David Geringas

David Geringas (born 29 July 1946 in Vilnius) is a Lithuanian cellist and conductor who studied under Mstislav Rostropovich. In 1970 he won the gold medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. He also plays the baryton, a rare instrument associated with music of Joseph Haydn.
Biography
David Geringas has performed as soloist with the greatest orchestras around the globe, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Czech Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia, NHK Symphony and Israel Philharmonic, under such esteemed conductors of our time as Gerd Albrecht, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Herbert Blomstedt, Andrey Boreyko, Myung-whun Chung, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Lawrence Foster, Valery Gergiev, Paavo Järvi, Kirill Kondrashin, Krzysztof Penderecki, Simon Rattle, Mstislav Rostropovich, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Horst Stein, Yuri Temirkanov, Klaus Tennstedt and Michael Tilson Thomas.
He is a regular guest at several major chamber music festival and has a vast repertoire, from baroque to contemporary music, much of which he has recorded, being awarded the Grand Prix du Disque of the Charles Cros Academy in 1989. He is a cello professor in Berlin.
Important contemporary composers such as Sofia Gubaidulina, Pēteris Vasks and Erkki-Sven Tüür have dedicated new compositions to Geringas. In July 2006, Anatolijus Senderovas' composition "David's Song for Cello and String Quartet" was premièred in Kronberg – a dedication to Geringas's 60th birthday.
David Geringas is one of the most versatile musicians of our time. The cellist and conductor has an unusually broad repertoire from the earliest baroque up to contemporary music. He was the first musician to play in the West works of the Russian and Lithuanian avant garde and many composers dedicated works to him. For his worldwide engagement for Lithuanian music and its composers he was awarded highest distinctions of his country. In October 2006 the President of the Federal Republic of Germany Horst Köhler awarded the "Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland" (Federal Cross of Merit) to David Geringas for his overall efforts as musician and German Cultural Ambassador to the world music scene.
Born in Vilnius, Lithuania, David Geringas studied at the Moscow Conservatory from 1963 until 1973 with Mstislav Rostropovich. In 1970 David Geringas won the First Prize and the gold medal at the Tchaikovsky competition. In 2000 he took over a professorship of cello at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" in Berlin. Moreover, he is honorary professor at the Moscow Conservatory. David Geringas also heads various master-classes all over the world for the up-and-coming musicians. His students are winners of prizes and awards of international competitions.
Renowned composers of contemporary music dedicated works to David Geringas, thus the Concerto in Do by Anatolijus Šenderovas, being played by David Geringas for the first time in 2002 and being awarded the European Composers Prize in Berlin, the Cello Concerto by Ned Rorem, world premiere 2003 in the US, the Cello Concertos by Vytautas Laurušas and by Vidmantas Bartulis, world premiere 2004 respective 2005 in Lithuania. A special event was the world premiere of Anatolijus Šenderovas' work "David's Song for Cello and String Quartet" in July 2006 in Kronberg which the composer had written on the occasion of David Geringas' 60th birthday.
He has been teaching at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena since 2005.
David Geringas' concerts with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the Berner Symphonie-Orchester, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra as well as his first performance with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra at once being reinvited for 2007, belong among others to the highlights of the concert season 2005/2006. He was also guest at prestigious festivals in Germany, Great Britain and France this summer.
In the season 2006/2007 David Geringas will give concerts among others with the Beethoven Orchester Bonn, the Nationaltheater-Orchester Mannheim and the Galicia Symphony Orchestra. On the occasion of D. Shostakovich's 100th Birthday David Geringas is invited by the Tonhalle Düsseldorf to arrange and to head a weekend of several performances dedicated to the composer.
Discography
For about 50 CDs which David Geringas has up to now recorded he received a large number of distinctions, among them the Grand Prix du Disque for the recording of the 12 cello concerti by Luigi Boccherini. His extensive discography also includes many award-winning recordings such as the chamber music by Henri Dutilleux (Diapason d'Or) or the cello concertos by Hans Pfitzner (Jahrespreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik).
