Alexandra Soumm

Introduction

A current member of the BBC Radio 3's New Generation Artists scheme, Alexandra Soumm started to learn the violin with her father at the age of five and is currently studying with the eminent pedagogue Boris Kushnir.  Highlights in her 2011-12 season include the Tchaikovsky concerto with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and Thomas Søndergård, the Beethoven concerto with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and Gilbert Varga, the Mendelssohn concerto with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and Muhai Tang, a recital at the Auditorium du Louvre and returns to the Verbier and Gstaad festivals.

Biography

Born in Moscow, Alexandra Soumm started to learn the violin with her father at the age of five and gave her first concert two years later in the Ukraine.  In 2000, she entered the Vienna Conservatory and the Graz University of Music in the class of the eminent pedagogue Boris Kuschnir.  She made her debut at the Vienna Konzerthaus in 2002 after winning the Grand Prize of the Vienna Conservatory Competition.  Following her triumph at the 2004 Eurovision Competition for young musicians in Lucerne, she was awarded the Herbert von Karajan Scholarship of the Karajan Centrum in Vienna.

Alexandra has appeared with many leading orchestras in France, including the Beethoven concerto with the Orchestre National de Lyon and Michel Plasson, the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse with Tugan Sokhiev, the Orchestre National de Montpellier with Juraj Valcuha, the Orchestre National d'Ile de France with Enrique Mazzola and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice with Frédéric Lodéon.  Alexandra’s debut with the Orchestre de Paris and Neeme Järvi came in 2009 when she performed the Bruch concerto at the Salle Pleyel in Paris.  She subsequently returned to the orchestra in January 2011. 

Recent highlights in Alexandra’s diary include the Glazunov concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Alexander Lazerev as well as Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and John Storgård, Lalo Symphonie Espagnol with Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and Lionel Bringuier and the Beethoven concerto with the National Philharmonic of Russia and Vladimir Spivakov.  With the Israel Philharmonic, she has played the first Paganini concerto with Yoel Levi and Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Mozart Concerto no.4 and Mozart Concerto no.3 with Herbert Blomstedt.  In 2011, she made debuts with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (Sibelius) and the NHK Symphony Orchestra (Mendelssohn).

Alexandra regularly appears at international festivals such as Verbier, Schleswig-Holstein,  Strasbourg, St Denis, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Deauville, Dubrovnik, Menton, Montpellier, Besancon, Montreux-Vevey, the Martha Argerich Festival in Lugano and the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad.

Since joining BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Artists scheme at the beginning of the 2010-11 season, Alexandra has worked with most of the BBC ensembles.  Highlights in her 2011-12 season include the Tchaikovsky concerto with the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra and Thomas Søndergård, the Mendelssohn concerto with the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra and Gilbert Varga as well as the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and Muhai Tang, a recital at the Auditorium du Louvre and returns to the Verbier and Gstaad festivals.

In the spring of 2008 Alexandra’s debut recording of the Bruch and Paganini concertos was released on the Claves label.  Le Monde de la Musique described her interpretation as ‘displaying a passionate and lyrical personality’.  Her second disc with Claves, a recording of the violin sonatas by Grieg, was released in spring 2010.

The violin Alexandra plays on is made by Giovanni Baptista Guadagnini in Turin c.1785 and is known as the ‘ex-Kavakos’.  The loan of the instrument by a benefactor is a part of the London Music Masters Award (2012-15) and has kindly been arranged through Florian Leonhard Fine Violins, London.

Press Reviews

"...this was one of the finest performances of the work I have ever heard.  It positively sizzled but not at the expense of the lovely Mendelssohnian lyricisms.  A former child prodigy, Alexandra is now a mature 23 year old who delivers playing of astonishing power from a slight frame in a way that seems to defy nature.  The three component parts of orchestra, conductor and soloist were interpretively at one, negotiating their way through roller coaster tempi with perfect ensemble.  A wonderful moment was Mendelssohn’s cadenza towards the end of the first movement delivered quite stunningly by the soloist.  Here it was possible to savour the otherwise problematic acoustic of the cathedral setting.  The repeated, astronomically high notes wafted to the vaulted roof and lingered with ethereal resonance around the sacred space, lending authority to the clichéd adjective 'heavenly'."
John Leeman, Seen & Heard International, 9 May 2012
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Northern Sinfonia / Janusz Piotrowicz, Ripon Festival, 5 May 2012

