Eduard Schmieder

Conductor

Born and educated in Russia, Eduard Schmieder has been characterized as an “extraordinary musician of the late 20th century.” His ability to communicate with audiences and students alike places him in a rare category of elite performers and educators. As artist and teacher, Schmieder amalgamates and creatively transforms the great traditions of American and European art.

As a conductor, Schmieder has performed in such prestigious halls as Cite de la Musique in Paris, Crown Hall in Jerusalem, Grand Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Wagner Hall in Riga and other major concert halls worldwide. On April 14, 1996, Eduard Schmieder performed a recital in Genoa, on Paganini’s famous Guarneri del Gesu “Il Cannone” violin.

Currently Eduard Schmieder holds Carnell Distinguished Professor Chair at Temple University, Philadelphia. Prior to his appointment at Temple University, he was Distinguished Algur H. Meadows Chair of Violin and Chamber Music in the Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas (1990-2006), and tenured professor of the violin at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, the position formerly held by Jascha Heifetz.

As violinist he has been collaborating with celebrated musicians in major concert halls throughout the world, and gives master classes at the foremost conservatories and music festivals.

He frequently represents the United States as a jury member at leading international competitions including Queen Elisabeth, Sibelius, Mozart, Paganini, Sarasate, Lipizer, and ARD among others.

Students of professor Schmieder have established careers as prominent soloists, active chamber musicians, and hold principal positions in major orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony, London, Los Angeles, Israel Philharmonies, Bavarian State, Dresden Staatskapella, Dallas Symphony, and others. He is Music Director and Conductor of iPalpiti orchestral ensemble of international laureates.

“..a serous and resourceful podium personality.” Daniel Cariaga, Los Angeles Times

“I shall never forget his extraordinary power over the players; his drive is quite astounding.” Margaret Campbell, FRSA Music Critic, The Strad and Author of The Great Violinists and The Great Cellists

“… [He] is a remarkable conductor.” John Ardoin, Dallas Morning news

iPalpiti Orchestra

Acclaimed by the press for its “beauteous string playing”, “lustrous, polished tone,” and “vocal quality”, iPalpiti (ee-PAHL-pit-ee is Italian for “heartbeats”) is a consortium of prize-winning young professional musicians from around the globe, where each member is considered a soloist.

Under his direction, iPalpiti has performed to sold-out audiences in prestigious venues such as Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Mozarteum Grosse Hall (Salzburg), Nikkei Hall (Tokyo), Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles), YMCA Jerusalem, Carnegie Zankel Hall (New York), and has been invited as ensemble-in-residence at festivals in Slovenia, Israel, Carinthia, Belgium, and Italy, as well as the Martha Argerich Festival in Beppu, Japan.

iPalpiti has since grown to an ensemble of international recognition, establishing a summer residency in Beverly Hills, California in 1999. iPalpiti Festival of International Laureates in Los Angeles—presented annually since 1998—is one of the nation’s significant music festivals and the subject of international accolades. The prestigious STRAD magazine devoted numerous enthusiastic features and reviews, and the Los Angeles Times acclaimed the Festival’s ”take-your-breath-away demonstrations of musicianship and technique,” where artists are encouraged to find their “own voice,” performing as iPalpiti Soloists in solo and chamber ensemble concerts. Referred to as a “Musical Peace Corps,” iPalpiti has created an international cultural network of hundreds of classical artists, forging life-time associations and friendships that transcend the conflicts of our time.

The orchestra’s players (ages 19-32) are all winners of prestigious international awards and represent countries worldwide. iPalpiti alumni have established solo and chamber ensemble careers and have taken up leading positions in major international orchestras such as the Chicago, Tokyo, Jerusalem, Monte Carlo, Bavarian State and Munich Symphonies, London, Berlin and Israel Philharmonics, Dresden Staatskapelle, etc. Several have exclusive recordings with labels like Decca, Telarc, and Supraphon records, and are considered among the premier musicians of their generation.

