Search - Daniel Rowland;Stellenbosch University Camerata :: Vivaldi & Piazzolla Seasons

Internationally acclaimed violinist, Daniel Rowland, released a new compact disc featuring no less than eight works depicting the year s seasons. Rowland has been joined on this recording by the Stellenbosch University Camerata to present not only the four concertos that comprise Vivaldi s famous Four Seasons, but also tango composer Astor Piazzolla s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. The London born Rowland, whose playing has been described as extraordinarily expressive (The Financial Times) and ravishing in its finesse (The Guardian), was educated in the Netherlands, and can claim Igor Oistrakh, Viktor Liberman, and Davina van Wely as past teachers. As a performer, he has been awarded numerous prizes, including first place in the prestigious Oskar Back competition at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, as well as the Brahms Prize of the Brahms Society in Baden-Baden. As a soloist Rowland has played at New York s Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebauw in Amsterdam, the Glinka Hall in St. Petersburg, and the Royal Albert Hall in London, amongst many others. He is also in demand as an orchestra leader, having led the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic, the Philharmonia, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, while working under conductors like Dohnanyi, Muti, Dutoit, and Ashkenazy. Currently, he is the first violinist with the London-based Brodsky String Quartet, and is very active as a chamber musician, having formed the group ChamberJam with fellow violinist Priya Mitchell. His is also the founder of the Stift Music Festival and is a veteran of festivals in Zilina, Perth, Oxford, and Trecastagni. The violin played by Rowland on this recording was made by Lorenzo Storioni of Cremona, and dates from 1793. Drawing on staff and students of the Stellenbosch Music Department s Konservatorium, the Stellenbosch University Camerata first performed in September 2008, presenting the program recorded here. Since their inception, this ensemble has met much success, recently opening the 2009 Stellenbosch Concert Series. It is the close relationship between Daniel Rowland and the Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival that led to his collaboration with the Camerata for this recording.