The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra’s concertmaster will be at IU now through Feb. 14 as a Wells Scholars Program visiting professor, according to an IU Newsroom press release.
The concertmaster, Noah Bendix-Balgley, attended IU as a Wells Scholar and graduated from the Jacobs School of Music.
The Wells program invites an alumnus each spring to interact with students and teach a short colloquium, said Gwyn Richards, the David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean of the IU Jacobs School of Music, in a press release.
Bendiz-Balgley is returning to IU to teach masterclasses for Jacobs students, conduct a masterclass for the children of the IU String Academy, and speak at a luncheon for IU students.
Bendix-Balgley will also perform his violin concerto, “Fidl-Fantazye,” with the IU Philharmonic Orchestra at 8 p.m. Feb. 7 in the Musical Arts Center.
The concerto is a klezmer work, which is a type of music developed by the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe.
Bendix-Balgley is also leading an honors interdisciplinary colloquium for undergraduate students with Alain Barker, Jacobs School of Music director of entrepreneurship and career development.
The colloquium is titled “Art Music in the Contemporary World: An Exploration of Emerging Models.”
Bendix-Balgley said in a press release that he is excited to work with the Wells Scholars and return to the university that prepared him for his current musical career.
"I look forward to working with current Wells Scholars and students at the Jacobs School of Music, sharing insights and ideas about music and the classical music business,” he said in the press release.
Bendix-Balgley spent four years as concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra before joining the Berlin Philharmonic in 2015.
Wells Scholars Program director Christoph Irmscher said he is proud of what Bendix-Balgley has accomplished since leaving IU, according to an IU Newsroom press release.
“He is one of the world's foremost violinists and an inspiration to our current scholars, and we are delighted that he has come back to IU to share his music and his expertise with us,” Irmscher said in the release.
Richards said she is happy Bendix-Balgley has returned to teach students this spring.
"It's thrilling to know that yet another member of our alumni has made an indelible mark on our profession,” Richards said in the release. “We have been looking forward to his visit, and we are excited that he is here and able to share his insight and experiences with our students."
Christine Fernando
