Matt Haimovitz
Matt Haimovitz, a multi-Grammy-nominated cellist, is a renowned musical pioneer praised by The New York Times and The New Yorker for his uncommon expressive gifts and remarkable virtuosity. With a career spanning over 30 years, Haimovitz has performed on the world's most esteemed stages, collaborating with a diverse range of musicians and orchestras. He also mentors an award-winning studio of young cellists at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal and is the first-ever John Cage Fellow at The New School's Mannes School of Music in New York City. Haimovitz's latest endeavor, THE PRIMAVERA PROJECT, includes 81 new commissions from a diverse intersection of North American communities and was featured in the 59th Venice Biennale Arte.
Renowned as a musical pioneer, multi-Grammy-nominated cellist MATT HAIMOVITZ is praised by The New York Times as a “ferociously talented cellist who brings his megawatt sound and uncommon expressive gifts to a vast variety of styles” and by The New Yorker as “remarkable virtuoso” who “never turns in a predictable performance.” He brings a fresh ear to familiar repertoire, champions new music, and initiates groundbreaking collaborations, as well as creating innovative recording projects. In addition to his touring schedule, Haimovitz mentors an award-winning studio of young cellists at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal and is now the first-ever John Cage Fellow at The New School’s Mannes School of Music in New York City.
Haimovitz made his debut in 1984, at the age of 13, as soloist with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic. He has gone on to perform on the world’s most esteemed stages, with such orchestras and conductors as the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta, the English Chamber Orchestra with Daniel Barenboim, the Boston Symphony Orchestra with Leonard Slatkin, and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal with Kent Nagano. His latest endeavor, THE PRIMAVERA PROJECT is an ongoing series of 81 commissions for cello, celebrating a rich tapestry of distinct and diverse compositional voices. A collaboration between GRAMMY-nominated cellist Matt Haimovitz, contemporary painter Charline von Heyl and director Jeffrianne Young, each composer is asked to respond to two paintings, Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera (c.1480) and Charline von Heyl’s Primavera 2020.
Making his first recording at 17 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Haimovitz’s recording career encompasses more than 30 years of award-winning work on Deutsche Grammophon (Universal), Oxingale Records, and the PENTATONE Oxingale Series. His honors include the Trailblazer Award from the American Music Center, the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Grand Prix du Disque, and the Premio Internazionale “Accademia Musicale Chigiana.” He studied with Leonard Rose at The Juilliard School and graduated magna cum laude with highest honors from Harvard University. Haimovitz plays a Venetian cello, made in 1710 by Matteo Gofriller.
theprimaveraproject.com