Alexander Sitkovetsky

Alexander Sitkovetsky

Violin

Artistic Director of NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra

“Sitkovetsky treated us to all the grace and spaciousness that I could have wished for.”
— Bachtrack (David Karlin)

Contact

Lorna Neill

+44 (0) 7798 531 819
lorna@musicinteralia.com

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Reviews Archive

“Animated and enthusiastic, Sitkovetsky danced around the stage throughout the performance of Vivaldi’s concerti, digging into his solo lines and playing along with the orchestra when the solo line was tacet. His impressive ability to play the quickest passages cleanly and smoothly was second only to his delicate and thoughtful treatment of the slower passages.”

The Capital Times (Matt Ambrosio), January 2023 (Concert Review of ‘The Four Seasons’ with Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra)

“During the cadenza of the “Otoño” (“Autumn”) movement, the soloist made ample use of the violin’s full range and, for an extended moment, rendered sweet the very highest register of the instrument. Then in the “Invierno” (“Winter”) movement, Sitkovetsky charged the nearly romantic melody with penetrating energy that cut through the concert hall. Displaying a unique mastery of extended techniques and a keen sense of rhythm, Sitkovetsky’s performance was extraordinary.”

The Capital Times (Matt Ambrosio), January 2023 (Concert Review of ‘The Four Seasons’ with Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra)

“Although the Finale, with its virtuosic double-stopping and the taut springiness of the rhythms added to the scampering sense of fun, it was the central Romance which impressed me most of all. The solo line was always well integrated in the overall orchestral sound, never drawing unnecessary attention to itself, and in the many high-lying passages Sitkovetsky seemed to be floating into the stratosphere, his intensely singing quality recalling the composer’s assertion that this work was contemplated for a Caruso of the violin rather than for a Paganini.”

Bachtrack (Alexander Hall), October 2022 (Concert Review for ‘From Moravia with love’: the Brno Philharmonic at Cadogan Hall)

“The most beautiful moments happened in the slow movement, in which the Russian (Alexander Sitkovetsky) seemed to make time stand still without over-stretching it. Together with the effervescent woodwinds he allowed (the music) to radiate with brilliance. It was music, that was almost on a higher plane.”

Mitteldeutsche Zeitung (Johannes Killyen), October 2018

“Violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky, like his accompanists, displayed an admirable technical facility and to this he added an incredibly clear sound blessed with a lovely silky sheen. Once more like the Tonkünstler, Sitkovetskyʼs power and projection were striking – I donʼt think Iʼve ever heard the harmonics in the first movement cadenza ring so loud, full and true.”

Seen & Heard (Claire Seymour), March 2017
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto Op.64 with the Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra

“Sitkovetsky harks back to an older tradition of violin playing not often heard these days.”

-The Washington Post (Patrick Rucker), December 2016
Recital at the Phillips Collection

“..and thatʼs just exactly where a mischief breaks though, the same way that Liebreich had previously hinted at in the miniatures "Arbor Cosmica". The Russian-British soloist Alexander Sitkovetsky picks that up with a heightened and always keenly direct sound, especially in the third movement where the wild position changes of the solo part soar above the jocular hurricane of pizzicato of the orchestra –a final clear chord sounding the end of the storm. Liebreich beams, the orchestra smiles, and the audience is rapturous.”

Süddeutsche Zeitung (Rita Argauer), March 2016

“An incredible performance of Brahms C minor piano quartet closed the programme; the instruments kept a perfect balance with all artists notching up the volume at the right moments to bring alive Brahms' oscillating piece.”

–Papiruszportal.hu (Szabo Ildiko), 2015

“Sitkovetsky astonishes with his dazzling playing in the duos.”

–Fanfare (Jerry Dubins), 2015

“Right from the start, Mr Sitkovetsky was inspired. His playing soared above the orchestra with a skill and clarity that was truly beautiful, and his total engagement with the music and the performance shone out. (..) He received a well-deserved standing ovation. I look forward to his next visit.”

–On the Wight (Jonathan Dodd), 2015

“(..) Halvorsen's virtuoso reworking of a Handel Passacaglia (..) was brilliantly played, Sitkovetsky and Rysanov both completly on fire as they imbued this Paganini-esque showpiece with split-second timing, quirky spontaneity, and raw, rustic humour.”

