Joel Smirnoff
“Joel Smirnoff, first violin of the Julliard Quartet, proved a gifted and sympathetic conductor moving with balletic fluency and assuring an intimate relationship between the words and rhythms of the singers and the colours of the chamber orchestra.”
—The Boston Globe
Encouraged by Seiji Ozawa to “take up the baton,” eminent violinist Joel Smirnoff has developed into a highly acclaimed conductor with an impressive and wide-ranging repertoire. He is consistently cited for his high energy and special attention to the stylistic demands of each work.
In the summer of 2000, Mr. Smirnoff made his official American conducting debut with the San Francisco Symphony, conducting an all-Tchaikovsky program. He is also a frequent guest with the New World Symphony and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. Engagements during the 2002-03 season included a semi-staged revival at Tanglewood of the mini-opera Socrate by Erik Satie, the Juilliard Orchestra in Alice Tully Hall, and the Western New York Chamber Orchestra in an all 20th century program. In May 2004, he received rave reviews for his debut with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, replacing Peter Oundjian who had fallen ill. In Europe, Mr. Smirnoff has conducted the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and a European tour with the Basel Sinfonietta and Charles Rosen as soloist in the Elliott Carter Piano Concerto.
In addition to his activities as a conductor, Joel Smirnoff is first violinist of the Juilliard String Quartet and chairman of the violin department at the Juilliard School. In the summer of 1997, he was featured violin soloist at Tanglewood in a concert dedicated to the memory of violinist Louis Krasner, performing the Berg Violin Concerto under the direction of Bernard Haitink. In 1983, as second-prize winner of the International American Music Competition for Violin, he was awarded debuts at Carnegie Hall on its Emerging Artists series and at Town Hall on its Midtown Masters series.
Mr. Smirnoff also plays jazz, performing frequently as improvising soloist with Tony Bennett. His solos were featured on the Grammy award-winning CD Tony Bennett Sings Ellington Hot and Cool. He has also been guest soloist with Gunther Schuller and the American Jazz Orchestra, and the Billy Taylor Trio.
