The US violinist was previously the president of the Cleveland Institute of Music and the second violinist of the Juilliard Quartet
Violinist Joel Smirnoff has been appointed violin professor at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, IN. Smirnoff is also currently on the faculty of the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music. He was president of the Cleveland Institute of Music from 2008 to 2016.
The school said on social media about the appointment: ’Throughout his dedicated career as a performer, conductor, and educator, Smirnoff has received numerous prestigious awards and influenced young musical talent along the way.’
Originally from New York City, Smirnoff completed both a bachelor’s and master’s at the Juilliard School. In 1983, he won second prize at the International American Music Competition for Violin and debuted at Carnegie Hall on its Emerging Artists series. In 1986, he became the second violinist of the Juilliard Quartet. He stayed in the role until 2008. He recorded extensively with the group, and won a Lifetime Grammy Award for his work with the quartet. He was also given an Alumni Professional Achievement Award from the University of Chicago.
As an educator, Smirnoff joined the Juilliard School faculty in 1986 and left in 2008, before returning in 2016. From 2000 to 2008 he served as the school’s violin department chair. He was also head of string studies at the Tanglewood Music Center from 1995 to 2000. He teaches as several summer courses as well as appearing on competition juries.
In 2000, Smirnoff took up conducting and made his debut with the San Francisco Symphony. He has since conducted the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Phoenix Symphony, Louisiana Symphony, Chicago Philharmonic, and New World Symphony, among others. In Europe, he led the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and the Basel Sinfonietta in a European tour.
As a jazz musician, he has played in the Grammy Award-winning records Tony Bennett Sings Ellington Hot and Cool, and has been guest soloist with Gunther Schuller and the American Jazz Orchestra, and the Billy Taylor Trio.
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