You’ve collaborated with a number of Jewish artists, including Osvaldo Golijov, Gabriel Kahane, Inon Barnatan, and of course Daniel Barenboim. Of course, there’s a wonderful tradition of Jewish classical musicians that goes back a long way. My brother and I were both raised with a strong sense of Jewish culture and identity. We celebrate the holidays and I had a bat mitzvah. I didn’t have a terribly traditional upbringing. I played with the Israel Philharmonic in 2010, and I’ve been to the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival. Have you played in Israel before, and does your Jewish upbringing contribute to your identity as a musician? By “covering,” I mean he’ll be listening to the balance, be at every single rehearsal, and act as understudy for the conductor in case he can’t go on stage to conduct the concert. Josh will be covering when I play with the New York Philharmonic in March, but he won’t actually be conducting the concert. They’re definitely kvelling a little bit now. Your parents must be kvelling right now with the additional news that your brother Joshua has been appointed assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic. It is really much better to focus on the work I’m doing and the relationships I have with other musicians and people that I learn from. I try not to pay too much attention, to be honest. I watched every bit of footage of her and listened to every one of her recordings before I was 10. She is my favorite cellist who ever lived. There is talk about your being the next Jacqueline Du Pre. It was so far from my mind that I would receive anything like this. I was rehearsing every day from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and then playing a concert each night. Weilerstein’s recording of the Elgar Cello Concerto is forthcoming from Decca Classics.Īlisa Weilerstein: I kind of had my head in the sand. She performs in over 100 concerts a year and has been an artist-in-residence at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Though music is central to her life, Weilerstein also pursued a bachelor’s degree in Russian History at Columbia University, which she received in 2004. Recognized for her precise and passionate playing, Weilerstein has appeared as a soloist with some of the most prestigious orchestras and collaborated with some of the greatest living conductors, including Daniel Barenboim. In 2007 she worked closely with Osvaldo Golijov on a major revision of his “Azul,” a concerto inspired by a Pablo Neruda poem. Though she plays compositions dating back to the 16th century, she also enjoys commissioning pieces by contemporary composers. Weilerstein, 29, is a rising star in the classical music world. The “Genius Award,” as it is called, is a no-strings-attached grant of $500,000, paid out over five years. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein was at the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival last week when she received an unexpected phone call from the MacArthur Foundation telling her she was a recipient of their 2011 fellowship.
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