Matt Haimovitz—February 13, 2005

SFNM co-sponsored a production of the Historic El Rey Theater and Puccini's Golden West Saloon presenting acclaimed cellist Matt Haimovitz on February 13, 2005 at the Santuario de Guadalupe. Cellist Matt Haimovitz has established himself as one of classical music's most adventurous artists, equally at ease playing the masterworks for his instrument in solo, chamber and concerto performances in leading concert halls as he is in bringing classical music to new listeners in alternative venues.

In 1984, Matt Haimovitz made his debut with the Israel Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta performing Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No. 1 in a televised appearance. Since then he has performed with such conductors as James Levine, Daniel Barenboim, Charles Dutoit, Sir Neville Mariner, Seiji Ozawa, Leonard Slatkin, and Michael Tilson Thomas. He has appeared as a soloist in North America with many of the great symphony orchestras and philharmonics, including those of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, and internationally with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Orchestre de Paris, Philharmonia Orchestra of London, the Radio Orchestras of Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, and Hanover, the New Japan Philharmonic, the Beijing Opera Orchestra, and others.

Haimovitz's career was launched by a notable performance at Carnegie Hall at age 13, replacing his teacher, Leonard Rose, in a quintet which included Isaac Stern, Mstislav Rostropovich and Pinchas Zukerman. At 17, Matt Haimovitz signed a ten-year exclusive recording contract with the Deutsche Grammophon label (DGG) that resulted in six acclaimed recordings documenting his development from a cellist firmly rooted in the romantic virtuoso tradition to an artist unafraid to delve into all corners of the contemporary imagination. The breadth of his repertoire today is rich and ever-expanding, and his approach makes listeners appreciate familiar pieces with a fresh ear and open mind, as he embraces new music and works from the traditional concert repertoire with equal focus.

Recently, 33-year-old Haimovitz has brought his performances of Bach suites, as well as a new music repertoire, to bars, cafes, and other alternative spaces where classical music is not usually heard. . His unique style of playing, combined with his non-traditional choice of venues, has earned him much critical praise and acclaim. In 2004, the American Music Center awarded Haimovitz one of its highest distinctions, the Trailblazer Award, for his far-reaching contribution to American music.

Matt Haimovitz also performed at The Historic El Rey Theater on February 12, joined by special guests from UNM and the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra.