Andrés Cárdenes
Encyclopedia
Andrés Cárdenes is a Cuban-born
violin
ist, violist
, teacher
, conductor
, and concertmaster
. He has performed and taught in a number of prominent positions, including his current distinguished professorship in violin at Carnegie Mellon University
School of Music where he holds the Dorothy Richard Starling & Alexander Speyer Jr. Endowed Chair.
and has over 30 years as a professional musician. During that time he has appeared with over 100 orchestras across the world in locations such as Moscow
, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Houston, Helsinki
, Caracas
, Brussels
, and Shanghai
. In 1982, he won 2nd Prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition
, which helped launched his global career. He is also noted as frequent collaborative musician, having worked with conductors such as Lorin Maazel
, Mariss Jansons
, Sir André Previn, Leonard Slatkin
, Gerard Schwarz
, and others. Cardenes is a guest artist in residence at the University of Colorado at Boulder
.
As a conductor and concertmaster, Cárdenes led the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
for over 20 years, leaving in 2010. He also served as Artistic Director
and Leader
of the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra.
Cárdenes is a very active inspiring teacher. He was appointed to the faculty of Indiana University in 1979 and has given master classes at nearly all of the top music institutions in the United States. He champions contemporary composers and their works, having commissioned a number of modern works from André Previn
, Leonardo Balada
, Edgar Meyer
, Rodion Shchedrin
, Mariana Villanueva
, and many more. He gave the world premiers of pieces such as David Stock's Violin Concerto
and Roberto Sierra's
Evocacíones, both with the Pittsburgh Symphony.
In his other activities, Cárdenes has toured with the Lincoln Center Chamber Society, is a member of the Carnegie Mellon Piano Trio, and was appointed violinist of the Diaz Trio, which holds a summer residence at the Brevard Music Center
. He has recorded on multiple labels including Naxos
, RCA
, and Sony. Cárdenes has also contributed personally edited scores to the Internet publisher Ovation Press.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist, violist
Violist
-Notable violists:A* Julia Rebekka Adler * Sir Hugh Allen , conductor* Kris Allen * Johann Andreas Amon * Paul Angerer , composer* Steven Ansell * Atar Arad * Cecil Aronowitz...
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, and concertmaster
Concertmaster
The concertmaster/mistress is the spalla or leader, of the first violin section of an orchestra. In the UK, the term commonly used is leader...
. He has performed and taught in a number of prominent positions, including his current distinguished professorship in violin at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
School of Music where he holds the Dorothy Richard Starling & Alexander Speyer Jr. Endowed Chair.
Career
Cárdenes studied under Josef GingoldJosef Gingold
Josef Gingold was a Russian-Jewish-born classical violinist and teacher, who lived most of his life in the United States...
and has over 30 years as a professional musician. During that time he has appeared with over 100 orchestras across the world in locations such as Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Houston, Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. In 1982, he won 2nd Prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition
International Tchaikovsky Competition
The International Tchaikovsky Competition is a classical music competition held every four years in Moscow, Russia for pianists, violinists, and cellists between 16 and 30 years of age, and singers between 19 and 32 years of age...
, which helped launched his global career. He is also noted as frequent collaborative musician, having worked with conductors such as Lorin Maazel
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
, Mariss Jansons
Mariss Jansons
Mariss Ivars Georgs Jansons is a Latvian conductor, the son of conductor Arvīds Jansons. His mother, the singer Iraida Jansons, who was Jewish, gave birth to him in hiding in Riga, Latvia, after her father and brother were killed in the Riga Ghetto...
, Sir André Previn, Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Slatkin
Leonard Edward Slatkin is an American conductor and composer.-Early life and education:Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His father Felix Slatkin was the violinist, conductor and founder of the Hollywood String Quartet,...
, Gerard Schwarz
Gerard Schwarz
Gerard Schwarz is an American conductor. He was music director of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra from 1985 to 2011.In 2007 Schwarz was named music director of the Eastern Music Festival in North Carolina, having served as principal conductor since 2005...
, and others. Cardenes is a guest artist in residence at the University of Colorado at Boulder
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
.
As a conductor and concertmaster, Cárdenes led the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.-History:...
for over 20 years, leaving in 2010. He also served as Artistic Director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
and Leader
Leader
A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...
of the Pittsburgh Symphony Chamber Orchestra.
Cárdenes is a very active inspiring teacher. He was appointed to the faculty of Indiana University in 1979 and has given master classes at nearly all of the top music institutions in the United States. He champions contemporary composers and their works, having commissioned a number of modern works from André Previn
André Previn
André George Previn, KBE is an American pianist, conductor, and composer. He is considered one of the most versatile musicians in the world, and is the winner of four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. -Early Life:Previn was born in...
, Leonardo Balada
Leonardo Balada
Leonardo Balada , is a Catalan American composer, now teaching and composing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Life:...
, Edgar Meyer
Edgar Meyer
Edgar Meyer is a prominent contemporary bassist and composer. His styles include classical, bluegrass, newgrass, and jazz. Meyer has worked as a session musician in Nashville, part of various chamber groups, a composer, and an arranger...
, Rodion Shchedrin
Rodion Shchedrin
Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin is a Russian composer. He was one оf the leading Soviet composers, and was the chairman of the Union of Russian Composers from 1973 until 1990.-Life and Works:...
, Mariana Villanueva
Mariana Villanueva
Mariana Villanueva is a Mexican music educator and composer.-Biography:Mariana Villanueva. Music as highly spiritual activity is the core of Mariana Villanueva´s music, through which she tries to reach de very depths of her inner world in search of an ancestral knowledge of a universal nature...
, and many more. He gave the world premiers of pieces such as David Stock's Violin Concerto
David Stock
David Frederick Stock is an American composer and conductor.Stock is a longtime resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he serves as a professor of composition and as the conductor of the Contemporary Ensemble at Duquesne University...
and Roberto Sierra's
Roberto Sierra
Roberto Sierra is a composer of contemporary classical music.Sierra studied composition in Europe, notably with György Ligeti in Hamburg, Germany...
Evocacíones, both with the Pittsburgh Symphony.
In his other activities, Cárdenes has toured with the Lincoln Center Chamber Society, is a member of the Carnegie Mellon Piano Trio, and was appointed violinist of the Diaz Trio, which holds a summer residence at the Brevard Music Center
Brevard Music Center
The Brevard Music Center is a summer institute and festival located in Brevard, North Carolina. It enrolls about four hundred students, age fourteen and older, who participate in orchestra and other large ensembles, an opera program, play chamber music, study composition, and take private lessons....
. He has recorded on multiple labels including Naxos
Naxos Records
Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest...
, RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, and Sony. Cárdenes has also contributed personally edited scores to the Internet publisher Ovation Press.