Richard Rood (violinist)
Encyclopedia
Richard Rood is an American violin
ist, and is currently a leading member of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
a well as a 1st violinist of the New York City Opera
and the Associate Concertmaster of the Santa Fe Opera
during the summer season.
Rood, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, was appointed membership with Orpheus after a history of regularly performing, touring, and recording with the group for 15 years. Currently he continues to hold important positions as a principal player with Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival and American Symphony. He is a member of the New York City Opera
and American Ballet Theater orchestras, as well as the American Symphony Orchestra
. He has performed in over 20 countries, appeared on over 75 recordings, and as a member of Orpheus
, he has been awarded three Grammy Awards.
The New York Times praised him as "an especially fine young violinist", and the Newark Star-Ledger similarly raved that "he is worth his weight in gold". His recordings of concerti of Bach
and Vivaldi have been critically acclaimed, as well as chamber recordings of Copland
and Dvořák
.
Rood received an Honorary Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 2010 as a member of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
, Switzerland
as a Swiss violin competition 1st prize winner at the age of 18, and performances as soloist in Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante at the Lincoln Center Mostly Mozart Festival
.
Rood has held 1st violin positions with Steve Reich
and Musicians
, and the Music Today ensembles, performing over 100 premiers. He has also held positions in An Die Musik and the Omega ensembles performing residencies and tours throughout the United States. In addition he is a former principal player with Solisti New York, Philharmonia Virtuosi, and the New York Chamber Symphony
(20 years). Having performed in over 20 countries he has been frequently sought after as a guest artist with Speculum Musicae, Eos, Da Capo, Harmonie, North Country, Houston Da Camera, and the American Chamber Ensembles.
In addition to being one of the most active and visible violinists in New York
, Rood is on the faculty at Columbia University
as an ajunct violin professor, as well as at the Juilliard School
and Manhattan School of Music
, through the Orpheus Institute.
Rood is also active in the genre of jazz. With Orpheus, he recorded with Herbie Hancock
, on the acclaimed album "Gershwin's World
." He has also recorded on several occasions with jazz bassist John Patitucci
, leading to three additional Grammy Award nominations. Richard has also performed with such contemporary jazz greats as Freddie Hubbard
and Pat Metheny
.
Rood received his Bachelor's and Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music
, and he received an Honorary Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 2010. His principal teachers include Margaret Randall, Charles Castleman
, and Raphael Bronstein.
Rood is married to violinist Denise Rood
.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, and is currently a leading member of the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is a Grammy Award-winning classical music chamber orchestra based in New York City. It is known for its collaborative leadership style in which the musicians, not a conductor, interpret the score....
a well as a 1st violinist of the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
and the Associate Concertmaster of the Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
during the summer season.
Rood, who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, was appointed membership with Orpheus after a history of regularly performing, touring, and recording with the group for 15 years. Currently he continues to hold important positions as a principal player with Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival and American Symphony. He is a member of the New York City Opera
New York City Opera
The New York City Opera is an American opera company located in New York City.The company, called "the people's opera" by New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, was founded in 1943 with the aim of making opera financially accessible to a wide audience, producing an innovative choice of repertory, and...
and American Ballet Theater orchestras, as well as the American Symphony Orchestra
American Symphony Orchestra
The American Symphony Orchestra is a New York-based American orchestra founded in 1962 by Leopold Stokowski, then aged 80. Following Maestro Stokowski's departure, Kazuyoshi Akiyama was appointed Music Director of the American Symphony Orchestra from 1973-1978. Music Directors during the early...
. He has performed in over 20 countries, appeared on over 75 recordings, and as a member of Orpheus
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is a Grammy Award-winning classical music chamber orchestra based in New York City. It is known for its collaborative leadership style in which the musicians, not a conductor, interpret the score....
, he has been awarded three Grammy Awards.
The New York Times praised him as "an especially fine young violinist", and the Newark Star-Ledger similarly raved that "he is worth his weight in gold". His recordings of concerti of Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
and Vivaldi have been critically acclaimed, as well as chamber recordings of Copland
Aaron Copland
Aaron Copland was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later in his career a conductor of his own and other American music. He was instrumental in forging a distinctly American style of composition, and is often referred to as "the Dean of American Composers"...
and Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
.
