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Concert Recording: Prodigy & Pops, 15 November 2008; Return of the Prodigy,
12 & 13 March 2010; Prodigy Plays Mendelssohn, 3&4 June 2011; FALL for Brahms - again, 19 & 20 November 2011
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Stephen Waarts, born in California in July 1996, started his violin studies at age 5 and piano studies at age 8. Since
September 2011 he is attending the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Bachelor of Music Program, where he studies violin with Aaron Rosand. Until September 2011, he has studied in the San
Francisco Conservatory, Preparatory Division, with his long time violin teacher Li Lin, whom he still sees frequently. Since January 2009 he has studied concurrently also with Alexander
Barantschik, Concertmaster of San Francisco Symphony, and he has also received regular instructions from Baroque violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock. Previous violin
teachers include Jenny Rudin, and in May 2006 - August 2011 his piano teacher was Irina Sharogradski.
Since summer 2010 Stephen has been a student at the Perlman Music Program,
headed by Itzhak Perlman, attending the summer program in Shelter Island, NY and the winter residency in Sarasota FL. In addition he has been attending during the last
two years the intensive violin program headed by Aaron Rosand in Summit Music Festival, NY. Previously he has attended for 4 years the Music at Menlo chamber
music summer program headed by David Finckel and Wu Han.
Stephen has won many prestigious national and international prizes and awards. In
September 2011 he won 3rd Prize in the Pablo Sarasate International Violin Competition in Pamplona, Spain, ages 15-27. In November 2010 he won 1st Prize in
the junior division and also a special award for best interpretation of a romantic concerto in all divisions, in the International Louis Spohr Competition for Young
Violinists in Weimar, Germany. In August 2010, he won 1st Prize in the international Summit Music Festival’s Concerto competition, junior division, in NY, USA. In April
2010, he won 2nd Prize and the Ole Bull Prize in the junior division in the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists, Oslo. His performances have
received rave reviews in numerous publications including the Strad and the UK Telegraph. In December 2009, he performed at the US national radio show “From
the Top” with pianist Christopher O'Riley. In June 2009 he was selected to represent the US in Maestro Spivakov’s festival “Moscow Meets Friends” in Moscow soloing
with orchestra in the Grand Closing concert. In May 2009 he won 1st Prize at the 2009 KDFC’s Classical Star Search Competition. In November 2008 he performed at
the American Fine Arts Festival’s Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall (NYC), after winning first place in their international competition. He also won Grand prize in the 2008
Mondavi Center Young Artists Competition, as well as numerous other first places.
Between April 2008 – September 2011, Stephen performed fourteen complete
concertos and three show pieces with twenty orchestras, often multiple times. In Weimar, Germany, he performed with the professional Staatskapelle Weimar
Orchestra, and with the Chamber Orchestra of The Liszt School of Music Weimar. In Pamplona, Spain, he performed with the professional Navarra Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Peter Csaba. In Oslo Conservatory of Music he performed with an orchestra of players from the Norwegian Academy of Music and the Barratt Due
Music Institute conducted by Per 2 Kristian Skalstad. In Moscow State University he performed with the professional Kostroma Symphony Orchestra conducted by
Conductor Pavel Gershtein. In New York he performed with Summit Music Festival Orchestra conducted by Yoram Youngerman. In California he performed with the
professional San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, and Fremont Symphony, and with Symphony Parnassus, Redwood Symphony,
Silicon Valley Symphony, Saratoga Symphony, Prometheus Symphony Orchestra, Solano Community Symphony, Winchester Orchestra, Diablo Symphony Orchestra,
Palo Alto Philharmonic, YOSAC (Youth Orchestras of Southern Alameda County) and San Jose Youth Symphony, conducted respectively by their Music Directors
Benjamin Simon, Dr. Noreen Green, David Sloss, Stephen Paulson, Dr. Eric Kujawsky, Michael Paul Gibson, Dr. Jason Klein, Eric Hansen, Semyon Lohss, Henry Mollicone,
Joyce Johnson Hamilton, Lee Actor (Composer-in-Residence and Assistant Conductor), Dr. Jason Klein and Yair Samet.
He played in a great number of master classes and private lessons of celebrated
artists including Bruce Adolphe, Emanuel Borok, Efrem Briskin, Eugene Drucker, Jorja Fleezanis, Midori, Itzhak Perlman, Aaron Rosand, Philip Setzer, Axel Strauss and Ian Swensen.
Stephen won many other competitions in California. In January 2010 he won 1st Prize in the Felix Khuner Young Artist Concerto Competition, ages 18 and under, of
Prometheus Symphony Orchestra, playing Mozart Concerto No. 4, and 1st Prize in the Young Artist Competition, ages under 23, of the professional Fremont Symphony
Orchestra, playing Brahms Concerto, and also an invitation to perform in the 2010 Junior Bach Festival, playing Bach Sonata No. 1 for solo violin. He also won the 2009
Concerto Movement Competition of Palo Alto Philharmonic, 1st Prize of the 2008 Young Artist Competition of Diablo Symphony Orchestra, winner of Margaret Brady
Study Grant in the 2008 Stewart Brady Competition, 1st Prize in the 2007 MTAC VOCE California State Competition, 1st Prize in the 2007 Menuhin-Dowling Young
Musicians String Competition, 1st Prize in the CMTANC Youth Music Competition, Taghioff Prize (1st Prize) of 2007 Fremont Symphony Young Artist Competition, and
performing in the 2007 Junior Bach Festival.
Stephen has won awards for his piano playing and won many national awards in math
competitions. In his free time he likes math, reading, drawing, table tennis, card games, and playing with his friends, including younger sister and twin brother. Find more about Stephen at www.stephenwaarts.com. |
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