Master Class with Joel Smirnoff

Internationally acclaimed conductor and violinist Joel Smirnoff is the recently retired President of the Cleveland Institute of Music and former chair of the violin department at The Juilliard School. He has been a member of the Juilliard String Quartet since 1986—an ensemble that is a living American legend and has won four GRAMMY Awards—and since 1997 he has been the leader of the ensemble. He was also a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra for six years. In addition to his activities in classical music, Smirnoff is also a professional jazz violinst, performing frequently as improvising soloist with Tony Bennett. His solos were featured on the GRAMMY Award-winning CD Tony Bennett Sings Ellington Hot and Cool. He has also been guest soloist with Gunther Schuller and the American Jazz Orchestra, as well as the Billy Taylor Trio.