Violist Paul Neubauer’s exceptional musicality and effortless playing led the New York Times to call him “a master musician.” In 2018 he made his Chicago Symphony subscription debut with conductor Riccardo Muti and his Mariinsky Orchestra debut with conductor Valery Gergiev.
He also gave the U.S. Premiere of the newly discovered Impromptu for viola and piano by Shostakovich with pianist Wu Han. In addition, his recording of the Aaron Kernis Viola Concerto with the Royal Northern Sinfonia, was released on Signum Records and his recording of the complete viola and piano music by Ernest Bloch with pianist Margo Garrett was released on Delos.
Appointed principal violist of the New York Philharmonic at age 21, he has appeared as soloist with over 100 orchestras including the New York, Los Angeles, and Helsinki philharmonics; National, St. Louis, Detroit, Dallas, San Francisco, and Bournemouth symphonies; and Santa Cecilia, English Chamber, and Beethovenhalle orchestras.
He has premiered viola concertos by Bartók (revised version of the Viola Concerto), Friedman, Glière, Jacob, Kernis, Lazarof, Müller-Siemens, Ott, Penderecki, Picker, Suter, and Tower and has been featured on CBS’s Sunday Morning, A Prairie Home Companion, and in Strad, Strings, and People magazines. A two-time Grammy nominee, he has recorded on numerous labels including Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, RCA Red Seal, and Sony Classical. Among his awards are first prize in the Mae M. Whitaker International, the D’Angelo International, and the Lionel Tertis International Viola competitions, and he was the first violist chosen to receive an Avery Fisher Career Grant. He has edited works for viola that have been published by Boosey & Hawkes, International Music Company, and Universal Edition, and has served as a judge for Young Concert Artists and the Lionel Tertis, Walter W. Naumburg and Munich ARD international viola competitions. Mr. Neubauer is the artistic director of the Mostly Music series in New Jersey and is on the faculty of The Juilliard School and Mannes College.
“Music is an endless journey; each new experience alters the way you approach and connect to a piece. My job as a teacher is to help you access your personal connection with the music and guide you in how to execute this to the best of your abilities. We can take this time to explore ourselves and our relationship with the music, and when we are able to return to the live stage, it will be with a heightened awareness and appreciation.”
