Biography
ROBERT ZIMANSKY is among the most versatile musicians of our time. He not only possesses an all-encompassing solo repertoire, but his vast knowledge and experience in chamber music, contemporary music and orchestral playing are widely respected.
He received his first instruction from John Ferrell at the University of Iowa. He continued his studies with Sally Thomas and Ivan Galamian at the Juilliard School in New York and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971. He later attended master classes with Joseph Silverstein, Franco Gulli, Salvatore Accardo and Nathan Milstein.
Robert Zimansky moved to Europe in 1972. He became first concertmaster of the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, the Sinfonieorchester Graunke in Munich, the Süddeutscher Rundfunkorchester in Stuttgart and the Lucern Festival Orchestra. For 24 years he played as first concertmaster of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. All of these orchestras gave him the freedom to pursue his solo career.
He has conducted the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester, the Dayton Philharmonic and the Streicherakademie Zürich.
Robert Zimansky has appeared as soloist with conductors such as Charles Dutoit, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Horst Stein, Herbert Blomstedt, Eliahu Inbal, David Zinman, Günther Herbig and Armin Jordan. As a champion of unknown repertoire he is often asked to perform rarely heard violin concertos of the early 20th century. Over the years many contemporary composers have dedicated works to him. He has published cadenzas for the complete violin concertos of Mozart and Haydn.
From 1986 to 1992 he was on the board of directors of the Swiss Tonkünstlerverein.
His piano trio with Michael Ponti and Jan Polasek performed in every major European music center with great success.
Robert Zimansky has made many recordings. His CD of the three Schumann sonatas with Christoph Keller was awarded a Grand Prix du Disque de l'Académie Charles Cros in 1986.
Robert Zimansky lives in Basle. He was professor at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste and the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva. He continues to give concerts as soloist and in chamber music. He has made over 70 arrangements for his two ensembles, the Amadeus Piano Quartet and the Ensemble Fiacorda.
Shortened version
Robert Zimansky is one of the most versatile violinists of his generation. After early studies with John Ferrell he continued his studies under Sally Thomas and Ivan Galamian at the Juilliard School in New York. In 1972 he moved to Europe and became first concertmaster in Spoleto, Munich, Stuttgart, the Lucerne Festival and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva. Robert Zimansky has performed as soloist with many famous conductors, such as Sawallisch, Stein, Dutoit, Zinman, Blomstedt, Inbal, Herbig and Jordan. He has played chamber music in many different formations. He taught at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva and at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste. He is currently leader of the Ensemble Fiacorda and violinist in the Amadeus Piano Quartet, and has made over 70 arrangements for these ensembles.