21C MEDIA GROUP

New York, NY, November 25, 2008 – Violinist Gil Shaham was, in his own words, “dumbfounded” to learn that he had won the 2008 Avery Fisher Prize, one of classical music’s most coveted honors. Conductor Gustavo Dudamel, a close musical friend with whom Shaham performed in New York last November, was the surprise guest who handed the award to Shaham last Thursday following the violinist’s nationally-televised performance on PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center. "The prize is for people who have really reached the pinnacle of their career," Nathan Leventhal, chairman of the Avery Fisher Artist Program, told the 150-member audience on hand at the Kaplan Penthouse, where Shaham had just finished his tribute to the legendary Spanish violinist and composer Pablo de Sarasate, who died 100 years ago.

The broadcast and award came just two days after Shaham released a recording of Elgar’s epic Violin Concerto on his own Canary Classics label. That recording, featuring David Zinman conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, has begun to receive strong critical acclaim, including an enthusiastic review in the soon-to-be-published December issue of Gramophone. Edward Greenfield observes:

“It is good to welcome an all-American performance of this most British of concertos that is so thrillingly passionate. David Zinman has said that of all concertos this is his favorite, something confirmed in the playing he draws from the Chicago Symphony, its richness as well as its characteristic polish…The recording is taken from live performances, and that adds to the impact, with the opulent sound matching the playing…The playing of the orchestra finds a perfect counterpart in the performance of Gil Shaham, always one of the most sensitive and responsive of the high-powered violin virtuosos.”

Shaham is currently in Europe performing, among other things, an all-Sarasate program in Spain with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla, his favorite violinist (and his wife), Adele Anthony, and pianist Akira Eguchi. Shaham will record the Sarasate works in Spain for future release on Canary Classics. He returns to the U.S. in December to prepare for a series of performances in the U.S. including Brahms’s Violin Concerto with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (January 8 – 10), three Brahms chamber music programs at Zankel Hall (beginning January 13) and Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall (January 22, 24 and 25) and in Irvine (January 23). Earlier this month, Shaham played the Khachaturian Concerto with the New York Philharmonic, prompting a New York Times critic to write: “Mr. Shaham, a highly physical player, appeared to be thoroughly enjoying himself, often walking over to the podium and smiling broadly at Mr. Boreyko. His enthusiasm came across in his playing, with his powerful, luscious tone particularly admirable in the first-movement cadenza and the soulful interludes of the slow second movement.”

Gil Shaham discussed his Avery Fisher Prize and new Elgar recording this past weekend on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. That interview can be heard at this link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97369588

For additional information about Gil Shaham and his recordings, visit www.canaryclassics.com.

Gil Shaham: upcoming performances

Nov 25 – 30: Brahms Violin Concerto with Orquesta Nacional de España (Valladolid and Madrid, Spain)

Dec 1, 2: Sarasate program, with Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León; Adele Anthony; Akira Eguchi (Valladolid, Spain)

Dec 8: Mozart Violin Concerto No. 2 and Stravinsky Violin Concerto with BBC Symphony Orchestra / Robertson (London, UK)

Dec 14: Linton Chamber Music Series anniversary concert (Cincinnati, OH)

Jan 8-10, 2009: Brahms Violin Concerto with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra / Roberto Abbado (Atlanta, GA)

Jan 13: “Shaham and Friends play Brahms”: Program 1 of 3 at Zankel Hall (New York, NY)

Jan 22, 24, 25: Khachaturian Violin Concerto with Los Angeles Philharmonic / Denève (Los Angeles, CA)

Jan 23: Khachaturian Violin Concerto with Los Angeles Philharmonic / Denève (Irvine, CA)

Feb 4: Brahms chamber music at the Mike Lazaridis Theatre of Ideas (Ontario, Canada)

Feb 6: “Shaham and Friends play Brahms”: Program 2 of 3 at Zankel Hall (New York, NY) Feb 9: “Shaham and Friends play Brahms”: Program 3 of 3 at Zankel Hall (New York, NY)

Feb 14: Stravinsky Violin Concerto with the Lexington Symphony / Nardolillo (Lexington, KY)

Feb 19-21: Stravinsky Violin Concerto with Cleveland Orchestra / Petrenko (Cleveland, OH)

Feb 26-28: Stravinsky Violin Concerto with National Symphony Orchestra / Xian Zhang (Washington, DC)

March 26-29: Khachaturian Violin Concerto with Philadelphia Orchestra / Krivine (Philadelphia, PA)

April 2-6: U.S. tour with Sejong, the conductorless string orchestra: Haydn Violin Concertos in C major and G major and Mendelssohn Octet

April 23-26: Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5 with Munich Philharmonic / Thielemann (Munich, Germany)

May 12, 13: Brahms Violin Concerto with Montreal Symphony / Nagano (Montreal, Canada)

June 3: Bolcom Violin Concerto with Toronto Symphony / Slatkin (Toronto, Canada)

June 10-13: Berg Violin Concerto with San Francisco Symphony / Michael Tilson Thomas (San Francisco, CA)

Published: November 26th, 2008