Robert Rozek

Robert Rozek (1950 - 2021) was a Canadian violinist, conductor, and educator. Rozek worked with singers such as Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Mirella Freni, and Cecilia Bartoli. In the realm of pop and jazz, he collaborated with iconic artists including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, and Louis Armstrong.

Early Life and Education

Rozek began his musical journey studying under teachers such as Ivan Galamian, Dorothy Delay, and Nathan Milstein. He was a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied violin. His education continued at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy, under Franco Gulli for violin and Sergiu Celibidache for conducting. Further studies with Milstein took place in New York, London, and Zurich, Switzerland.

Performance Career

At the age of 14, he performed the Mendelssohn Concerto and the Lalo Symphonie Espagnole with the Zurich Symphony Orchestra. At 16, he made his formal concert debut in New York, performing Mozart's Third and Fifth Violin Concertos with conductor, Alexander Schneider. At this time, he won first prize in the New York All-State Concertmaster Competition.

As a protégé of Alexander Schneider, Rozek immersed himself in chamber music, performing with members of the Juilliard and Budapest Quartets and the legendary Pablo Casals at the Marlboro Music Festival. His Carnegie Hall debut came in 1967 with the Mendelssohn Concerto, performed with the Claremont Chamber Orchestra and in 1968, performed at the Kenan Center.

Throughout his career, Rozek appeared as a soloist and chamber musician across the United States and Europe. He was the first to present a chamber music concert at New York’s Lincoln Center, specifically at the opening of Alice Tully Hall. Rozek also performed with the San Francisco Symphony, New York City Chamber Orchestra, Caecilian Orchestra, and the Academy Symphony Orchestra.

Leadership Roles

Rozek's leadership roles began when he moved to Zurich to become the leader of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra. During this period, he collaborated with Yehudi Menuhin and led the Menuhin Festival Orchestra in Gstaad, Switzerland. He also performed with Maurice Andre, introducing Vivaldi's trumpet and violin concertos. His Zurich tenure included performances with artists such as Claudio Arrau, Martha Argerich, James Galway, Benedetti Michelangeli, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Leonid Kogan.

Conducting Career

Transitioning to a conducting career, Rozek led performances at the Luzern Music Festival, including a concert celebrating the reopening of Wagner’s home in Lucerne. He also conducted the Arturo Toscanini Orchestra of Italy in both concert and operatic performances. His collaborations included tours with Luciano Pavarotti in Russia and a benefit concert with José Carreras for International Cancer Research. He conducted at the reopening of the Modena Opera House with Mirella Freni and worked with Cecilia Bartoli.

Teaching Career

Rozek's teaching career began in New York with positions at the Barlow School, Columbia University, the State University of New York, Hamilton College, and Colgate University. From the 1990s until 2003, he served as a professor of violin at the University of Miami’s School of Music, where he conducted the chamber orchestra, taught string pedagogy, and directed the Summer String program in Europe.

In 2003, Rozek became the Head of the Violin Department at the Vancouver Academy of Music in Canada, where he taught masterclasses, conducted opera performances, and led the Stradivari Ensemble. His final position was as the Director of Strings and International Relations at the British Columbia Conservatory of Music.

Recent Activities and Legacy

Rozek continued to travel globally, giving concerts and teaching until his death in 2021. Recent engagements included appearances at the Barratt Due Music Institute of Music in Norway, the University of British Columbia, and the Beijing Union University and Conservatory of Wuhan in China. In Switzerland, Rozek taught at the Margess International School for over a decade and, since 2009, was a violin professor at the Astona International Summer Music Academy for gifted string players. His solo performances of works by Prokofiev, Bruch, Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvořák were critically acclaimed in Switzerland, Norway, England, and Canada.

Robert Rozek’s career, marked by a blend of performance, leadership, and education, underscores his significant contribution to the world of classical music. His legacy continues through the many students he mentored and the performances that remain celebrated by audiences worldwide.