Charlie Siem

Charlie Siem
Charlie Siem Violin Virtuoso
Background information
Born	1986 London, England
Genres	Classical, Classic rock
Occupation	Violinist
Instrument	Violin
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Warner Classics and Jazz

Charlie Siem (born January 14, 1986) is an English contemporary classical violinist.

Life

Charlie Siem was born in London, England, to a Norwegian father and a British mother, and began the study of violin at the age of five. He studied at Eton College and Girton College, Cambridge, and continued his violin studies with Itzhak Rashkovsky and Shlomo Mintz. He performed his first concerto with an orchestra at age 15, and played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at age 18.

Siem is distantly related to Norwegian violin virtuoso and composer Ole Bull.

Siem plays Yehudi Menuhin's 1735 Guarneri del Gesu d’Egville violin, on loan by the Elderberry Foundation. The violin was also once owned by the King of Prussia.

Career

His first CD featured Violin Sonatas by Grieg and Elgar and was released in 2008. He signed with the Warner Classics and Jazz label and released his second CD Charlie Siem - Violin Virtuoso in 2010. His third CD, Bruch, Wieniawski and Bull, was released in August 2011.

His international concert activities includes appearances with:

• The Moscow Philharmonic
• The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
• The Oslo Philharmonic - Rune Bergmann (January 2013)
• The Czech National Symphony - Libor Pesěk
• The Moscow Symphony Orchestra
• The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
• The English Chamber Orchestra
• The London Symphony Orchestra - Andrew Gourlay
• The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra - Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Touring activity:

• Asia
• North America
• South America
• Russia
• Middle East
• Europe, he performed on 33 dates on the Night of the Proms tour of Belgium, Holland and Germany.

2010

• Playing with Bryan Adams at the Royal Albert Hall London

2011

• He was the face of the Alfred Dunhill Label (performing at their Fashion show in Shanghai in 2012)
• In March 2011, he played with Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who at a benefit for Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall.
• He played for Lady Gaga at her Fashion Icon Award party in New York in June .
• He appeared at the [[Royal Albert Hall in Classic FM Live in October to launch his second CD.
• He was scheduled to perform on Night of the Stars at the Royal Festival Hall in November 2011 for the The Passage [1]
• At the Rock Gala 2011 for the Prince's Trust.

2012

• In May he performed at the Royal Albert Hall for Our Greatest Team Rises to support the Olympics and Paralympics Team GB.
• He was appointed as visiting Professor at Leeds College of Music in June
• Appearing with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the OVG Concerts in Rotterdam
• In September 2012 he played his first Solo Recital at Wigmore Hall in London, accompanied by Itamar Golan.
• During October he toured the Netherlands on a Recital Tour accompanied by Caroline Jaya - Ratnam.
• He has also composed variations on popular songs.
• In 2012 he has continued to collaborate with many diverse artists including dancers from the Royal Ballet, the Royal Danish Ballet, Will Young and superstar Chinese Opera Singer Zhang Jun.

TV & other appearances

• The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra - Yannick Nézet-Séguin A televised concert celebrating the 10th Veerhaven Festival
• BBC Breakfast
• Andrew Marr show BBC
• BBC 2 Titanic Commemoration in April 2012
• DK4 Interview

He has appeared in numerous fashion publications including Vogue, Acne Paper,GQ and V Man. In September 2012 Charlie appeared with Itamar Golan on BBC, interviewed by Sean Rafferty prior to Charlie's Wigmore Hall debut

In December 2012 collaborated with Bruce Weber on the Dior Homme - "Can I Make The Music Fly?" Recorded the Main Theme from Schindler's List with the BBC Concert Orchestra - Celebrating the anniversary of composer John Williams

Critical reception

File:Charlie Siem - Violin Virtuoso.jpg

Charlie Siem - Violin Virtuoso

These performances show that his music-making is more than capable of speaking for itself without any kind of special pleading. The Guardian

Not unlike other great artists Siem has also received some negative criticism, once in The New York Times, " there was a dumbfounding gap between his retro suavity and the ineptitude of his playing (...) His intonation, passagework and tone were simply ugly". Other reviews are more positive, including Gramophone, "Charlie Siem, allowing his tone to soar in a great arch, creates a memorable high-point."

'His very heartfelt interpretation of Cantabile Doloroso by Ole Bull created the highlight of the evening' Skagens Avis, Denmark ******

Elgar/Grieg reviews:

'Convincingly thought through and beautifully delivered' Classic FM Magazine ****

'A wonderful tone...spacious and beautiful' Classic FM Magazine ****

'His Elgar sonata is by turns confidential and quick-witted, perfectly shaded and full of sweet-sour regrets' The Guardian ****

'Siem... manages to focus unerringly on the musical core of each.' The Guardian ****

'...these are performances of remarkable freshness and spontaneity.' BBC Music Magazine *****

'The Elgar Sonata is especially beautifully done, at once mercurial and intimate, as if Siem is plucking the music straight from the air... Elgar would surely have approved...' BBC Music Magazine *****

'...clearly he's a player of remarkable promise.' BBC Music Magazine *****

Discography

Siem has released CDs including:

• Charlie Siem - Elgar & Grieg (Sonatas for Violin and Piano )
• Charlie Siem - Violin Virtuoso
• Charlie Siem - Bruch , Wieniawski , Ole Bull - The London Symphony Orchestra - Andrew Gourlay

External links

• Charlie Siem plays with the London Symphony - includes interview
• Charlie Siem plays with Bryan Adams
• Charlie Siem plays with Daltrey and Townshend
• Guarneri del Gesu d’Egville violin history