Informations
Facts
Born in Asheville (NC), USA
Member since 01.09.2014
Biography
At the age of four, Noah Bendix-Balgley loved reading the book The Philharmonic Gets Dressed, and was thrilled when he first saw other children playing violin. Fascinated by the singing quality of the instrument, he persuaded his parents to let him try it. He made fast progress, playing for Yehudi Menuhin when he was nine years old. He went on to study at Indiana University under Mauricio Fuks and at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich under Christoph Poppen and Ana Chumachenco. As a violinist, he says, it is his life-long goal to find a personal sound that is not only beautiful, but also meaningful, and which speaks to the audience. He has won awards at numerous competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels and the Concours International Long-Thibaud.
From 2011 to 2015 Noah Bendix-Balgley was concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. As a soloist, he has performed with major orchestras including the Dresden, Radio France, Auckand, and Nagoya Philharmonic orchestras, and the Shanghai, Utah, Pittsburgh and Baltimore Symphony orchestras. A passionate chamber musician, Noah Bendix-Balgley performs in several ensembles, including the Rosamunde String Quartet (with members of Los Angeles and New York Philharmonics) and the multi-genre septet Philharmonix, which features members of both the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras. He has appeared at festivals worldwide, including the Seattle Music Festival, Bergen International Festival, the Sarasota Festival, ChamberFest Cleveland, Zermatt Festival, and Le Pont Festival in Japan.
Traditional klezmer music has been a part of Noah Bendix-Balgley’s musical life since he was young. He is an acclaimed klezmer performer, and has played with groups such as Brave Old World; he has taught at klezmer workshops throughout Europe and the United States. In 2016, he composed and premiered his own klezmer violin concerto, Fidl-Fantazye, with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Since then, he has performed the piece frequently in the USA, Asia and Europe, including an April 2023 performance at the Philharmonie.
In his free time, he enjoys hiking, travelling and watching baseball.
Awards
First Prize, Concours International de Musique Vibrarte (2011)
Laureat, Koningin Elisabethwedstrijd in Brüssel (2009)
Third Prize and special prize, Concours International Long-Thibaud in Paris (2008)
Ensembles of the Berliner Philharmoniker
Noah Bendix-Balgley plays Mozart’s violin concerto No. 1
Concert clip
Behind the music: Noah Bendix-Balgley
Video portrait
Going on tour in the USA as an American with the Berliner Philharmoniker, your own orchestra, is a big deal in itself. Performing as a soloist in New York’s Carnegie Hall, among other venues, makes the experience even more special. 1st concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley reveals what this means to him.
