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Alexandru BalanescuAmerican violinist of Romanian origin.
Date of Birth: 11.06.1954
Country:  Romania |
Content:
The Early Years
American violinist Alexander Balanescu was born in Romania. He commenced his musical studies at a tender age under the tutelage of renowned music educators in Bucharest, including Dolly Coritzer, Garabet Avakian, and Stefan Gheorghiu.
Journey to the West
In 1969, Balanescu's family relocated from Romania to Israel. After completing his military service, he pursued his musical education at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem, subsequently attending Trinity College of Music in London. His journey culminated at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied under the renowned Dorothy DeLay.
Musical Collaborations
From 1983 to 1985, Balanescu played the second violin in the Arditti Quartet. Upon his departure from the ensemble, he established the Balanescu Quartet, which veered away from the technically and conceptually complex repertoire of the Arditti Quartet towards more accessible yet conceptually astute works, notably the music of Michael Nyman.
Film and Performance Collaborations
Balanescu's collaboration with Nyman extended to his performances of violin solos in Nyman's scores for numerous films by Peter Greenaway, spanning from "The Draughtsman's Contract" (1982) to "Prospero's Books" (1991). In addition, Balanescu composed music for fourteen films and made a cameo appearance in the documentary "I'll Stake My Cremona to a Jew's Trump" (1986).