"Alexandra Soumm, a BBC Radio 3 New Generation artist, was the very poised soloist, her tone bright but articulating the phrasing with sensitivity and charm."
The Guardian, 6 December 2011
Mozart Violin Concerto no.3, BBC National Orchestra of Wales / Martyn Brabbins, 5 December 2011

THE STRAD RECOMMENDS: “Youth and vitality pour forth from these delicious recordings of the Grieg sonatas by Moscow-born violinist Alexandra Soumm and French pianist David Kadouch, both in their mid-twenties.  Never a note or a gesture is misplaced, Soumm bringing a featherlight touch to Grieg’s songful phrases, and Kadouch echoing her finesse with his transparent and eminently sensitive pianism.”
The Strad, December 2010
Grieg: Three Violin Sonatas (Claves)

“Eindrucksvoll meisterte Alexandra Soumm Maurice Ravels Violin-Bravourstücke Tzigane.  Sie beeindruckte mit weichen Flageoletts zarten Pizzicatti und schwierigen Doppelgriffen und riss das Publikum zu Beifallsstürmen hin.  Zart und fein auch Jules Massenets Meditation aus Thais.”
Schwarzwalder Bote, 4 August 2010
Ravel Tzigane / Massenet Meditation, Sudwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz / Jean Louis Forestier, July 2010

“Sämtliche technische Anforderungen von Ravels Violin-Bravour-stücke Tzigane meisterte die knapp 21-jährige Solistin Alexandra Soumm souverän.  Flageoletts, Pizzicati und Doppelgriffe kamen enorm klangschön, Dirigent [Jean Louis] Forestier sorgte für gut synchronisierte, geschmeidige Tempi, und mit der klug gestalteten Kadenz bewies Alexandra Soumm, dass sie mit namhaften Kolleg(inn)en mithalten kann.  Eine vergleichsweise leichte Übung war für sie die Meditation von Massenet, die ihr angemessen klangschweigerisch gelang, ohne übertriebenes Vibrato.”
Schwabisches Tagblatt, 2 August 2010
Ravel Tzigane / Massenet Meditation, Sudwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz / Jean Louis Forestier, July 2010

“Dass dann doch noch Russland in den Vordergrund rückte, war ein Segen, vor allem auch deshalb, da Sergej Prokofjews Violinkonzert Nr. 1 nicht nur eine wunderbare Komposition ist, sondern in der Solistin Alexandra Soumm auch eine wahre Teufelsinterpretin fand.  Die technisch perfekte, blutjunge Geigerin verblüffte—vor allem das irrwitzige Scherzo brachte noch selten gehörte Virtuosität ins Montforthaus, die vom begeisterten Publikum mit minutenlangem Applaus honoriert wurde.”
Feldkircher Anzeiger, 10 June 2010
Prokofiev Violin Concerto no.1, Orchestre de Chambre Pelléas / Benjamin Levy, Feldkirch Festival, June 2010

“Die Solisten Alexandra Soumm spielte den höchst anspruchsvollen Violinpart mit bewundernswerter Meisterschaft. […] Souverän wirkte Alexandra Soumm als Solistin im Violinkonzert Nr. 1 von Prokofjew.  Sie zeigte eine in alle Facetten reichende Spielkunst.  Lyrisch entrückt setzte sie den Beginn, um dann mit einem energischen Zugriff den virtuosen Klangkaskaden den nötigen Stellenwert zu verleihen.  Faszinierend artikulierte sie die schwierigen Passagen.  Ihr zur Seite agierte das Orchestre aufmerksam und als gutter Partner.  Motorisch vorwärts drängend und mit einer prägnanten Rhythmik verdichteten die Solistin und das Orchester das Scherzo, das einen mitreißenden Drive entwickelte.  Im Finalsatz füllte das Orchester seinen melodiebildenden Part gut aus, so dass die Rollenverteilungen zwischen der Solistin und den Orchestermusikern plastisch ausgefort erklang.
Kulturzeitschrift, 8 June 2010
Prokofiev Violin Concerto no.1, Orchestre de Chambre Pelléas / Benjamin Levy, Feldkirch Festival, June 2010

