Silvia
Simionescu
Enthusiasm, tenderness, ardour… Everything was there in her passionate interpretation.
Le Diapason
Vitæ
Silvia Simionescu, internationally well-known violist, enjoys a diverse career that takes her all over the world as a performing musician.
Her appearances in major venues such as Paris Châtelet, Auditorium Barcelona, Wigmore Hall, KKL-Luzern, Tonhalle Zürich, Geneva Victoria Hall, Casals Hall Tokyo, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Teatro La Fenice in Venice and Concertgebouw Amsterdam, have been praised for her exceptionally passionate, intensive and intelligent musicianship.
Born in Romania, Silvia took up playing the violin at the age of six. After having completed her studies in Bucharest with Stefan Gheorghiu and Modest Iftinchi she joins the International Menuhin Music Academy in Switzerland where she studies both violin and viola under the precious guidance of legendary Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Alberto Lysy and Johannes Eskaer.
Her rencontre with Ferenc Rados, pianist and pedagogue, has deeply influenced her musical approach.
An avid and devoted chamber musician, Silvia had the great opportunity to enrich her artistic experience playing with internationally acclaimed musicians such as Joshua Bell, Carolin Widman, Ilya Gringolts, Ana Chumachenco, Alberto Lysy, Leon Fleischer, Jörg Widmann, Malin Hartelius, Bruno Giurana, David Geringas and others.
Silvia is a prizewinner of several international competitions among others: 1st Prize in the Brescia International Competition and 1st Prize as a member of the Ligeti String Trio at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition
She performed as soloist in Romania, Italy, Switzerland, Lituania, India and Japan.
Born in Romania, Silvia took up playing the violin at the age of six. After having completed her studies in Bucharest with Stefan Gheorghiu and Modest Iftinchi she joins the International Menuhin Music Academy in Switzerland where she studies both violin and viola under the precious guidance of legendary Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Alberto Lysy and Johannes Eskaer.
Her rencontre with Ferenc Rados, pianist and pedagogue, has deeply influenced her musical approach.
An avid and devoted chamber musician, Silvia had the great opportunity to enrich her artistic experience playing with internationally acclaimed musicians such as Joshua Bell, Carolin Widman, Ilya Gringolts, Ana Chumachenco, Alberto Lysy, Leon Fleischer, Jörg Widmann, Malin Hartelius, Bruno Giurana, David Geringas and others.
Silvia is a prizewinner of several international competitions among others: 1st Prize in the Brescia International Competition and 1st Prize as a member of the Ligeti String Trio at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition
She performed as soloist in Romania, Italy, Switzerland, Lituania, India and Japan.
Over the years she was invited to perform in important international festivals such as Mont Fuji Festival, Les Folles Journées de Nantes, Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Hindemith Tage, Sangat Festival Bombay, Edinburgh Festival, Georges Enescu Festival, and West Cork Festival.
For two decades, Silvia was member of “Ensemble Musique Oblique” (ensemble “à geometrie variable“) and Menuhin Festival Piano Quartet, both critically acclaimed chamber music groups.
Her extensive collaboration with these two ensembles enhanced the versatility of her playing, introducing Silvia to a very large and diverse panel of chamber music works.
As a member of the Gringolts Quartet since 2009 she has fulfilled the dream of her life: to explore the immense treasure of the string quartet repertoire, from the early classics to contemporary composers.
Silvia is passionately engaged in teaching and since 2004 she holds a viola and chamber music position at the Basel Musik Academy.
She is regularly invited to give masterclasses in Switzerland, Germany, Spain and India.
Her extensive collaboration with these two ensembles enhanced the versatility of her playing, introducing Silvia to a very large and diverse panel of chamber music works.
As a member of the Gringolts Quartet since 2009 she has fulfilled the dream of her life: to explore the immense treasure of the string quartet repertoire, from the early classics to contemporary composers.
Silvia is passionately engaged in teaching and since 2004 she holds a viola and chamber music position at the Basel Musik Academy.
She is regularly invited to give masterclasses in Switzerland, Germany, Spain and India.
