Speaking by phone from Montreal, Israeli-born cellist Matt Haimovitz revealed that he’s a great admirer of the American singer Nina Simone. Looking at his life and career, one can easily see why. Like Simone, Haimovitz is admired for his solid classical grounding, eclecticism, improvisatory brilliance and the fact that he defies easy classification. Continue reading
TROY – It was all about the cello on Friday evening, Continue reading
Someone just asked me which has the better classical music scene – London or New York. It’s a tough call, Continue reading
On Sunday afternoon, the Uccello ensemble visited Bargemusic, the floating chamber music venue on a coffee barge tucked under the Brooklyn Bridge. Led by Matt Haimovitz, the the Grammy-nominated unit of “eight cello warriors” brought some unusual repertory: Continue reading
Matt Haimovitz has a knack for the unexpected. One of the most widely admired cellists of his generation, Haimovitz takes a certain delight in performing in places where classical musicians of his stature simply aren’t expected to turn up. Like pizza parlours and punk rock clubs, for instance.
And, while Haimovitz can handle works by the canonical composers of classical music with tremendous verve, it isn’t too surprising to find him tackling a piece of rock ’n’ roll now and then, or collaborating with a hip-hop artist like Montreal’s Socalled.
“When you hear that cellist Matt Haimovitz is coming to town, Continue reading
photo: Martin Laporte
Cellist Matt Haimovitz made his debut at the age of 13 as a soloist with Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic. At age 17 he made his first recording with James Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (on Deutsche Grammophon). He made his Carnegie Hall debut when he substituted for his teacher, Leonard Rose in Continue reading
Matt Haimovitz and Uccello perform at SXSW from their Grammy Nominated album, Meeeting of the Spirits.
When Matt Haimovitz and Uccello take the stage, they sometimes work their cellos more like guitars, or drums, or or any other instrument that might be chucked across the room in a fit of rock-rage musical passion.
“I do not condone what we are about to do,” Haimovitz quietly told an audience Continue reading
It’s a fairly audacious idea for a cello octet to interpret the music of jazz icons such as bassist Charles Mingus, trumpeter Miles Davis and saxophonist Ornette Coleman, never mind the Mahavishnu Orchestra, but clearly, as seen on the compelling Meeting of the Spirits, cellist Matt Haimovitz loves a challenge. Challenge is something he’s used to, since Continue reading