iPalpiti’s performances have been acclaimed by critics throughout the world. In 1996 Noord Holland Dagblad proclaimed “[iPalpiti’s] performance can be called righteously overwhelming.” John Ardoin of the Dallas Morning News raved “iPalpiti sprang to life as a single, singing voice. It was the natural, ‘vocal’ quality that stayed with me long after the final notes of the concert were sounded,” while the Los Angeles Times hailed the group’s performances as “an astounding demonstration of seamless and beauteous string playing…memorable, luminous, deeply moving performance” (Daniel Cariaga 2000) and as a “cool display of virtuosity…unified to an often startling degree” (2006). The New York Times noted that “…ensemble was particularly noteworthy for its unity of purpose and blend. It was as if the musicians’ hearts were beating to the same buoyant rhythm…lustrous, polished tone and graceful phrasing.” (2007)

iPalpiti has released 20 CDs issued on TELOS, YAI/iPalpiti and BCM+D Records. Performances are broadcast by Classic Arts Showcase nationally to over 62 million viewers on PBS/Art Channel and other public television channels, in Philadelphia on WRTI, New York on WQXR-FM.

Dísella Lárusdóttir

Soprano/Iceland

Described by The New York Times as “reliably breathtaking” and Opera News as having a voice of “bewitching beauty and presence,” Icelandic soprano Dísella Lárusdóttir is quickly gaining international attention for being one of the most promising talents of her generation. With her beautiful voice, compelling artistry, charismatic stage presence, and unusual musical stylistic versatility, Ms. Lárusdóttir is successfully redefining what it means to be an opera singer in this day and age. Following her critically acclaimed performance in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2007 National Council Auditions and the subsequent documentary filmThe Audition, Ms. Lárusdóttir began an important relationship with the company. During the 2011-2012 season, she was invited to cover the roles of Miss Schlesen in Philip Glass’ Satyagraha and Servilia in Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito. During the 2012-2013 season, Ms. Lárusdóttir makes her Metropolitan Opera debut as Garsenda in Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini, starring Eva-Maria Westbroek and Marcello Giordani, and will also perform the role of Woglinde in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung and Das Rheingold. During the 2013-2014 season, she will return to the Metropolitan Opera for its productions of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Strauss’ Die Frau Ohne Schatten, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, Dvořák’s Rusalka, Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Bellini’s La Sonnambula, and the Baroque pastiche, The Enchanted Island. Ms. Lárusdóttir currently resides in New York City.

Daniel Bubeck

Countertenor/USA

American countertenor Daniel Bubeck has emerged as a singer of international distinction in opera and oratorio in repertoire spanning from the baroque to contemporary works. Mr. Bubeck made his professional debut to critical acclaim in the world premiere of John Adams’s El Niño, conducted by Kent Nagano at the Théâtre Musical de Paris-Châtelet. He has since performed the work on four continents with such esteemed orchestras as Los Angeles Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie Orchester-Berlin, Boston, BBC, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Atlanta Symphonies, Radio Filharmonisch Holland, Estonian National and Royal Flemish Philharmonics, and has collaborated with renowned conductors such as Esa- Pekka Salonen, Gustavo Dudamel, Robert Spano, Kent Nagano.

In 2012 he premiered the role of 1st Countertenor in Adams’ newest oratorio The Gospel According to the Other Mary with the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, and reprised the role with the LA Phil in the Spring 2013 on international tour of a staged version directed by Peter Sellars. Upcoming performances include El Niño with the London Philharmonic and The Gospel According to the Other Mary in Amsterdam and the Ravinia Festival.

A noted Handelian, Daniel has interpreted numerous operatic and oratorio roles for companies including New York City Opera, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Carmel Bach Festival, St. Thomas Fifth Ave and Opera Vivente. Other career highlights include excerpts from Phillip Glass’ Akhnaten with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Henze’s Das verratene Meer with the Tokyo Symphony, the role of Oberon in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Princeton Festival, a recital tour in China, Messiah and St. Matthew Passion with American Bach Soloists, Carmina Burana in São Paulo, Brazil and others.

Daniel Bubeck can be heard on recordings of John Adams’ El Niño (Nonesuch CD /Art Haus Musik DVD), The New Four Seasons with Musica Sequenza (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, Sony Music) and on the soundtrack of the Warner Brothers thriller, I Am Legend, music by James Newton Howard. A native of Wilmington, Delaware, he holds music degrees from Indiana University, Peabody Conservatory and the University of Delaware. He also studied at the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh, UK, and at the Salzburg Mozarteum.