|
Mr. Neikrug's
CD
Eva
Janzer Award |
|
Biography
Mr. Neikrug has given master classes in
Germany, Italy, Austria, Australia, and Iceland, Hawaii, Canada and extensively
in the United States. He has played solos with major symphonies all over the
world. In addition to the cello repertoire, his virtuosity has enabled him to
perform some of the most technically demanding works for the violin on the
cello. His many performances of the Paganini Violin Concerto in D Major with
the Sauret cadenza have amazed audiences and colleagues as well. |
"George Neikrug has been, for
many years, a respected colleague and musician, as well as a good friend. I
regard him as a great artist -- a term not lightly used by a fellow
professional. His superb, absolute command of the instrument, the
probing depth of his musical perception, his contagious joy in communicating
his affection for music; all combine in bringing to life whatever music he
plays." Isaac Stern Born in New
York, George Neikrug was a pupil of the legendary Emanuel Feuermann and is
probably the only remaining student who is still concertizing. In 1943, he met
the well-known pedagogue D.C. Dounis, whose revolutionary approach to the
problems of string playing and teaching influenced him to completely revamp his
playing and create the unique style he has retained to this day. This
association lasted for a period of fifteen years, and Neikrug felt such a debt
to Dounis for all the knowledge and skills he had learned that he resolved to
devote his life to teaching at schools, such as Boston University, and giving
master classes all over the world. Since Neikrug's New York debut in
1947, he has held principal positions with the Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Los
Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras. He was also principal cellist of the Paramount
Pictures Recording Orchestra and the Columbia Recording Orchestra, which
recorded the historic series of performances by Igor Stravinsky and Bruno
Walter, who called Neikrug a "genuine musician and a real virtuoso of the
cello." |
In 1960, Leopold Stokowski asked
Neikrug to perform Bloch's Schelomo with him and the NBC Symphony at Carnegie
Hall, with a recording for United Artists to follow. After this performance,
Stokowski sent him an autographed photo with the inscription "for George
Neikrug's Schelomo -- unforgettable." In 1979, Neikrug performed all six Bach
solo suites in one concert at Lincoln Center. In an enthusiastic review of this
concert, John Rockwell of The New York Times concluded, "there was a beauty
that was almost painful. We wish Mr. Neikrug would play all the violin suites
for us." Mr Neikrug has appeared as a soloist with such conductors as
Leonard Bernstein, Wolfgang Sawwilisch, Bruno Walter, Leopold Stokowski and
Yehudi Menuhin, who stated, "I was most impressed with his profound and
accurate understanding of his instrument, as well as string playing in general.
He is a first-rate musician, and I cannot recommend him too highly." His
recording of Bloch's Schelomo with Leopold Stokowski and the Symphony of the
Air was recently re-released on the EMI label. In addition, Sony has recently
released his recording of a duet by Mozart for cello, baritone and orchestra
with George London, baritone, and the Columbia Symphony, conducted by Bruno
Walter. In 1962, Mr. Neikrug accepted a teaching position at the
Hoshschule in Frankfurt, Germany, as a Fulbright Professor sponsored by Ernst
Toch and Bruno Walter. He has held teaching positions at the Detmold Hochschule
in Germany, Oberlin College and the University of Texas at Austin before
joining the faculty at Boston University School for the Arts in 1971. He was
selected to receive the 1995 "Artist Teacher Award" from the American String
Teachers Association. In 1996, he was invited by Janos Starker and the
University of Indiana to receive the "Chevalier du Violoncelle" award for
outstanding lifetime achievement on the cello. Many of his students are in
major symphony orchestras all over the world including some in principal
positions and teaching at major universities. |
|
Please
send website comments to csharpe@rogers.com.
©
Copyright 2002
|
|
|