Alexander Janiczek

Alexander Janiczek, highly sought after as a director, soloist, guest leader and chamber musician, was born in Salzburg to a musical family of Polish and Czech descent. He studied with Helmuth Zehetmair at the Mozarteum and also in masterclasses with Max Rostal, Nathan Milstein, Ruggiero Ricci and Dorothy Delay.

Janiczek established his name as a concert violinist at the age of nine when he won first prize in the National Competition of Austria. From the age of twenty he developed a close association with Sándor Végh and the Camerata Salzburg. This led to tours across Europe and the Americas as leader, director and soloist and in recordings including Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante and Mozart’s G Major Concerto – played on Sándor Végh’s famous Paganini Stradivarius. He is a regular guest director with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, with whom he has toured extensively for many years throughout Europe and the Far East. In 2007 he directed the orchestra in a European tour with Mitsuko Uchida in a programme of Mozart, Strauss & Wagner and again in 2008 in Mozart and Stravinsky.

Alexander Janiczek has also a close relationship with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, whom he led from 1999-2002 and continues to be invited back as director and soloist on tours throughout Scotland and Europe, and directed them on their USA tour in 2010. He also directs the Orchestra in the highly acclaimed series of Mozart Serenades for Linn Records.

He is also committed to exploring 19th century performance practice and works regularly with La Chambre Philharmonique under Emmanuel Krivine and the Orchestre des Champs-Elysées under Philippe Herreweghe. Much in demand at festivals across Europe, appearing at festivals such as the East Neuk Festival, St Magnus Festival, Festival de Saintes, Herrrenchiemsee Festspiele, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Salzburg Festival.

Janiczek has a wide repertoire ranging from Bartok and Berg to Mendelssohn and Mozart and has appeared with artists such as Piotr Anderszewski, Yuri Bashmet, Jiri Belohlávek, Olari Elts, Thierry Fischer, Hans Graf, Philippe Herreweghe, Manfred Honeck, Neeme Järvi, Ton Koopman, Oliver Knussen, Emmanuel Krivine, Antonello Manacorda, Sir Roger Norrington, Murray Perahia, Matthias Pintscher and Joseph Swensen.

Janiczek's current concerto engagements include Beethoven, Berg’s Concerto and Chamber Concerto, Dvorak, Hartmann, Mozart, Spohr and Brahms’ Double Concerto with Miklos Perenyi.

As a dedicated chamber musician, he was invited by Mitsuko Uchida and Richard Goode to the Marlboro Music Festival and has appeared with artists such as Thomas Adés, Stefan Arnold, Yuri Bashmet, Joshua Bell, Till Fellner, Steven Isserlis, Boris Pergamenschikow, Denes Varjon, Jorg Widmann, Llŷr Williams and Christian Zacharias. He has appeared in special chamber music festivals such as a Haydn Festival in Budapest and a Schubertiad in Perth and Midsummermusic with Paul Lewis. He also performs with the Hebrides Ensemble’s recently on their acclaimed cd for Linn Records of Messiaen.

His chamber music with Llŷr Williams includes the Mendelssohn Trios and the Beethoven Sonatas, with a complete Beethoven cycle in Perth and at Festivo Aschau im Chiemgau. The Duo make their Wigmore Hall Debut in 2011.

Alexander Janiczek plays the ex-‘Sorkin’ Giuseppe Guarneri, del Gesù, Cremona 1731, which is on loan to him from the National Bank of Austria.