Denison welcomes accomplished guest violinist Max Rabinovitsj to campus and stage. Rabinovitsj has extensive experience across Europe and the United States as a concertmaster, conductor, and soloist. He founded the Trio da Vinci in Europe, which toured across the continent, and conducted numerous well-known great artists.
Rabinovitsj retired to Granville this year with his wife Mary, a harpist, who has connections to the area. Music professor Hanna Hurwitz invited Rabinovitsj to perform and give a masterclass to Denison students.
“It’s just so incredible for our community to have this concert violinist here, and I thought it would be wonderful for him to present a concert at Denison, and work with my students,” Hurwitz said.
Rabinovitsj has a fascinating past, growing up as a Jewish child in Nazi-occupied Belgium. He survived in hiding during the war and learned the violin from Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of the Belgians. He has been a professor at Washington University, the University of Texas, and the University of Evora in Portugal.
His experience in different musical eras, extensive experience as concertmaster, and work with legendary performers and composers of the past, is valuable for students.
“One of the really meaningful things for our community and our students is just to be able to connect with a violinist that is of a different generation,” Hurwitz said, “because he has this lineage that is connected to these great performers he can speak to this musical heritage in a different way.”
Rabinovitsj will perform on February 22 at 7 P.M. in Burke Recital Hall in the Eisner Center. This performance is free and open to the public but advanced tickets are required. Ticket availability for general public ends 24 hours before performance.