–The Scotsman (Ken Walton), 2015

“Mr. Sitkovetsky and Ms. Qian brought out all of the folksy dance-like rhythms. It is always a good sign when everyone in the audience seems to be tapping their feet or bobbing their head. The back and forth between the instruments was lovely, as was watching their shadows move on the back of the hall. They brought Grieg's colors to life, making every phrase ring. To hear such lush music in a small space was a treat.”

–Scoresby – Oberon's Grove, 2017

 

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Biography

Born in Moscow, Alexander comes from a family with a well-established musical tradition. At the age of eight, he made his concerto debut, and the same year, he moved to study at the Yehudi Menuhin School where he is now an Associate Artist. He went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London and later at the Kronberg Academy in Germany. Both as a soloist, a director, and a chamber musician, he has received several awards, including the 1st prize at the 2011 Trio di Trieste Duo Competition, performing with pianist Wu Qian with whom he regularly performs. 

Alexander’s 2024/25 season begins with a concert with the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Iván Fischer, promoting world peace by featuring performers from Russia, Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine. This is followed by a re-invitation with Camerata Salzburg to play-direct three concerts of an all-Mozart programme, followed by performances of Britten’s Violin Concerto with the Dessau Philharmonic Orchestra. In October 2024, he returns to direct the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra including a performance of Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Shortly after, he has his first of several performances with the renowned NFM Leopoldinum Orchestra Wrocław entering his second season as Artistic Director.  Alexander has programmed a wide array of repertoire for the Leopoldinum from core classical to world premieres, both in Poland and on foreign tours. 

In January 2025, Alexander will be directing an homage concert to Yehudi Menuhin with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta alongside James Cuddeford, playing music by Bach, Elgar, Bartók, and Panufnik. 

Following a three-year residency at the Lincoln Center in New York through the prestigious Bowers Program of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS), in 2016 Alexander received the Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award, and now retains a position on the CMS artist roster. He will be performing there in December 2024 and again in April 2025. 

Other highlights of the season include a February tour with the Prague Symphony Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major, performances around Hungary with the Anima Musicae Chamber Orchestra alongside Maxim Rysanov playing Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola, and not least a debut in the Bulgarian March Music Days Rousse Festival.

Last season included several performances with the Leopoldinum and the CMS, as well as returns to Brno Philharmonic, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, and English Symphony Orchestra as a soloist. As a director, he performed with Camerata Salzburg, Norwegian Chamber Orchestra, Arctic Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Novi Sad, and the Romanian Sinfonietta. Previous prominent concerto performances include appearances with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Detmold Chamber Orchestra, Tonkünstler Orchester Vienna , Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Camerata Zürich, Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra , Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, European Union Chamber Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin’s in the Fields, Moscow Symphony Orchestra, St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Filarmónica de Bolivia, National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Russian State Philharmonic Orchestra, Russian Philharmonic Novosibirsk, Residentie Orkest Den Hague, Welsh National Opera Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Northern Sinfonia, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, New York Chamber Players, and Chattanooga Symphony. 

Alexander is a founding member of the award-winning Sitkovetsky Trio with whom he has performed worldwide. The Trio won the BBC Music Magazine award for Chamber Music in 2022. In September 2024, they will be premiering Lena Sierova’s trio, Bucha, which they commissioned. He is also a permanent member of the Julia Fischer String Quartet. As a chamber musician, he has performed at Verbier Festival, Storioni Festival, Stavanger Festival, Music for Galway, and Schubertiade Festival. 

His recordings have won great critical acclaim, notably his 2018 Chandos recording of Philip Sawyers’s Violin Concerto with the English Symphony, and a CPO recording of Andrzej Panufnik's Violin Concerto with the Konzerthaus Orchester Berlin to commemorate the composer's 100th birthday, which won an ICMA Special Achievement Award. 

Alexander plays the 1679 ‘Parera’ Antonio Stradivari violin, kindly loaned to him through the Beare’s International Violin Society by a generous sponsor 

 
William BurtonViolin