Eli Zion – from St. Petersburg to Jerusalem
Musik der Neuen Jüdischen Schule für Cello und Klavier
Works by:
Joseph Achron, Ernst Bloch, Sinowi Feldman, Solomon Rosowsky, Lazare Saminsky, Joachim Stutschewsky, Leo Zeitlin
with Jascha Nemtsov, piano
Tschaikowsky-Variationen
Tchaikovsky, Arensky
David Geringas, conductor and cellist
Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim
J. S. Bach, 6 Suites for Cello (1995)
Bach (1989)
Suite No. 1
Suite No. 2
Suite No. 6
Bach (1989)
Suite No. 3
Suite No. 4
Suite No. 5
Quasi Improvisata (2003)
Anatolijus Senderovas - Songs of Sulamite
Sofia Gubaidulina - In Croce
Lepo Sumera - Quasi Improvisata
Eduardas Balsys - Habanera
Ástor Piazzolla - Tanti Anni Prima, Oblivion, Hommage à Liège
with Geir Draugsvoll, bayan
Mozartiana - Hommage à Mozart (1992)
Mozart - Andantino for piano and cello, K.Anh. 46
Beethoven - Seven variations in E-flat major for cello and piano
"Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" from Mozart's The Magic Flute
Helene Liebmann - "Grande Sonate pour Pianoforte et Violincelle" in B-flat major, Op. 11
Beethoven - Twelve variations in F major, Op. 66 for cello and piano
"Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen" from Mozart's The Magic Flute
Joseph Wölfl - "Grand Duo pour Piano et Violoncelle" in D minor, Op. 31
Franz Xaver Mozart - From the Grand Sonata for piano and cello, Op. 19
with Tatjana Schatz, piano
Boccherini - 12 Concerti per il Violoncello (1988)
Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, G 474
Concerto No. 2 in A major, G 475
Concerto No. 3 in D major, G 476
Concerto No. 4 in C major, G 477
Concerto No. 5 in D major, G 478
Concerto No. 6 in D major, G 479
Concerto No. 7 in G major, G 480
Concerto No. 8 in C major, G 481
Concerto No. 9 in B-flat major, G 482
Concerto No. 10 in D major, G 483
Concerto No. 11 in C major, G 573
Concerto No. 12 in E-flat, major
Orchestra da Camera di Padova e del Veneto
Conductor: Bruno Giuranna
Brahms - Double Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra, in A minor, Op. 102 (1989)
Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98
Mark Kaplan, violin
Sinfonieorchester des Südwestfunks Baden-Baden
Conductor: Michael Gielen
Solo for Tatjana (1997)
György Ligeti - Sonata for cello solo
Gerhard Schedl - from "Zwei Stücke aus der Schatz-Truhe"
Viktor Suslin - Schatz-Island
Krzysztof Meyer - Monolog
Anatolijus Senderovas - Due Canti
Pēteris Vasks - Gramata cellam
Paul Hindemith - Sonata for cello solo, Op. 25, No. 3
Pablo Casals - Cant dell Ocells
Dvořák (2003)
Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191
Rondo in G minor, Op. 94, B. 181
Silent Woods, B. 182
Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor Ken-Ichiro Kobayashi
Ali Baba and the forty robbers (1997)
Musical fairytale from the "Thousand and One Nights"
Narrator: Manfred Steffen
Music: Alexander Geringas
Violin: Natalia Prishepenko
Flute: Wolfgang Ritter
Piano/song: Alexander Geringas
Bass: Johannes Huth
Drums: Martin Engelbach
Gubaidulina (2000)
"Und: Das Fest ist in vollem Gang"
Badische Staatskapelle Karlsruhe
Conductor: Kazushi Ono
Haydn (1994)
Cello Concerto in C major, Hob. VIIb-1
Ceccl Concerto in D major, Hob. VIIb-2
Andante from Symphony No. 13 for Cello and Orchestra
Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
My recollections (2002)
Vytautas Barkauskas - Suites de concert, Op. 98
Bronius Kutavicius - Rhythmus-Arhythmus
Anatolijus Senderovas - Due canti
with Tatjana Schatz-Geringas, piano
Osvaldas Balakauskas - Dal vento
Mindaugas Urbaitis - Reminiscences
with Petras Geniusas, piano
Pfitzner (1993)
Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 52
Cello Concerto in G major in one movement, Op. 42
Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. posth.
