Ralph Kirshbaum

Ralph Kirshbaum commands a distinguished position among the world's foremost musicians. As "one of the outstanding cellists of his generation" (The New York Times), he excels in a career which encompasses performances with the world's leading symphony orchestras, solo recital appearances, chamber music collaborations, teaching and numerous recordings. In 1969, Mr. Kirshbaum catapulted to international attention when he won a top prize in the First International Cassado Competition in Florence. The following year, he was the only cellist from the West to win a prize in the Fourth International Tchaikovsky Competition, and was hailed by the Soviet newspaper Tass as "a mature artist with a vivid and beautiful sound and impeccable technique."

Mr. Kirshbaum made his American debut with a highly acclaimed recital at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Subsequently, he has appeared frequently as guest soloist with some of the finest orchestras in the United States, including the symphonies of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas and Pittsburgh. Of his performance of the Elgar Concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Boston Globe declared "his playing of this noble music of regret and farewell is subtle, intense, piercingly sad and absolutely spellbinding to hear."

Mr. Kirshbaum made his European orchestral debut with the New Philharmonia Orchestra of London and has since been in demand as recitalist and soloist throughout Europe, Asia and Australia. He has collaborated with many eminent conductors, including Christoph von Dohnányi, Sir Colin Davis, Yuri Temirkanov, Christoph Eschenbach, Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur, André Previn, Sir Simon Rattle, David Zinman and the late Sir Georg Solti. Mr. Kirshbaum has also performed with major European orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonia, BBC Symphony, Halle Orchestra, Royal Danish Orchestra, Berlin Radio Symphony, Orquesta Nacional de España, Gürzenich Orchester of Köln, Orchestre de Paris, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Scottish National Orchestra, Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona, and the Royal Stockholm, Munich and Helsinki Philharmonics. Further afield, he has appeared with major orchestras in Australia, Japan, Korea and Hong Kong, as well as opening the 2004-2005 season with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Kurt Masur.

Mr. Kirshbaum's 2005-2006 season began last summer with appearances at the Santa Fe, Music@Menlo, Aspen, Verbier and Edinburgh International Music Festivals. Additional North American engagements include performances during the Montreal Symphony Orchestra's opening week with conductor Jacques Lacombe, concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of James Levine and a chamber music collaboration of string trios with violinist Robert McDuffie and violist Larry Dutton in New York, Portland and Atlanta. Additional European engagements include recitals in London and Manchester, as well as performances of Elgar's Cello Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and conductor Stephane Deneve, and the Schumann concerto with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra and Jukka-Pekka Saraste. In December, Mr. Kirshbaum recorded the cello sonatas of Shostakovich and Prokofiev with pianist Peter Jablonski for Altara.