|
|
|
|
 Violist
Richard Yongjae O'Neill is one of few violists ever to
receive an Avery Fisher Career Grant, as well as a Grammy Award
Nomination (Best Soloist with Orchestra). Concerto appearances
include the London Philharmonic with Vladimir Jurowski, the Los
Angeles Philharmonic with Miguel Harth Bedoya, the Seoul Philharmonic
with François Xavier Roth, the KBS and Korean Symphony
Orchestras, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Alte Musik Köln
and Sejong. Highlights of his 2010/11 season include performances
with the London Philharmonic with conductors Vassily Sinaisky
and Yannick Nézet-Séguin in Royal Festival Hall
at London's South Bank Centre, as well as on tour to Seoul Arts
Center and the National Concert Hall of Madrid; his fifth season
as Artistic Director of DITTO, his South Korean chamber music
initiative featuring sold-out concerts at Seoul Arts Center, the
Tokyo International Forum and Osaka Symphony Hall; and his sixth
solo recording for Deutsche Grammophon with the Württembergisches
Kammerorchester. Richard has made solo debuts at Carnegie's Weill
and Zankel Halls, Avery Fisher Hall, The Kennedy Center, Herbst
Theater, Wigmore Hall, Salle Cortot, and Seoul Arts Center.
A UNIVERSAL Classics Recording Artist, Richard has made five
solo albums that have sold over 100,000 copies. His three most
recent albums, Nore and Winter Journey for Deutsche Grammophon
and Mysterioso for ARCHIV Produktion, have earned him Platinum
Disc Awards. His second album, Lachrymae for UNIVERSAL Korea,
was the best selling Classical as well as International Pop Recording
of 2006.
Much in demand as a chamber musician, Richard is an Artist of
the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and serves as Principal
Violist of Camerata Pacifica since 2007. He was the sole violist
of Chamber Music Society Two from 2004-06, and for six years served
as principal violist and soloist of Sejong, a conductorless string
orchestra. Richard has collaborated with many of the world's finest
musicians including Emanuel Ax, Leon Fleisher, Garrick Ohlsson,
Menahem Pressler, Gil Shaham, Joshua Bell, Elmar Oliviera, Jamie
Laredo, Lynn Harrell, Steven Isserlis, the Emerson and Juilliard
String Quartets, Ensemble Wien-Berlin, among many others.
A popular figure in South Korea, Richard was the subject of a
two-part, five-hour documentary for the Korean Broadcasting System
that was viewed by 15 million people, and has been featured on
all of Korea's major television networks, radio, newspapers and
magazines. His chamber music project, DITTO, has introduced over
40,000 people to chamber music and on its first international
tour sold-out Tokyo's International Forum's Hall A (5000) as well
as Osaka's Symphony Hall. A commercial model, Special Representative
to UNICEF, and marathoner, he was recently appointed as cultural
ambassador for the South Korea's Ministry of Culture of Tourism,
a position he shares with Olympic Gold Medalist Yuna Kim. In the
United States, he has appeared on PBS Live from Lincoln Center
and CNN, and has served as Young Artist-in-Residence for National
Public Radio in Washington, D.C.
The first violist to receive the Artist Diploma from The Juilliard
School, Richard has studied with Paul Neubauer and Donald McInnes.
Residing in New York City and Los Angeles, he was honored with
a Proclamation from the New York City Council for his achievement
and contribution to the Arts. A dedicated teacher as well as performer,
Mr. O'Neill serves on the faculty of the Herb Alpert School of
Music at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“Ravishing” — London Times
“An electric performance…a crackling, visceral,
reading that held the audience in rapt attention” —
New York Times
“First-rate” — New York Times
“Elegant, velvety tone" — New
York Times
“A colorfully robust, expressive performance.”
— New York Times
“An astounding performance” — New York
Sun
“Richard O’Neill was the real find of the evening”
— New York Sun
“Technically immaculate” — Los Angeles
Times
“Fierce virtuosity” — San Francisco
Chronicle
“A rock solid performance that showcased the obvious
ardency and skill of Richard Yongjae O’Neill” —
Denver Post
“There was a new face that should be noted right away:
violist Richard O’Neill made a smashing debut…the young
musician is already making his way in the highly competitive world
of music…O’Neill took every advantage with his big,
resonant sound, facile technique and secure musicality. Over the
past 25 years, the Seattle Chamber Music Society has introduced
any number of important musicians to Seattle. O’Neill is
the latest” — Seattle Post Intelligencer
|
|