Lorand Fenyves Resident Artist Concert with Simon Blendis, violin

Registration required for this event.

This year’s Lorand Fenyves Resident Artist, distinguished violinist Simon Blendis returns to his alma mater after years at the centre of musical life in London, England. Mr. Blendis leads an unconducted string ensemble of advanced students and guest faculty in an all-British program. Introduction and Allegro for Strings, Opus 47 by Edward Elgar “In Winter’s House” by Joanna Marsh Variations on a Theme by Frank Bridge, Opus 10 by Benjamin Britten.

Lorand Fenyves (1918-2004) was a world-leading violin pedagogue who taught for many years at U of T Music. The Residency was established by his colleagues, friends, and students and honours his legacy by bringing distinguished artists and teachers to U of T Music.

Livestream available on the Faculty of Music YouTube channel.

PROGRAM

Allegro for Strings, Opus 47

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

In Winter’s House

Joanna Marsh (b. 1970)

Theme of Frank Bridge, Opus 10

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

Introduction and Theme

Variation 1: Adagio

Variation 2: March

Variation 3: Romance

Variation 4: Aria Italiana

Variation 5: Bourree Classique

Variation 6: Wiener Waltzer

Variation 7: Moto perpetuo

Variation 8: Funeral March

Variation 9: Chant

Variation 10: Fugue and Finale

Simon Blendis, leader/violinist

Violins: Solana Frebold, Elianna van Raalte, Kai Rousseau, Caleb Chiu

2nd Violins: Humberto Ramirez, Natasha Hendra, Blake Collins, Melie Inageda

Violas: Anahit Matevosyan, Meika Sonntag, Viola Szakony

Cellos: Emma Schmiedecke*, Niki Khabbazvahed, Tuuli Olo

Double Bass: Sidney Hufton, Marcus Chan

*faculty member

BIOGRAPHY

Simon Blendis enjoys an international career as a chamber musician, concertmaster and soloist.He was the violinist with the Schubert Ensemble from 1995-2018, when the Ensemble retired after a celebrated 35 year career.

With the Ensemble, Simon performed in over thirty different countries, recorded over twenty CDs of music ranging from Brahms to Judith Weir, made frequent broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 and appeared regularly at Europe’s major venues such as the Wigmore Hall in London and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. In 1999 the group won the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Award for best chamber group, for which it was shortlisted again in 2010.

The Ensemble left behind a significant legacy including 50 commissions and a major library of filmed performances on its YouTube channel, details of which can be found at www.schubertensemble.com

Alongside his work in the Ensemble, Simon has shared the position of First Concertmaster with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Japan since 1999, and in 2014 was appointed Concertmaster of the London Mozart Players, the UK's oldest chamber orchestra. In addition to leading the orchestra, he regularly directs from the violin, and performs as soloist and with the LMP Chamber Ensemble.

Simon is also in demand as a guest concertmaster: he has appeared with most of the UK's major orchestras, including all of the London orchestras, as well as with several orchestras abroad, including the Orquesta Nacional de Espana, Euskadiko Orkestra (in San Sebastián) and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. He has appeared as a guest-director with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, The Amsterdam Sinfonietta, the Scottish Ensemble and the English Chamber Orchestra.

A keen exponent of new music, Simon has given over 50 first performances, and has had new pieces written for him by, amongst others, Tansy Davies, Stuart Macrae, John Woolrich and jazz legend Dave Brubeck. He has premiered new violin concertos written for him by David Knotts (2013) and Jeff Moore (2017). Simon's versatility has also seen him record for pop artists such as Tina Tuner, the Spice Girls and, most recently, Rosalía, playing the solo violin on her 2025 album 'Lux'.

As a soloist he has performed and recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the BCMG in the UK and with Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Japan, with whom he has recorded Vivaldi’s Four Seasons for the Warner Japan label. 

During the Coronavirus lockdowns Simon undertook a research project into the salon music legacy of legendary light music violinist, Max Jaffa, and the resulting CD was released in July 2022 to critical acclaim. To date, tracks from the CD have accumulated over 8 million streams.​

Simon is increasingly sought after as a teacher, and is a Professor of Violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.