David Geringas (Cello)
A pupil of Rostropovich and gold-medal winner at the 1970 Tchaikovsky
Competition, David Geringas can now look back on a career that has spanned
decades. His discography, which now features almost one hundred CDs, includes
many that have been honoured with prestigious prizes including the Grand Prix du
Disque, the Diapason d’Or and the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik. In
2013 David Geringas received the Echo Klassik award for the best chamber music
recording of works from the 20th-21st centuries and in 2014 for the best chamber
music recording of works from the 19th century.
One important facet of his career as a performer has been the release of
outstanding CDs. Between 2008 and 2011 eight new CDs were released. Among them
are two world-premieres (David’s Song and Discorsi), works for piano and cello
by Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn and Chopin as well as the complete works for cello
and piano by Beethoven with the pianist Ian Fountain – a recording which was
named “Editor’s Choice” by Gramophone magazine.
The CD of the cycle Bach Plus that includes all six Bach Suites for Cello and
highlights by various contemporary composers was released in October 2011.
Well-known contemporary composers such as Sofia Gubaidulina, Ned Rorem,
Pēteris Vasks and Erkki-Sven Tüür have dedicated cello concerti to him. In 2012
David Geringas performed three world premieres – Arvydas Malcys’ concerto In
Memoriam in Kaunas, the Concerto per Violoncello by Silvia Colasanti in Milan
and the Cello Concerto by Alexander Raskatov in Amsterdam.
As a conductor, David Geringas performs regularly internationally and appears
frequently in the dual role of cellist and conductor. From 2005 to 2008 he was
Principal Guest Conductor of the Kyushu Philharmonic Orchestra and in 2007 he
made his debuts with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra und the China Philharmonic
Orchestra. In February 2009 he made his debut as a conductor with the Moscow
Philharmonic in Moscow and in 2015 with the Mariinsky Orchestra in St
Petersburg. His opera conducting debut followed in 2010 with Tchaikovsky’s
Eugene Onegin in Klaipeda (Lithuania). In 2015 David Geringas made his acclaimed
debut as a music director and conductor of the ballet Eglė, the Queen of Grass
Snakes by Eduardas Balsys in Vilnius.
For decades David Geringas has taught a world-famous cello class which has
produced such cello stars as Gustav Rivinius, Jens-Peter Maintz, Wolfgang
Emanuel Schmidt, Monika Leskovar, Tatjana Vassiljeva, Jing Zhao, Johannes Moser,
Maximilian Hornung and Sol Gabetta.
For his championing of Lithuanian music and composers, David Geringas has won
the highest awards of his homeland. He was awarded the Verdienstkreuz (1st
class) by Germany.
David Geringas is honorary professor at the Moscow Conservatoire and at the
Central Conservatory in Beijing, as well as having received an honorary
doctorate from the Lithuanian Music and Theatre Academy. In the winter term of
2014–2015 David Geringas was a guest professor at the University of Southern
California in Los Angeles and at the Manhattan School of Music in New York.
On the occasion of his 70th birthday in 2016 David Geringas will celebrate
his anniversary year with concerts in places of longstanding attachment.
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