Acclaimed violinist, Emil Altschuler, performs with incredible technique, magnificent expression and a profound artistry across a wide-ranging repertoire. The Boston Globe writes “top notch” of Altschuler’s performance. The Strad praises “Passion and portamento from a young American violinist”, and The Whole Note writes “There’s a decidedly old-style feel to…very reminiscent of Heifetz.” Erick Friedman, master violinist and protégé of the legendary Jascha Heifetz, wrote “…a truly outstanding violinist of his generation…and sound and accuracy of intonation that are truly extraordinary.”
He received his Bachelor of Music from The Juilliard School where he studied with Dorothy DeLay and Naoko Tanaka, and his Masters of Music from The Yale School of Music, studying under Erick Friedman.
His brilliant technique and vigorous performances received energetic ovations in venues such as Lincoln Center, San Francisco’s Helen Von Ammon’s Emerging Artist Series, The Aspen Music Festival, and Italy’s Castello di Galeazza. As a featured soloist, he has appeared with the Aspen Young Artist’s Orchestra, the Binghamton Philharmonic, Binghamton University Chamber Orchestra, the Parkway Concert Orchestra, the Harvard Summer School Orchestra, and the Lincoln-Sudbury Civic Orchestra. This coming season, he will perform Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor with the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Altschuler maintains an active career as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral musician. Most recently, he was invited by Max Hobart, conductor of the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, to serve as concertmaster. He was also invited to perform in the Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Italy.
Emil’s programs are varied and entertaining showing the brilliance, versatility and popularity of the instrument. Emil has collaborated with pianists Thomas Pandolfi, Marvin Wolfthal and Alice Xu.
He also champions contemporary music by Elliott Carter, Karel Husa, Martin Boykan, and Eberhard Klemmstein, among others, and has collaborated on the Tufts Composers and Faculty concerts. This season, he will perform in the ASMI Chamber Ensemble with cellist and Avery Fisher Career Grant Recipient, Allison Eldredge, and pianist, Marvin Wolfthal. He has also collaborated with Belgian guitarist and string faculty at New England Conservatory, Jérôme Mouffe, in the AM Duo interpreting Spanish, Tango, and contemporary works alongside classical masterpieces.
Extensively involved in music education, he has served at New England Conservatory as Head of Strings for the Festival Youth Orchestra, chamber music coach at the School of Continuing Education and Preparatory School, and instructor at Northeastern University. He was also an instructor at Community Music Program at Tufts University as well as violin coach for the Tufts Youth Philharmonic. In 2017, he served as artist faculty at InterHarmony.
One of his students became the youngest violinist ever accepted into the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra under Benjamin Zander, and was invited to appear on NPR’s From the Top with host Christopher O’Riley. Another won the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra competition, and others won concertmaster and principal 2nd positions at the Tufts Youth Philharmonic.
In 2019, he founded and launched the Altschuler Summer Music Institute (ASMI), a highly successful international festival in Rimini, Italy. It welcomes amateurs, students and professionals alike, offering private lessons, masterclasses, chamber ensembles, and orchestra with world renowned faculty. Students perform masterpieces of the past as well as contemporary works in historic venues in the Emilia-Romagna and Marche regions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ASMI hosts online masterclasses, including teachers from The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Bologna Conservatory, Pesaro Conservatory, and SookMyung Women’s University. Next summer (2022), ASMI plans to be hosted again in Italy. For more info, visit www.altschulersummermusicinstitute.com
His debut album “Emil Altschuler – Violin”, was arranged with his brother Josiah Altschuler, with a gypsy jazz style guitar accompaniment. He is also a featured artist on Josiah Altschuler’s debut album ‘Murder Ballads and Love Songs for Cello and Voice.’ Mr.Altschuler also recorded “Diablo y Tango” with guitar, which included works by de Falla and Piazzolla, and he was selected by renowned author and violin pedagogue Janice Tucker Rhoda to record ‘The ABCs of Violin for the Absolute Beginner’ Books 1 and 3, published by Carl Fischer Music.
Emil’s latest live recording with Thomas Pandolfi was featured on NPR from the Honest Brook Music Festival. He also recorded a contemporary unaccompanied Partita by Christopher Marinuzzi and an album with pianist Keunyoung Sun, including Falla, Ravel, Albeniz, Poulenc, Bartok featuring brilliant works for violin & piano. This recording has been broadcasted on NPR, HJCK in Bogotá, Colombia and on MDR KLASSIK in Halle, Germany.
Emil lives with his wife and daughter in Boston, MA, where he maintains an active private studio and teaches online. In his free time, he enjoys reading and investing. For more information, visit www.emilaltschuler.com.