| Biography | Jack Rothstein , (died November 2001), was born in Poland and taken by his parents (at the age of two) to live in Israel and Egypt where he received his education and first violin lessons. During the second World War he was invited to join the British army as musician, playing for the troops all over the Middle and Far East. He arrived in Great Britain for the first time in 1946 and made London his home.
In the early 1950's he recommenced his serious studies of music at the Guildhall School of Music and subsequently in the Master Classes of Henryk Szerying and Leonid Kogan. He was a Carl Flesch competition second prize winner and soon became a respected member of the profession as Co-Leader of the "Boyd Neel Orchestra" and the "Menuhin Orchestra". From 1954 he played for the BBC as a soloist in recital as well as piano trios and other chamber music groupings. For twenty one years he was a member of the "London Czech Trio". He appeared as soloist on many occasions at the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican Hall with the main London Orchestras playing most of the well-known violin concerti.
Jack Rothstein's recordings include the Tchaikovsky Piano Trio, the Nielsen, Grieg and Sibelius Quartets, the Schubert Quintet and five CD's of Viennese Music. The Music Trade Association twice awarded him prizes for "Orchestral Record of the Year".
He was leader and director of the "Northern Sinfonia" and also of the "Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields". He toured extensively directing the "Johann Strauss Orchestra" and with his own ensemble, "Viennese Orchestra of London", in the UK and Europe, including appearances at the Aldeburgh Summer Proms.
Over the years he recorded many background tracks for film and television and can be recognized as the violinist in favourites such as; "The House of Elliot", "Soldier, Soldier", "Last of the Summer Wine", and "Birds of a Feather", etc......... Many composers of film music especially requested his leadership because of his wide experience in the Jazz idiom and his improvisatory skills.
With such a wealth and variety of experience Jack Rothstein brought a great enthusiasm and knowledge to teaching. He greatly enjoyed coaching aspiring violinists and chamber music groups in England, Canada, Spain and at the Hindemith Institute in Switzerland. |