleased to launch three disc recordings of American music. In this album, William Grant Still is featured in his major violin masterworks. His music is so colorful, full of jazzy and romantic idioms. Charles Wakefield Cadman’s neglected violin sonata definitely shows his love towards the Romantic style which is apparent throughout the work. Ezra Laderman’s violin sonata is also included in this recording in commemoration of his 90th birthday.
William Grant Still – Suite for Violin and Piano
William Grant Still – Pastorella for Violin and Piano
Charles Wakefield Cadman – Sonata in G for Violin and Piano
Ezra Laderman – Sonata for Violin and Piano
This DVD is all about interpretations of familiar violin repertoire. I have played these pieces more than a dozen times and have chosen new approaches and interpretations from previous performances. It is a major advantage to me to get familiarized with these pieces for many years, so my knowledge and insight to these masterpieces grows tremendously. Debussy’s Sonata for Violin and Piano as well as Korngold’s Much Ado About Nothing are my favorites in this large selection of the repertoire.
When: Sunday, October 27th, 2013 at 4PM
Where: Tehachapi, CA
It is always a pleasure to come to Tehacahapi, CA: a hidden treasure town in Kern County. Its arts community which takes pride in having a symphony orchestra. I performed with them on many occassions concertos by Mozart, works by Tchaikovsky, Wieniawski, Saint-Saens, and Sarasate. This time, I am bringing to the hidden treasure town hidden treasure violin concertos which include: Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Major, RV 345 and Felice Giardini’s concerto. Both concertos are rarely performed to the point that the Tehacahapi symphony library had to make new orchestra parts for the Vivaldi from the score. Luckily, for the Giardini, I have recorded this concerto with the English Chamber Orchestra and own my own orchestra parts for this work. See my video of the Giardini Violin Concerto’s first movement on my website especially if you like tullips.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLUNRTd7yZ4
Where? – South Pasadena United Methodist Church
When? – Saturday, October 19th, 2013 at 3:00PM
Program
Vivaldi – La Cetra Concerto, Op. 9, No. 2, RV 345
Rossini – Duo for Cello and Contrabass
Handel/Halvorsen – Passacaglia for Violin and Cello
Gliere – Duo for Violin and Contrabass
Bach – Selected Movements
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIP-89rGs5o
This is our first chamber music concert in this church. It would be interesting to perform there, not knowing the acoustics of the venue. It is especially exciting for me to play duos with cellist Evgeny Tonkha and contrabassist Colleen Ruddy. Gliere’s Duo for Violin and Contrabass will be performed for the first time by these performers. Also, this is the first time I collaborate with Evgeny and Colleen.
© 2013 Mischa Lefkowitz | Website by: Band Special