Ralph Evans (violinist)
Encyclopedia
Ralph Evans is an American violinist, best known as first violinist of the Fine Arts Quartet
.
The son of Jewish refugees from Russia and Germany, Evans began his musical studies at the age of five at the Vienna Academy of Music.
He graduated cum laude from Yale University
, where he studied violin with Broadus Erle
. He subsequently received a doctorate from Yale in 1980. As recipient of a Fulbright Scholar Award, he continued his studies in Europe with Szymon Goldberg
and Nathan Milstein
.
After winning the top prize in a number of major American competitions, including the 1978 Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York
and the 1981 National Federation of Music Clubs National Young Artist Competition,
he concertized as soloist throughout North America and Europe.
In 1982, Evans won a prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition
in Moscow.
He is briefly featured in a full-length documentary of this 1982 Competition.
His performances at this Competition of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and
Violin Concerto No. 2 (Bartók)
are recorded on YouTube
.
In late 1982, Evans succeeded Leonard Sorkin
as first violinist of the Fine Arts Quartet
, and he has toured widely with the Quartet ever since. As of 2010, he has recorded more than 80 solo and chamber works.
Evans has also received recognition for his work as a composer. His award winning composition "Nocturne" was performed on American Public Television
and a CD of his "String Quartet No.1" was released by Naxos
in 2008.
Fine Arts Quartet
The Fine Arts Quartet, a distinguished chamber music ensemble founded in Chicago, USA in 1946 by Leonard Sorkin and George Sopkin, has an illustrious history of performing success and an extensive recording legacy. It is one of the few to have recorded and toured internationally for over half a...
.
The son of Jewish refugees from Russia and Germany, Evans began his musical studies at the age of five at the Vienna Academy of Music.
He graduated cum laude from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he studied violin with Broadus Erle
Broadus Erle
Broadus Erle was an American violinist.Born in Chicago and reared in Toronto, Erle began his violin studies at age 3, taught by his mother, Brownie Earl. At age 5, he started taking lessons from Pasquale Briglia, concertmaster of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra...
. He subsequently received a doctorate from Yale in 1980. As recipient of a Fulbright Scholar Award, he continued his studies in Europe with Szymon Goldberg
Szymon Goldberg
Szymon Goldberg was a Polish-born American violinist and conductor.Born in Włocławek, Congress Poland, Goldberg played the violin as a child growing up in Warsaw...
and Nathan Milstein
Nathan Milstein
Nathan Mironovich Milstein was a Russian-born American virtuoso violinist.Widely considered one of the finest violinists of the 20th century, Milstein was known for his interpretations of Bach's solo violin works and for works from the Romantic period...
.
After winning the top prize in a number of major American competitions, including the 1978 Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York
and the 1981 National Federation of Music Clubs National Young Artist Competition,
he concertized as soloist throughout North America and Europe.
In 1982, Evans won a prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition
International Tchaikovsky Competition
The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a classical music competition held every four years in Moscow, Russia for pianists, violinists, and cellists between 16 and 30 years of age, and singers between 19 and 32 years of age...
in Moscow.
He is briefly featured in a full-length documentary of this 1982 Competition.
His performances at this Competition of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and
Violin Concerto No. 2 (Bartók)
Violin Concerto No. 2 (Bartók)
Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2, BB 117 was dedicated to the Hungarian violin virtuoso, Zoltán Székely, who requested the composition in 1936, and is a prime example of verbunkos style....
are recorded on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
In late 1982, Evans succeeded Leonard Sorkin
Leonard Sorkin
Leonard Sorkin was an accomplished American violinist.Sorkin was born in Chicago in 1916. He received violin training from Mischa Mischakoff. At the age of 18, he joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, where he remained until 1943. Sorkin served as concertmaster of the ABC Symphony from 1946 to...
as first violinist of the Fine Arts Quartet
Fine Arts Quartet
The Fine Arts Quartet, a distinguished chamber music ensemble founded in Chicago, USA in 1946 by Leonard Sorkin and George Sopkin, has an illustrious history of performing success and an extensive recording legacy. It is one of the few to have recorded and toured internationally for over half a...
, and he has toured widely with the Quartet ever since. As of 2010, he has recorded more than 80 solo and chamber works.
Evans has also received recognition for his work as a composer. His award winning composition "Nocturne" was performed on American Public Television
American Public Television
American Public Television is the largest syndicator of programming for public television stations in the United States.-History:...
and a CD of his "String Quartet No.1" was released by Naxos
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
in 2008.