Rood received an Honorary Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 2010 as a member of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.
Career
Highlights of his career include his first solo TV appearance at the age of 12, a solo Bach appearances in GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
as a Swiss violin competition 1st prize winner at the age of 18, and performances as soloist in Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante at the Lincoln Center Mostly Mozart Festival
Mostly Mozart
The Mostly Mozart Festival is a summer series of concerts held at Lincoln Center in New York City. Currently, the artistic director is Jane Moss while the music director is Louis Langrée. In 2006, it celebrated its 40th anniversary and the 250th anniversary of its namesake Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's...
.
Rood has held 1st violin positions with Steve Reich
Steve Reich
Stephen Michael "Steve" Reich is an American composer who together with La Monte Young, Terry Riley, and Philip Glass is a pioneering composer of minimal music...
and Musicians
Steve Reich and Musicians
Steve Reich and Musicians, sometimes credited as the Steve Reich Ensemble, is a musical ensemble founded and led by the American composer Steve Reich to perform his compositions. This ensemble has premiered many of Reich's works and has performed his works more than any other...
, and the Music Today ensembles, performing over 100 premiers. He has also held positions in An Die Musik and the Omega ensembles performing residencies and tours throughout the United States. In addition he is a former principal player with Solisti New York, Philharmonia Virtuosi, and the New York Chamber Symphony
New York Chamber Symphony
The New York Chamber Symphony was an American chamber orchestra based in New York City. It was active from 1977 to 2002.It was founded in 1977 by its founding music director Gerard Schwarz, and Omus Hirshbein. Its original name was the Y Chamber Symphony, and it was the resident ensemble at the...
(20 years). Having performed in over 20 countries he has been frequently sought after as a guest artist with Speculum Musicae, Eos, Da Capo, Harmonie, North Country, Houston Da Camera, and the American Chamber Ensembles.
In addition to being one of the most active and visible violinists in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Rood is on the faculty at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
as an ajunct violin professor, as well as at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
and Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
, through the Orpheus Institute.
Rood is also active in the genre of jazz. With Orpheus, he recorded with Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
, on the acclaimed album "Gershwin's World
Gershwin's World
Gershwin's World is the forty-second album by Herbie Hancock.This album featured the songs of George and Ira Gershwin. It features several prominent musicians including Joni Mitchell, Chick Corea, Stevie Wonder, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra....
." He has also recorded on several occasions with jazz bassist John Patitucci
John Patitucci
John Patitucci is an American Grammy-winning jazz double bass and jazz fusion electric bass player.-Biography:Patitucci is of Italian descent and was born in Brooklyn, New York, where he began playing the electric bass at age ten, composing and performing at age 12, as well as the acoustic bass at...
, leading to three additional Grammy Award nominations. Richard has also performed with such contemporary jazz greats as Freddie Hubbard
Freddie Hubbard
Frederick Dewayne "Freddie" Hubbard was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known primarily for playing in the bebop, hard bop and post bop styles from the early 1960s and on...
and Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny
Patrick Bruce "Pat" Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer.One of the most successful and critically acclaimed jazz musicians to come to prominence in the 1970s and '80s, he is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works and other side projects...
.
Rood received his Bachelor's and Master's degree from the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
, and he received an Honorary Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University in 2010. His principal teachers include Margaret Randall, Charles Castleman
Charles Castleman, violinist
Castleman, Charles American violinist and teacher b. Quincy, Mass., May 22, 1941. He began violin lessons at the age of four with Ondricek. When he was only six he appeared as a soloist with Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orch. At nine, he made his solo recital debuts at Jordan Hall in Boston and...
, and Raphael Bronstein.
Rood is married to violinist Denise Rood
Denise Rood
Denise Rood , violinist, has for 15 years been a member of Philharmonia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra and is currently a member of the Santa Fe Opera. She has participated in numerous concert tours of Japan and North America, and dozens of recordings with EOS, Philharmonia Virtuosi, and the American...
.