Dmitry Sitkovetsky Named Patron Of UK's The Purcell School For Young Musicians

Celebrated violinist, recording artist, conductor, creator, and transcriber Dmitry Sitkovetsky has been named the newest Patron of The Purcell School. Known as the United Kingdom's oldest music school, Sitkovetsky will join a prestigious cohort of Patrons including former HRH Prince of Wales (Royal Patron since March 1985); Sir Simon Rattle (President); Vladimir Ashkenazy; Sir Andrew Davis, CBE; Evgeny Kissin; Donatella Flick; Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, DBE; and Julian Lloyd Webber, OBE.

Recent notable alumni of The Purcell School include BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 pianist Martin James Bartlett, Royal Harpist Anne Denholm, GRAMMY-winning artist Jacob Collier, and Oscar-nominated film composer Mica Levi, to name but a few.

The patronage comes at an important time for The Purcell School. Principal, Paul Bambrough, commented: "It is a tremendous privilege to welcome Dmitry Sitkovetsky as the School's newest patron. It is thrilling to have the opportunity to build a meaningful and lasting relationship with a musician of such international renown and astonishing talent. Dmitry's recent visit to the school left a profound and lasting impression on all of us and I know that both current and future students will benefit from Dmitry's profound wisdom and experience. Our String department is one of the finest of its kind anywhere in the world and to be supported and guided by a violinist of such significance and distinction will only inspire and encourage our young players to even greater heights."

Of his new appointment, Sitkovetsky says "It is with great joy and enthusiasm that I accept this wonderful honor to be a new Patron of the Purcell School. It marks a new chapter in my professional life - a chance to share my good fortune of having grown up with the giants of the music world, with the most exciting young talents at the best music school in the UK."

About Dmitry Sitkovetsky

Full of international festivals, competitions, and orchestral performances, Sitkovetsky's 2023-2024 season follows an eventful summer, including the Gala Concert for the 30th Anniversary of the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, where his special new transcription of Bach's Goldberg Variations was premiered by a star-studded ensemble of 42 festival soloists. He also performed and conducted at the Varna Festival in Bulgaria; the Clandeboye Festival in Northern Ireland; and the Gabala International Music Festival in Azerbaijan. He made his debut with the Sofia Philharmonic, as well as his recital debut in Riga, Latvia. As his season continues, he both performs and conducts with the New European Strings Chamber Orchestra - which he founded in 1990 - and with the Silesian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra in Katowice, Poland. He appears as a juror for the New York Young Concert Artists Semi-Final and Final Auditions, as well as the Katowice Fitelberg Conducting Competition Jury (Poland) and the Concertino Praga: Antonín Dvořák International Radio Competition for Young Musicians (Czech Republic). He also leads masterclasses with the Blackmore International Music Academy (Berlin, Germany) and performs in Berlin with his students of the Masterclass.

In his previous season, Sitkovetsky closed a major chapter in his career, leading North Carolina's Greensboro Symphony Orchestra in his 20th and final season as Music Director. Over two decades with the orchestra, Sitkovetsky curated more than 120 different orchestral programs, featuring such soloists as Emmanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Garrick Ohlsson and Pinchas Zukerman. Among last season's international highlights, Sitkovetsky made key appearances in Israel - performing at the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival and conducting the Israel Camerata Jerusalem - and in Mexico, where he played at the Guadalajara Chamber Music Festival. He was also featured in concerts in Berlin, Germany; Bucharest, Romania; Havana, Cuba; Istanbul, Turkey; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Sofia, Bulgaria.

In a flourishing career as a conductor, Sitkovetsky has worked with such orchestras as Academy of St-Martin-In-The-Fields, Dallas Symphony, London Philharmonic, Orchestre de chambre de Paris, Lucerne Symphony, Orchestra della Toscana, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Shanghai Symphony, and Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra, Japan Century Symphony, amongst others. In 1990, he founded the New European Strings Chamber Orchestra (NES) - bringing together the most distinguished string players from the top European ensembles.

His celebrated career is documented in an extensive discography of more than 40 recordings, reflecting the impressive breadth of his repertoire. His recording collaborators to date include such orchestras as the London Symphony, Philharmonia, and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, alongside such legendary maestros as Sir Colin Davis, Mariss Jansons, Sir Neville Marriner, and Lord Yehudi Menuhin. As a soloist, Sitkovetsky has performed with the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, Leipzig Gewandhaus, New York Philharmonic, NHK Symphony, and Philadelphia Orchestra, among others.

Sitkovetsky has been invited to create, develop and lead a number of festivals, including the Korsholm Music Festival, Finland (1983-1993, and 2002), the Seattle International Music Festival (1992-1997), the Silk Route of Music, Azerbaijan (1999), and the Festival del Sole, Tuscany (2003-2006). He is also in high demand as a jury member, musical expert and educator.

Sitkovetsky's name has become synonymous with the art of transcription. His iconic orchestral and string trio versions of J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations are performed worldwide. Following this unprecedented success, Sitkovetsky has gone on to arrange over 60 works of major repertoire. Learn more at www.dmitrysitkovetsky.com.