Bamberg Symphony Orchestra
Werner Andreas Albert
David Geringas * Tatjana Schatz (1994)
Dmitri Shostakovich - Sonata, Op. 40
Prokofiev
Sonata, Op. 119
Adagio from Cinderella, Op. 97a
Mstislav Rostropovich - Humoreske, Op. 5
Tatjana Schatz, Piano
Schnittke (1998–99)
Epilogue from the ballet "Peer Gynt"
Musica nostalgica
Cello Sonata No. 1
Tatjana Schatz, Piano
Piano Trios
Mieczyslaw Weinberg - Piano Trio, Op. 24
Alexander Weprik - Drei Volkstänze, Op. 13b
Dmitri Shostakovich - Piano Trio, Op. 67
Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Violin
Jasha Nemtsov, Piano
David Geringas * Tatjana Schatz (1994)
Schumann
Adagio and Allegro, Op. 70
Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
Stücke im Volkston, Op. 102
Schubert
Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D. 821
Tatjana Schatz, piano
David Geringas * Tatjana Schatz (1993)
Richard Strauss
Cello Sonata, Op. 6
Romance in F Major
Erwin Schulhoff - Cello Sonata, Op. 17
Tatjana Schatz, piano
Anatolijus Senderovas (2002)
Concerto in Do
Symphony Orchestra of the Lithuanian Academy of Music
Robertas Servenikas, Conductor
Lepo Sumera (2003)
Cello Concerto
Musica profana
Symphony No. 6
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Paavo Järvi, Conductor
Erkki-Sven Tüür
Symphony No. 3
Cello Concerto
Lighthouse
Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien
Dennis Russell Davies, conductor
Pēteris Vasks
Cello Concerto
String Symphony - Voices (Balsis)
Riga Philharmonic Orchestra
Jonas Aleksa, Conductor
Schostakowitsch - Schulhoff
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 14
with Gidon Kremer, Violin - Yuzuko Horigome, Violin - Kim Kashkashian, Viola
Erwin Schulhoff - Sextet
with Gidon Kremer, Violin - Philip Hirschhorn, Violin - Nobuko Imai, Viola - Kim Kashkashian, Viola - Julius Berger, cello
Erwin Schulhoff - Duo for Violin and Cello
with Philip Hirschhorn, Violin
Krzysztof Meyer (2006)
Canzona für Violoncello und Klavier
with Tanja Schatz, Klavier
Chamber music
David Geringas is also a welcome guest at international chamber music stages. So Tatjana Geringas and Ian Fountain belong to his closest partners on the piano. In the season 2004/2005 David Geringas gave together with Ian Fountain a concert series entitled "Beethoven plus…" at the Philharmonie Berlin. He also works closely together with the Artemis Quartett, the Vogler-Quartett and the Bläserquintett of the Staatskapelle Berlin.
Conducting
To an ever-growing extent David Geringas has been engaged as conductor. Among others he conducted the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock, the Kammerphilharmonie of the MDR Leipzig, the Jenaer Philharmonie, the chamber orchestra of the Wiener Symphoniker (Concert-Verein), the Danish National Symphony Orchestra/DR, das Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Kremerata Baltica as well as orchestras in Lithuania, Italy, the Netherlands, Mexico and Costa Rica. In February 2007 David Geringas will conduct for the first time the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, give his debut as conductor in China in the 2007/2008 season and will be guest again in Japan.
For his first CD recording as conductor he received the 'Choc de la Musique' of the music magazine Le Monde de la musique.
Since 2005 David Geringas has been Chief Guest Conductor of the Kyushu Symphony Orchestra.
Cello
David Geringas plays a G. B. Guadagnini cello made in 1761.
References
Sources
The Classical Music Guide Forums
External links
Home page of David Geringas
Kajimoto Concert Management
David Geringas - Accademia Musicale Chigiana
Bibliography
1946 births
Living people
German classical cellists
German male conductors (music)
Lithuanian classical cellists
Lithuanian educators
Lithuanian conductors (music)
Officers Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Academic staff of the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin
Musicians from Vilnius
Lithuanian Jews
20th-century Lithuanian musicians
21st-century Lithuanian musicians
20th-century German conductors (music)
21st-century German conductors (music)
20th-century German male musicians
21st-century German male musicians
20th-century cellists
21st-century cellists
Moscow Conservatory alumni
Academic staff of Accademia Musicale Chigiana