Combining flawless technique with inimitable warmth and generosity of spirit, Gil Shaham is sought after as a concerto, recital, and ensemble artist by the world’s leading orchestras, venues, and festivals. In the 2012-13 season, he continues his long-term exploration of “Violin Concertos of the 1930s” including Barber, Bartok 2, Berg, Britten, Prokofiev 2 and Stravinsky in performances with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Kansas City Symphony and abroad with the Orchestre de Paris and the NHK Symphony. In addition to taking on this breadth of repertoire he will perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, St. Louis Symphony and Seattle Symphony in romantic and classical repertoire for which he is also acclaimed. He continues to concertize in recital including tours in the US, Europe and Japan with pianist, Akira Eguchi, as well as focusing on solo violin performances. Highlighted in these tours are two new works recently written for him, a solo suite by William Bolcom and a duo by Avner Dorman.
Shaham has more than two dozen concerto and solo CDs to his name, including bestsellers that have appeared on record charts in the US and abroad, winning him multiple Grammys, a Grand Prix du Disque, Diapason d’Or, and Gramophone Editor’s Choice. His recent recordings are produced on the Canary Classics label, which he founded in 2004; they comprise Sarasate: Virtuoso Violin Works, Elgar’s Violin Concerto with the Chicago Symphony, The Butterfly Lovers and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Singapore Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A with Yefim Bronfman and Truls Mork, The Prokofiev Album, The Fauré Album, Mozart in Paris, and works by Haydn and Mendelssohn. The coming season will feature the release of the first of a series of the 1930’s concerti, as well as a recording of Hebrew Melodies with his sister, pianist, Orli Shaham, which will include the new Dorman work written for the artists.
Shaham was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1990 and in 2008 he received the coveted Avery Fisher Award. He plays the 1699 “Countess Polignac” Stradivarius. He lives in New York City with his wife, violinist Adele Anthony and their three children.
