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Charlie Siem

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Charlie Siem
Background information
Born14 January 1986 (1986-01-14) (age 38)
London, England
GenresClassical, Classic rock
OccupationViolinist
InstrumentViolin
Years active2001–present
LabelsWarner Classics and Jazz
Websitewww.charliesiem.com

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

Life

Charlie Siem was born in London, England, to parents Kristian Siem, a Norwegian businessman, and British mother. He began the study of violin at the age of five. He went on to study 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.[1]

Siem is distantly related to Norwegian violin virtuoso and composer Ole Bull.[2]

Siem plays a violin by Guarneri del Gesu from 1735 also known as the d’Egville. The violin was previously owned by Yehudi Menuhin.[1]

Career

Past concert activities:

Touring activity includes:

  • Asia
  • North America
  • South America
  • Russia
  • Middle East
  • Europe, he performed on 33 dates on the Night of the Proms tour of Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.[3]

2010

  • The Czech National Symphony Orchestra - Bruch and Dvořák Violin Concertos including several dates at the Royal Albert Hall and concerts in New York and Tel Aviv
  • Night of the Proms - a 40 date tour in the concert series of alongside artists such as Grace Jones, Boy George and Cliff Richard.
  • Playing with Bryan Adams at the Royal Albert Hall London

2011

2012

2013

  • January started with 2 concert series in Norway: Oslo and Kristiansand including performances of Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No. 5 with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra.
  • In the Netherlands he performed Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 on a concert tour with the North Netherlands Orchestra. One performance was attended by Queen Beatrix.
  • Masterclasses in Leeds College of Music and the Manhattan School of Music in New York.
  • Performing Vieuxtemps No. 5 with the Basel Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michal Nesterowicz.
  • Recital tour in Taiwan in May and June
  • Performing at the Munch Museum in Oslo during the Tine@Munch Festival
  • Recital in Copenhagen with Itamar Golan, piano.

2014

  • Recitals:
  • Norway with Itamar Golan
  • London - Caroline Jaya-Ratnam, Alison Rhind
  • Denmark - Walter Delahunt
  • Master classes In Zwolle and Oslo
  • Composition of "Canopy" - commissioned piece by CBS for their Watch! Online magazine

TV & other appearances

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. He was one of the few men photographed by Karl Lagerfeld for the Chanel book "The Little Black Jacket: Chanel's Classic Revisited" published in 2012.[4]

Reviews

"Siem also had the deep heart and soul required to make the music sing, in a great romantic combination of drama, passion and tenderness." Superb opening of season by Albert Storace Times of Malta 08/10/14

"Under the Stars" Album of the week on Classic FM "A very attractive selection of favourites, performed with the violinist's trademark grace and intimacy" John Suchet, Classic FM 22/09/14

Siem has received negative criticism 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".[5]

Gramophone, "Charlie Siem, allowing his tone to soar in a great arch, creates a memorable high-point."[6] "These performances show that his music-making is more than capable of speaking for itself without any kind of special pleading." The Guardian

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

"Charlie Siem, allowing his tone to soar in a great arch, creates a memorable high-point" - Gramophone[6]

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
  • Charlie Siem - Under The Stars - Münchner Rundfunkorchester - Paul Goodwin - Sony Classical
Charlie Siem at Wigmore Hall

References

  1. ^ a b c "So Charlie Siem is Amazing". 19 July 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  2. ^ a b "About". Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  3. ^ Edgar, Michelle (23 April 2010). "Music Unites to Showcase Young Violinist Charlie Siem". Huffington Post. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  4. ^ Breslin, Yale (17 April 2012). "The Goods: Digging Through Dapper Violinist Charlie Siem's iPod". Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  5. ^ Woolfe, Zachary. "Impeccably Dressed, With His Violin at the Ready". New York Times. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Elgar, Grieg". Gramophone. August 2008: 66. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

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