“Dann betrat mit Alexandra Soumm, gerade einmal 21 Jahre jung, ein aussergewöhnliches Geigentalent die Bühne.  Trotz ihres jugendlichen Alters widmete sie sich mit derartiger Inbrunst und technischer Brillanz dem anspruchsvollen Violinkonzert, dass man aus dem Staunen nicht mehr herauskam.  Dem enorm schnellen Tempo im zweiten Satz wurde sie ebenso gerecht wie den lyrischen Passagen im ersten und letzten Satz.  Ihre lupenreine Intonation in den immer höher klimmenden Solopartien verblüffte genauso wie ihr sphärisches Pianissimo.  Verstärkt durch das einfühlsame Spiel des Orchestre de Chambre Pelleas konnte man schlichtweg in märchenhaften Klängen schwelgen.”
Liechtensteiner Vaterland, 7 June 2010
Prokofiev Violin Concerto no.1, Orchestre de Chambre Pelléas / Benjamin Levy, Feldkirch Festival, June 2010

“Mit Alexandra Soumm übernahm eine junge Künstlerin den Solopart, die sowohl den fein silbrigen, süßen Ton in den Außensätzen schweben lässt als auch den Biss und das Temperament für den Hexentanz in der Mitte des Werkes hat.  In intensivem Zusammenspiel mit dem Orchester gestaltete sie die rhythmisch komplizierten Dialog emit den Bläsern, verwandelte sie das Scherzo in eine gestochen scharfe Krimimusik und übernahm im Finale die Führung mit glanzvollen, zuletzt ätherisch verklingenden Linien.”
Neue am Sonntag, 6 June 2010
Prokofiev Violin Concerto no.1, Orchestre de Chambre Pelléas / Benjamin Levy, Feldkirch Festival, June 2010

Discography

Grieg: Violin Sonatas
With David Kadouch
Claves, 2010

Bruch / Paganini: Violin Concertos no.1
With Deutsche Philharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz / Georg Mark
Claves, 2008

Repertoire

Please note: this concerto repertoire list is for reference only. The choice of repertoire for a particular project remains at the artist's discretion.

J.S. BACH
Concerto in A minor
Double Violin Concerto

BARBER
Concerto

BARTOK
Concerto no.1 (in preparation)

BEETHOVEN
Concerto
Triple Concerto

BERG
Concerto (in preparation)

BRAHMS
Concerto
Double Concerto

BRUCH
Concerto no.1
Double Concerto

CHAUSSON
Poeme

GLAZUNOV
Concerto

LALO
Symphonie Espagnole

MENDELSSOHN
Concerto in E minor

MOZART
Concerto no.3
Concerto no.4
Sinfonia Concertante

PAGANINI
Concerto no.1

PROKOFIEV
Concerto no.1

RAVEL
Tzigane

SIBELIUS
Concerto

SHOSTAKOVICH
Concerto no.2 (in preparation)

TCHAIKOVSKY
Concerto

WAXMAN
Carmen Fantasy

Links

Claves Records

medici.tv broadcast of a duo recital at the Auditorium du Louvre, 28 March 2012

London Music Masters (Alexandra is a recipient of a London Music Masters Award, 2012-15)

Contact

Rupert Chandler

Charlotte Yuen

Worldwide Management: Askonas Holt

Season overview

2010/11 season overview

2011/12 season overview

Schedule

Rishon LeZion Performing Arts Center
24 May 2012 20.30

Tel Aviv Performing Arts Centre
27 May 2012 20.00

Rishon LeZion Performing Arts Center
28 May 2012 20.30

Rishon LeZion Performing Arts Center
29 May 2012 20.30

Tonhalle Zurich
2 June 2012 19.30

City of London Festival
10 July 2012 18.00

Symphony Hall, Osaka
28 July 2012 19.00

Toppan Hall, Tokyo
31 July 2012 19.00

Shirakawa Hall, Nagoya
1 August 2012 18.45

Suntory Hall, Tokyo
4 August 2012 19.00

Publicity Downloads

Image 1 (credit: Dan Carabas)

Image 2 (credit: Dan Carabas)

Image 3 (credit: Dan Carabas)

Image 4 (credit: Dan Carabas)

Image 5 (credit: Dan Carabas)

Image 6 (credit: Dan Carabas)