Israeli violinist Gil Shaham will return to the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) for the first time since the 2002-03 season to perform Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor and Haydn’s Violin Concerto No. 2. Performances will take place 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16, and 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 at the Ordway, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19 in Benson Great Hall at Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Dr., Arden Hills.
Gil Shaham (Photo: J. Henry Fair)
Shaham was born in Champaign-Urbana, Ill., in 1971 and moved to Israel with his parents at the age of seven. There he began violin studies with Samuel Bernstein of the Rubin Academy of Music and was granted annual scholarships by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. In 1981, he made his debut with the Israel Philharmonic. The following year he took first prize in Israel’s Claremont Competition and became a scholarship student at The Juilliard School.
He is internationally recognized by audiences and critics as one of today’s most virtuosic and engaging artists. His concerto and solo CDs have earned multiple Grammys, a Grand Prix du Disque, Diapason d’or and Gramophone Editor’s Choice.
For tickets and information, call 651-291-1144 or visit: www.thespco.org.
