Johnny Gandelsman

About Johnny's Work

Johnny Gandelsman is a violinist and producer reimagining classical works and nurturing the creation of new music across genre and stylistic boundaries. In solo performances, collaborations and ensembles, and commissioning of new work, Gandelsman builds connections among diverse musical cultures and global artistic threads. He uniquely synthesizes past and present, making the experience of listening to music wholly new and fresh for audiences.

Gandelsman is deeply versed in the traditional violin repertoire. He reinvigorates well-known works through experimenting with the instrument and incorporating different techniques and styles. In two solo recordings—J. S. Bach: Complete Sonatas & Partitas for Violin (2018) and J. S. Bach: Complete Cello Suites Transcribed for Violin (2020)—Gandelsman uses a distinct bow hold and draws inspiration from folk fiddling. His effervescent renditions of the cello suites endow them with an improvisatory air and draw out their dance qualities. Gandelsman is a founding member of two notable ensembles. As a member of the Silk Road Ensemble (2002–2020), he immersed himself in the musical practices of composers and artists from a variety of non-Western cultures. With Brooklyn Rider, a string quartet, Gandelsman performs a broad repertoire that spans the eighteenth to twenty-first centuries. Their recordings and performances, often with musicians outside of the Western classical tradition, illuminate the connections between classical and contemporary works. For example, Healing Modes (2020) presents Beethoven’s String Quartet Opus 132 alongside five new works from contemporary composers. Each of the pieces explore the subject of healing, and the album as a whole brings a different range of historical and cultural contexts into conversation with one another.

Gandelsman’s This Is America: An Anthology (2022) showcases his tireless exploration of musical territories and commitment to elevating living composers. The project is comprised of 28 commissioned pieces by American and U.S.-based composers, a recording, and a performance series. Gandelsman conceived, raised funds for, and created the project during the COVID-19 pandemic, inviting composers to create works for violin that reflected their perspective on the cultural and political upheaval of 2020–2021. The contributing composers come from a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds and together speak to the strength of America’s diverse talent during a time of deep division. With a wide-ranging set of endeavors and an unfettered sense of adventure, Gandelsman is redefining the artistic possibilities for classically trained musicians.