She interpreted the 1851 Schumann sonata on viola with such musical truthfulness that it transformed her voice into a fervent discourse.
Rheinische Post
Teaching
Silvia Simionescu is a sought out teacher as well, both as a violist and as a chamber musician.
My goal as teacher…. transmitting the passion for music, blossoming the imagination, enriching their minds and souls with the specific language of each composer and giving my students all the tools needed before embarking upon their life long musical journey.
Teaching is extremely fascinating for me. Each student is different, there are those who need a detailed analysis of the piece, some who need help in fixing instrumental shortcomings, those who are struggling creating a connection with the public or with the music itself. Some are motivated by constructive criticism, others need confidence and guidance.
In the end, finding the most appropriate way to come to a result and reaching the point where each of them can become their own teacher has always been a very stimulating and interesting challenge for me.
Teaching is extremely fascinating for me. Each student is different, there are those who need a detailed analysis of the piece, some who need help in fixing instrumental shortcomings, those who are struggling creating a connection with the public or with the music itself. Some are motivated by constructive criticism, others need confidence and guidance.
In the end, finding the most appropriate way to come to a result and reaching the point where each of them can become their own teacher has always been a very stimulating and interesting challenge for me.
upcoming Masterclasses
the 10th Rencontres Musicales Alberto Lysy
15-23rd February 2025
Château d’Oex
Switzerland
www.albertolysy.ch
15-23rd February 2025
Château d’Oex
Switzerland
www.albertolysy.ch
Internationale Sommerakademie Ettal
24-30th August 2025
Benedictine monastery of Ettal
Germany
Internationale Sommerakademie Ettal
24-30th August 2025
Benedictine monastery of Ettal
Germany
Internationale Sommerakademie Ettal
Testimonials
“My studies with Silvia were and continue to be a crucial part of my development as a violist and musician. Silvia has an exceptional intuition for grasping the different layers of issues that arise for any student and a refined nose seeking for balance in both the physical and interpretative aspects of music.
Perhaps, for me, the most important aspect was that the problem-solving process never overshadowed my own identity as a musician, but rather quite the opposite. The work patiently and passionately nurtured the maturity of my own voice as an artist, and for that, I will always be grateful.“
Perhaps, for me, the most important aspect was that the problem-solving process never overshadowed my own identity as a musician, but rather quite the opposite. The work patiently and passionately nurtured the maturity of my own voice as an artist, and for that, I will always be grateful.“
“In her lessons, Music, understood as a work of art, is the centre around which everything takes shape. Silvia lends her artistic approach, sensitive and refined, demanding and critical, sometimes strict… but always honest because it springs from art.
Behind this pronounced objectivity, which sometimes caused me the anxiety of judgement, I have learnt to recognise the same desire that binds all musicians, which is simply to honour the music as best one can.”
Behind this pronounced objectivity, which sometimes caused me the anxiety of judgement, I have learnt to recognise the same desire that binds all musicians, which is simply to honour the music as best one can.”
Alumni
| Alessandro d’Amico | Violist of Merel Quartet and Camerata Variabile |
|---|---|
| Alberto Rodríguez | Professor Musikschule Konservatorium Bern |
| Ania Radvan | Professor Musikschule Bautiger |
| Mariateresa Pagano | Professor Musikschule Zuchwil |
| Carlos Valles | Kammerorchesterbasel |
| Katya Pollin | Solo viola Kammerorchesterbasel |
| Giorgio Chinnici | Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana |
| Olivier Carillier | Solo viola Sinfonieorchester Basel |
| Pablo José Salva | Sinfonieorchester Basel |
| Gemma Pujol | Professor Conservatori dels Pirineos |
| Leire Moreno | Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa |
| Ricardo Cuende Isuskiza | Professor Leioa Music school and violist at the Academy of Ancient Music |
| Elia Portabales | Solo viola of Neues Orchester Basel, violist Geneva Camerata and Basel Sinfonietta |
| Alberico Giusinni | Professor Musikschule Wettingen |
| Dan Schor | Professor Conservatorium Bucharest |
| Constance Schacher | Professor Conservatoire de Paris |
