Anne Akiko Meyers

Anne Akiko Meyers
Anne Akiko Meyers in California in November 2017. Photo by David Zentz.
Background information
Born (1970-05-15) May 15, 1970
San Diego, United States
Origin New York City
Genres Classical
Occupation(s) Solo concert violinist
Instruments Violin
Years active 1985–present
Labels E1, Sony, RCA Victor Red Seal, Avie
Website anneakikomeyers.com

Anne Akiko Meyers (born May 15, 1970) is an American concert violinist who performs as soloist and recitalist. Meyers was the top-selling classical instrumentalist of 2014 on Billboard's traditional classical charts.[1][2]

Background

Meyers was born in San Diego, California, the daughter of an artist and a college president. Her mother is of Japanese descent.[3] Raised in Southern California, she studied with Shirley Helmick, and then with Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld at the Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. She then studied with Josef Gingold at Indiana University—and Dorothy DeLay, Felix Galimir, and Masao Kawasaki at the Juilliard School in New York City. Combining her junior and senior high school years and graduating early from the Juilliard School at age 20, she began touring internationally and recording exclusively for RCA Red Seal.[4]

Early career

Described as a child prodigy after her debut with a local community orchestra at the age of 7, she subsequently performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, twice on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at age 11,[5] the Emmy Award Show and the New York Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta at age 12.[4] When she was 16, Meyers signed with ICM Artists and began touring and recording. Two years later she recorded her first album in London at the Abbey Road Studios, featuring the Barber and Bruch Concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Having signed an exclusive RCA Red Seal contract at the age of 21, she went on to record a comprehensive discography. At the age of 23, she was the sole recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant.[6]

Instruments

Meyers has lifetime use, for touring and performances, of the 1741 Vieuxtemps Guarneri "del Gesu".[7] She previously toured with a 1730 Stradivarius violin called the Royal Spanish, and a 1697 Stradivarius called Molitor.[8] It was purchased from Tarisio Auctions on October 14, 2010 for US$3,600,000, at the time the highest recorded auction price for any musical instrument[9][10] until the Lady Blunt Strad was sold on June 20, 2011 for $15.9 million.[11] Meyers has used the Molitor in multiple studio recordings including a recording of Bach's Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, BWV 1043, in which she plays both parts—one part on the "Royal Spanish" Strad and the other on the ex-Molitor.[12] In 2012, an anonymous buyer purchased the 1741 Vieuxtemps Guarneri for an undisclosed amount and granted Meyers lifetime use of it.[13][14]

Professional career

Meyers performs as guest soloist with top-tier orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Symphony, and Orchestre de Paris, among others.[15] She also performs solo recitals in such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and Lincoln Center. She has performed the National Anthem in front of 42,000 fans at Safeco Field before a Mariners-Red Sox game[16] and in front of 250,000 fans in the Sydney Harbor, celebrating the Australian Bicentennial.[17]

Meyers has collaborated with several diverse artists including the singer Michael Bolton.[18] She was also the special guest violinist in Il Divo's Christmas Tour 2009[19] and toured with jazz and pop trumpeter Chris Botti in 2010.[20]

The Engagements written by novelist J. Courtney Sullivan is loosely based on Meyers's career and was one of People Magazine's Top 10 Books of the Year in 2014.[21] Meyers also played the violinist character, Violetta, in Crumpet the Trumpet by children's book author and illustrator, Kristine Papillon.[22]

On September 11, 2015, Naïve Classiques released "Passacaglia" Works for violin and orchestra by Arvo Pärt with MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra and Kristjan Jarvi conducting, in celebration of Pärt's 80th birthday.

Meyers’ recording of Einojuhani Rautavaara’s Fantasia was the only classical instrumental work chosen by NPR in their list of 100 best songs of 2017.[23] Other songs chosen were by pop artists including Drake, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Jay-Z.

Notable commissions and premieres

A supporter of contemporary composers, Meyers has premiered works by John Corigliano, Olivier Messiaen, Arvo Pärt, David Baker, Mason Bates, Jakub Ciupinski, Gene Pritsker, Nathan Currier, Roddy Ellias, Karl Amadeus Hartmann, Jennifer Higdon, Wynton Marsalis, Akira Miyoshi, Manuel Maria Ponce, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Somei Satoh, Joseph Schwantner, and Ezequiel Viñao.

Many works are written expressly for Meyers-these include the Somei Satoh Violin Concerto, recorded live with Tetsuji Honna and the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra in 2002 and Angelfire by Pulitzer-prize winning composer Joseph Schwantner, premiered live in 2002 at the Kennedy Center conducted by Marin Alsop and recorded in 2004 with Andrew Litton and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.[24]

Meyers asked the jazz star Wynton Marsalis to write cadenzas for her in Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, which she premiered with the Utah Symphony Orchestra in 2009.[25]

Meyers commissioned Mason Bates to write his first violin concerto. She performed the world premiere with Leonard Slatkin and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in December 2012.[26] It was later recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin and released on Meyers’ 2014 album, The American Masters.[27] She has performed the work across the world including with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, among others.

