The Four Seasons

January 27, 2023 — 7:30 PM

Madison, Wisconsin

Masterworks II | Director's Notes

London-based violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky and Vivaldi’s iconic Four Seasons make a winning combination in this all-string program. We open with contemporary Englishman Michael Tippett’s Suite for Strings.

A celebration of strings marks our second Masterworks, with returning star violinist, Alexander Sitkovetsky featured in two works celebrating the Four Seasons. A unique pairing of Argentine composer, Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires alongside the popular Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. Continuing our survey of contemporary string works, the prominent English composer of the late twentieth century, Michael Tippet’s Little Suite for Strings will keep you on the edge of your seat.

“Sitkovetsky harks back to an older tradition of violin playing not often heard these days.”

– The Washington Post

Biography

Alexander Sitkovetsky was born in Moscow into a family with a well-established musical tradition.

His concerto debut came at the age of eight, and in the same year he moved to the UK to study at the Menuhin School. Lord Menuhin was his inspiration throughout his school years and they performed together on several occasions.

Highlights of his recent concerto performances include appearances with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin, Royal Northern Sinfonia, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Sinfonietta Rīga, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, European Union Chamber Orchestra, Halle Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin’s in the Fields, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica de Bolivia, National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra, Residentie Orkest The Hague, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Novosibirsk Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Arctic Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra and the Anhaltische Philharmonie Dessau.

He is also much in demand as a director and has directed and performed as a soloist regularly with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, London Mozart Players, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, New York Chamber Players, Camerata Zurich and the Arctic Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.

He is also regularly invited as guest soloist with orchestras touring the UK and these have recently included the Russian Philharmonic Novosibirsk, Brussels Philharmonic, St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, and the Tonkünstler Orchester.

His critically acclaimed CPO recording of Andrzej Panufnik’s Violin Concerto with the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin commemorating the composer’s 100th birthday won an ICMA Special Achievement Award. His most recent recording with the English Symphony Orchestra of the Philip Sawyers’s Violin Concerto was released to great critical acclaim.

Alexander was awarded 1st prize at the Trio di Trieste Duo Competition alongside pianist Wu Qian. He is an alumnus of the prestigious ‘Chamber Music Society Two’ programme at the Lincoln Center, and in 2016 received the Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award.

Alexander is a founding member of the Sitkovetsky Piano Trio, with whom he has won various prizes including the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Kammermusik Prize. The trio has performed all over the UK and Europe including Alte Oper Frankfurt, Concertgebouw Amsterdam and Wigmore Hall, and toured Asia recently.