Eugene Levinson
Eugene Levinson enjoys a unique career as a world-class soloist and as Principal Bass of the New York Philharmonic since May 1985, in addition to being one of the foremost and world-renowned double bass teachers.
Mr. Levinson was born in Kiev and began his musical studies at the age of nine. He graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory, where he later received his doctoral degree and was, at the age of 29, the youngest member to be appointed to this illustrious institution's faculty. For 13 years, Mr. Levinson was the principal bass of the Leningrad Chamber Orchestra and a member of the Leningrad Philharmonic for nearly 16years. During this period, he made many solo and ensemble appearances on U.S.S.R. radio and television, in addition to releasing three recordings on the Melodiya Records label.
In 1977 Eugene Levinson became the principal bass of the Minnesota Orchestra as well as a featured soloist. He released his first U.S. recording under the Pro Arte label, featuring the Franck Sonata in A major and works by Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky. Each of these compositions was transcribed and edited by Mr. Levinson for the bass and recorded with his wife, the pianist Gina Levinson. These recordings sold out in record time, especially in Asia, where they are expected to be re-released. In June 1996 Eugene Levinson released New York Legends under the Cala Records label.
Many of Mr. Levinson’s students have achieved positions as members of prestigious orchestras throughout the world, and some have been named principals. Mr. Levinson is often asked to participate in double bass forums in the U.S. and in Europe. He has led numerous master classes and orchestral playing workshops, most recently at the Toho School of Music in Tokyo, Japan. In 1995 he taught two master classes at the Hague State Conservatory in the Netherlands in 1995. While the New York Philharmonic was on a European tour in 1996, Mr. Levinson gave two master classes at the Conservatory of Music in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In March 1997, Eugene Levinson was invited to the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music in Madrid, Spain, as a guest artist, where he gave a five-day master class. In November of 1997, he was invited as a special guest by the Danish Bass Society to celebrate its tenth anniversary where, in the course of 10 days, he gave a series of master classes, performed a recital and chamber music, and conducted an orchestra comprising 50 basses and organ. He has taught at the University of Minnesota, St. Olaf College, and the Peabody Conservatory, and has been a visiting artist at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and the Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley, California.
Since his arrival in the United States in 1977, Mr. Levinson has also been on the faculty of the Indiana University Summer School, and has been an annual faculty member of the Sarasota Music Festival and Aspen Music Festival & School since 1979. He has been a member of the bass department faculty of The Juilliard School since 1985, where he has championed a number of new works that were written for him by prominent composers associated with Juilliard. He was co-chairman of the bass department from 1992-2002.
Mr. Levinson has appeared frequently as soloist with the New York Philharmonic since joining the Orchestra in 1985. In 1986 he performed Koussevitzky’s Bass Concerto under the direction of Zubin Mehta; the work was subsequently recorded with other compositions performed by the New York Philharmonic’s principal players. In November 1996 Mr. Levinson performed the New York Philharmonic premiere of Eduard Tubin’s Bass Concerto, under the direction of Kurt Masur. And in January 2004 he performed the bass obbligato part in the New York Philharmonic premiere of Mozart’s Bass Concert Aria, “Per questa bella mano,” K.612, with bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff, conducted by Riccardo Muti. The concert was broadcast on PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center.
Eugene Levinson has had three of his transcriptions published: The Franck Sonata by Medici, The Misek Sonata, and J.C. Bach Adagio by International. In 2002, he wrote a new technical method book entitled School of Agility, released by Carl Fischer, which describes his innovative and effective method of bass playing.
In 2003 Mr. Levinson was honored with the distinguished Special Recognition Award in Orchestral Performance from the International Society of Bassists for his “extraordinary skills and contribution to the worldwide community of bassists.”
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Eugene Levinson
Eugene Levinson enjoys a unique career as a world-class soloist and as Principal Bass of the New York Philharmonic since May 1985, in addition to being one of the foremost and world-renowned double bass teachers.
Mr. Levinson was born in Kiev and began his musical studies at the age of nine. He graduated from the Leningrad Conservatory, where he later received his doctoral degree and was, at the age of 29, the youngest member to be appointed to this illustrious institution's faculty. For 13 years, Mr. Levinson was the principal bass of the Leningrad Chamber Orchestra and a member of the Leningrad Philharmonic for nearly 16years. During this period, he made many solo and ensemble appearances on U.S.S.R. radio and television, in addition to releasing three recordings on the Melodiya Records label.
In 1977 Eugene Levinson became the principal bass of the Minnesota Orchestra as well as a featured soloist. He released his first U.S. recording under the Pro Arte label, featuring the Franck Sonata in A major and works by Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky. Each of these compositions was transcribed and edited by Mr. Levinson for the bass and recorded with his wife, the pianist Gina Levinson. These recordings sold out in record time, especially in Asia, where they are expected to be re-released. In June 1996 Eugene Levinson released New York Legends under the Cala Records label.
Many of Mr. Levinson’s students have achieved positions as members of prestigious orchestras throughout the world, and some have been named principals. Mr. Levinson is often asked to participate in double bass forums in the U.S. and in Europe. He has led numerous master classes and orchestral playing workshops, most recently at the Toho School of Music in Tokyo, Japan. In 1995 he taught two master classes at the Hague State Conservatory in the Netherlands in 1995. While the New York Philharmonic was on a European tour in 1996, Mr. Levinson gave two master classes at the Conservatory of Music in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In March 1997, Eugene Levinson was invited to the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music in Madrid, Spain, as a guest artist, where he gave a five-day master class. In November of 1997, he was invited as a special guest by the Danish Bass Society to celebrate its tenth anniversary where, in the course of 10 days, he gave a series of master classes, performed a recital and chamber music, and conducted an orchestra comprising 50 basses and organ. He has taught at the University of Minnesota, St. Olaf College, and the Peabody Conservatory, and has been a visiting artist at the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and the Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley, California.
Since his arrival in the United States in 1977, Mr. Levinson has also been on the faculty of the Indiana University Summer School, and has been an annual faculty member of the Sarasota Music Festival and Aspen Music Festival & School since 1979. He has been a member of the bass department faculty of The Juilliard School since 1985, where he has championed a number of new works that were written for him by prominent composers associated with Juilliard. He was co-chairman of the bass department from 1992-2002.
Mr. Levinson has appeared frequently as soloist with the New York Philharmonic since joining the Orchestra in 1985. In 1986 he performed Koussevitzky’s Bass Concerto under the direction of Zubin Mehta; the work was subsequently recorded with other compositions performed by the New York Philharmonic’s principal players. In November 1996 Mr. Levinson performed the New York Philharmonic premiere of Eduard Tubin’s Bass Concerto, under the direction of Kurt Masur. And in January 2004 he performed the bass obbligato part in the New York Philharmonic premiere of Mozart’s Bass Concert Aria, “Per questa bella mano,” K.612, with bass-baritone Thomas Quasthoff, conducted by Riccardo Muti. The concert was broadcast on PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center.
Eugene Levinson has had three of his transcriptions published: The Franck Sonata by Medici, The Misek Sonata, and J.C. Bach Adagio by International. In 2002, he wrote a new technical method book entitled School of Agility, released by Carl Fischer, which describes his innovative and effective method of bass playing.
In 2003 Mr. Levinson was honored with the distinguished Special Recognition Award in Orchestral Performance from the International Society of Bassists for his “extraordinary skills and contribution to the worldwide community of bassists.”