Steven Isserlis
Encyclopedia
Steven Isserlis CBE
(born 19 December 1958, London
) is a British cellist. He is distinguished for his diverse repertoire, distinctive sound (due in part to his use of gut strings
) and total command of phrasing. He studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music
and was much influenced by the great iconoclast of Russian cello playing, Daniil Shafran
. He was awarded a CBE
in 1998.
into a musical family. His grandfather, Julius Isserlis who was a Russian Jew, was one of 12 musicians allowed to leave Russia
in the 1920s to promote Russian culture, but he never returned. His mother was a piano teacher, and his father was a keen amateur musician. His sister Annette is a viola player, and his other sister Rachel is a violinist. He says that playing music, playing together, was part of his early family life. He went to the City of London School
. He left school at the age of 14 and then moved to Scotland where he studied under the tutelage of Jane Cowan. He is a longtime Beatles fan, and his own distinctive hairstyle, a mop of thick curly, hair, was inspired by the Beatles. He is an acquaintance of Paul McCartney. His family was supportive of his early music career, even when he was not earning that much money.
His wife Pauline, a flautist, died in June 2010. His son, Gabriel Mara Isserlis, is currently studying Film at the Rochester Institute of Technology
.
He has also organized a number of festivals with long-term collaborators such as Joshua Bell
, Stephen Hough
, Mikhail Pletnev
, Andras Schiff
, Denes Varjon, and Tabea Zimmermann
. Many new works have been written for him by composers such as John Tavener
, Thomas Ades
, Wolfgang Rihm
, Carl Vine
, and Douglas Weiland
.
He was awarded a CBE
in 1998, and collected his award with his father, as his mother died earlier that week. He was awarded the Schumann Prize 2000 by the city of Zwickau
.
He plays the De Munck Stradivarius
, on loan from The Nippon Music Foundation
. He also part-owns a Montagnana
cello from 1740 and a Guadagnini cello of 1745, which he played exclusively from 1979 to 1998 and part-owns with David Waterman, cellist of the Endellion Quartet
.
He is also the author of two books for children on the lives of famous composers: the first is Why Beethoven Threw the Stew (Faber & Faber, 2001), and the second Why Handel Waggled His Wig (Faber & Faber, 2006). He has also written 3 stories that have been set to music by Anne Dudley: "Little Red Violin," Goldipegs and the Three Cellos, and Cindercella (Published by Universal Edition, Vienna). He has also made several additions for Faber Music and sheetmusicnow.com.
Isserlis is artistic director of the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove in West Cornwall, where he both performs and teaches.
In 2007, Isserlis' recording of the Bach
Cello Suites
was released and won a "Gramophone" award.
Isserlis made his debut directing from the cello in February 2008, with the Irish Chamber Orchestra at the National Concert Hall in Dublin.
He commissioned a new completion for Prokofiev's cello concertino from the Udmurt musicologist Vladimir Blok
which was premiered on 11 April 1997 in Cardiff, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Mark Wigglesworth.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
(born 19 December 1958, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is a British cellist. He is distinguished for his diverse repertoire, distinctive sound (due in part to his use of gut strings
Catgut
Catgut is a type of cord that is prepared from the natural fibre found in the walls of animal intestines. Usually sheep or goat intestines are used, but it is occasionally made from the intestines of cattle, hogs, horses, mules, or donkeys.-Etymology:...
) and total command of phrasing. He studied at Oberlin Conservatory of Music
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music, located on the campus of Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, was founded in 1865 and is the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the United States. Students of Oberlin Conservatory enter a very broad network within the music world, as the school's alumni...
and was much influenced by the great iconoclast of Russian cello playing, Daniil Shafran
Daniil Shafran
-Early years:Daniil Shafran was born in Petrograd in 1923. Even from before his birth he was surrounded by music. His mother and father were music students when he was born. His father, Boris Shafran, went on to be principal cellist of the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra and his mother, Frida...
. He was awarded a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1998.
Personal life
Isserlis was born on 19 December 1958 in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
into a musical family. His grandfather, Julius Isserlis who was a Russian Jew, was one of 12 musicians allowed to leave Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in the 1920s to promote Russian culture, but he never returned. His mother was a piano teacher, and his father was a keen amateur musician. His sister Annette is a viola player, and his other sister Rachel is a violinist. He says that playing music, playing together, was part of his early family life. He went to the City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
. He left school at the age of 14 and then moved to Scotland where he studied under the tutelage of Jane Cowan. He is a longtime Beatles fan, and his own distinctive hairstyle, a mop of thick curly, hair, was inspired by the Beatles. He is an acquaintance of Paul McCartney. His family was supportive of his early music career, even when he was not earning that much money.
His wife Pauline, a flautist, died in June 2010. His son, Gabriel Mara Isserlis, is currently studying Film at the Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
.
Professional life
Isserlis plays both as soloist and chamber musician and has revived many neglected works.He has also organized a number of festivals with long-term collaborators such as Joshua Bell
Joshua Bell
Joshua David Bell is an American Grammy Award-winning violinist.-Childhood:Bell was born in Bloomington, Indiana, United States, the son of a psychologist and a therapist. Bell's father is the late Alan P...
, Stephen Hough
Stephen Hough
Stephen Andrew Gill Hough is a British-born classical pianist, composer and writer. He became an Australian citizen in 2005 and thus has dual nationality .-Biography:...
, Mikhail Pletnev
Mikhail Pletnev
Mikhail Vasilievich Pletnev is a Russian pianist, conductor, and composer.-Life and career:Pletnev was born into a very musical family in Arkhangelsk, then part of the Soviet Union; his father played and taught the bayan, and his mother the piano...
, Andras Schiff
András Schiff
András Schiff is a Hungarian-born British classical pianist, who has won a number of awards including the Grammy and made numerous recordings.- Biography :...
, Denes Varjon, and Tabea Zimmermann
Tabea Zimmermann
Tabea Zimmermann, born on October 8, 1966 in Lahr, , is a German violist.She began learning to play the viola at the age of three, and commenced piano studies at age five...
. Many new works have been written for him by composers such as John Tavener
John Tavener
Sir John Tavener is a British composer, best known for such religious, minimal works as "The Whale", and "Funeral Ikos"...
, Thomas Ades
Thomas Adès
Thomas Adès is a British composer, pianist and conductor.-Biography:Adès studied piano with Paul Berkowitz and later composition with Robert Saxton at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London...
, Wolfgang Rihm
Wolfgang Rihm
Wolfgang Rihm is a German composer.Rihm is Head of the Institute of Modern Music at the Karlsruhe Conservatory of Music and has been composer in residence at the Lucerne Festival and the Salzburg Festival...
, Carl Vine
Carl Vine
Carl Vine is an Australian composer of contemporary classical music.-Career:Vine was born in Perth, Western Australia. When he was ten years old, he took up the piano. An adolescent encounter with Karlheinz Stockhausen inspired a period as a teenage modernist, a direction which he abandoned in 1985...
, and Douglas Weiland
Douglas Weiland
Douglas Weiland is a modern-classical composer.Formerly a violinist - 2 years English Chamber Orchestra, 7 years Academy of St...
.
He was awarded a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1998, and collected his award with his father, as his mother died earlier that week. He was awarded the Schumann Prize 2000 by the city of Zwickau
Zwickau
Zwickau in Germany, former seat of the government of the south-western region of the Free State of Saxony, belongs to an industrial and economical core region. Nowadays it is the capital city of the district of Zwickau...
.
He plays the De Munck Stradivarius
De Munck Stradivarius
The De Munck; Feuermann; Gardiner Stradivarius of 1730 is an antique cello crafted by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari....
, on loan from The Nippon Music Foundation
Nippon Music Foundation
The Nippon Music Foundation is an organisation under the supervision of the Arts and Culture Promotion Division, Agency for Cultural Affairs a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education...
. He also part-owns a Montagnana
Domenico Montagnana
Domenico Montagnana was an Italian master luthier based in Venice, Italy. He is regarded as one of the world's finest violin and cello makers of his time....
cello from 1740 and a Guadagnini cello of 1745, which he played exclusively from 1979 to 1998 and part-owns with David Waterman, cellist of the Endellion Quartet
Endellion Quartet
The Endellion String Quartet is a British string quartet named after St Endellion in Cornwall.The quartet was formed in 1979 and has been 'Quartet in Residence' at Cambridge University since 1992. It has an extensive discography and appears in concert halls around the world. In 1997 the quartet...
.
He is also the author of two books for children on the lives of famous composers: the first is Why Beethoven Threw the Stew (Faber & Faber, 2001), and the second Why Handel Waggled His Wig (Faber & Faber, 2006). He has also written 3 stories that have been set to music by Anne Dudley: "Little Red Violin," Goldipegs and the Three Cellos, and Cindercella (Published by Universal Edition, Vienna). He has also made several additions for Faber Music and sheetmusicnow.com.
Isserlis is artistic director of the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove in West Cornwall, where he both performs and teaches.
In 2007, Isserlis' recording of the 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...
Cello Suites
Cello Suites (Bach)
The Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello by Johann Sebastian Bach are some of the most performed and recognizable solo compositions ever written for cello...
was released and won a "Gramophone" award.
Isserlis made his debut directing from the cello in February 2008, with the Irish Chamber Orchestra at the National Concert Hall in Dublin.
He commissioned a new completion for Prokofiev's cello concertino from the Udmurt musicologist Vladimir Blok
Vladimir Blok
Vladimir Mikhailovich Blok was a Russian musicologist, composer and orchestrator of the works of Prokofiev, of Udmurt ethnicity.-Completions:* completion of the Prokofiev Andante for solo cello....
which was premiered on 11 April 1997 in Cardiff, with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Mark Wigglesworth.
External links
- http://www.stevenisserlis.com/ - personal website
- http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2008/12/14/2003431067 - Guardian article by Tom Service
- http://www.i-m-s.org.uk/ - IMS Prussia Cove Website