On September 30, 2014, Meyers released The American Masters, which features two world premieres: Mason Bates's Violin Concerto and the Lullaby for Natalie by John Corigliano, written for the birth of her first-born daughter, Natalie. The album also features Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto and made Google Play's Best of 2014.[28][29]

Meyers appeared in a nationwide PBS broadcast special aired in fall 2015 featuring the world premiere of Samuel Jones' Violin Concerto with the All-Star Orchestra led by Gerard Schwarz.[30] The performance was also part of a DVD released by Naxos Records.[31]

In September 2015, Meyers released Serenade: The Love Album, her 34th album featuring Leonard Bernstein's epic Serenade. Meyers commissioned seven arrangers including Adam Schoenberg, Brad Dechter, J.A.C. Redford and Steven Mercurio to arrange ten love-inspired works from classic movies and the American Songbook. The seven arrangers were chosen to resemble the seven philosophers of Plato's Symposium, which Bernstein's Serenade is based on. The album was recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra with Keith Lockhart conducting.[32]

Meyers performed the posthumous world premiere of Fantasia by Einojuhani Rautavaara, written for her, with the Kansas City Symphony conducted by Michael Stern in March 2017. Meyers met Rautavaara at his home in December 2015 to play the work for him. However, he passed away in July 2016 before its first public performance nearly a year later.[33]

Adam Schoenberg’s first violin concerto, Orchard in Fog, written for Meyers, was premiered by Meyers with the San Diego Symphony and Maestro Sameer Patel in February 2018.[34] The Violin Channel live-streamed the performance, acquiring the most views of any live video on the website to date.[35]

Billboard Charts

Air – The Bach Album debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard Charts on its release on February 14, 2012. It featured "Bach Double" played on two different Stradivarius violins, the first time this had been accomplished.[36][37]

Meyers The Vivaldi Four Seasons Album debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard Charts when released on February 14, 2014.[38]

Meyers was the top-selling classical instrumentalist of 2014 on Billboard's traditional classical charts.

Discography[39][40]

YearAlbumLabel
2018 Mirror in Mirror with Philharmonia Orchestra, Kristjan Järvi, and Akira Eguchi [41] Avie Records
2018 Special release of Bernstein's Serenade (A live performance with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ilan Volkov)[42] BBC Music Magazine
2017 Fantasia: The Fantasy Album with Kristjan Järvi and the Philharmonia Orchestra[43] Avie Records
2016 Fantasia by Einojuhani Rautavaara (single) with Kristjan Järvi and the Philharmonia Orchestra[44][45] eOne
2016 The Complete RCA Recordings[46] RCA Red Seal
2015 Serenade: The Love Album with the London Symphony Orchestra & Keith Lockhart eOne
2015 The Kristjan Järvi Sound Project – Arvo Pärt: Passacaglia with MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra & Kristjan Jarvi Naïve Records
2015 All-Star Orchestra: Program 12: Mozart and a World Premiere with Gerard Schwarz Naxos Records
2014 The Four Seasons: The Vivaldi Album eOne
2014 The American Masters: Barber, Corigliano, Bates with the London Symphony Orchestra & Leonard Slatkin eOne
2012 Air – The Bach Album with the English Chamber Orchestra eOne
2011 Pride from Gems with Michael Bolton Mointaigne / Legacy / Sony
2010 Seasons...Dreams with pianist Reiko Uchida and harpist Emmanuel Ceysson eOne
2009 Smile with Akira Eguchi Koch International Classics
2006 Bruch Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Live from Japan
2006 Jennifer Higdon Piano Trio. Live from the Vilar Center, Vail Naxos
2005 Angelfire by Joseph Schwantner, 'Fantasy' for amplified violin and orchestra with Andrew Litton and Dallas Symphony Orchestra Hyperion
2003 East Meets West (Japanese/French album) with Li Jian Avie Records
2002 Kisetsu: Works By Somei Satoh 3 (Violin Concerto written for Meyers). Live with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra Camerata Tokyo
2001 Romantic Violin RCA Red Seal
2000 Violin for Relaxation Sony Classical
1999 UltraSound Music for the Unborn Child Sony Classical
1997 Franz Schubert in Performance from NPR National Public Radio
1996 Classical Ecstasy RCA Red Seal
1995 Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concertos with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra & Dmitri Kitayenko RCA Red Seal
1995 The American Album RCA Red Seal
1994 Salut d'Amour RCA Red Seal
1993 Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and other works with the Philharmonia Orchestra & Andrew Litton RCA Red Seal
1992 Franck and Strauss Sonatas for Violin and Piano with Rohan de Silva RCA Red Seal
1991 Lalo: Symphonie espagnole; Bruch: Scottish Fantasy with the RPO & Jesus Lopez-Cobos RCA Red Seal
1989 Saint-Saëns, Fauré: Violin Sonatas Canyon Classics
1988 Barber/Bruch Violin Concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Christopher Seaman Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Music videos

Awards and honors

In 1993 at the age of 23, Meyers was the sole recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, which is awarded by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts to up to five promising young artists each year.[51]

In 2006, Meyers served as a panelist, recitalist, and teacher at the Juilliard School's Starling-DeLay Symposium. In May 2008, UCLA invited Meyers to be the Regent's Lecturer in violin.[52]

In late 2009, Meyers joined the Butler School of Music at University of Texas at Austin as Distinguished Artist and Professor of Violin.[53]

In September 2015, Meyers was honored with a Luminary Award by the Pasadena Symphony for her long-standing support of the Pasadena Symphony.[54]

Personal life

Meyers lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Angeles, California.[55]

References

  1. ↑ "Billboard Top Charts". Billboard.com. (Subscription required (help)).
  2. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers is Billboard's 2014 Top-Selling Classical Instrumentalist". WMOT Roots Radio. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  3. ↑ Wigler |, Stephen (October 28, 1994). "Violinist's passion and beauty inspire awe all around the globe". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  4. 1 2 McManus, Molly (May 2015). "Anne Akiko Meyers". Austin Woman Magazine. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers – Tonight Show with Johnny Carson". YouTube.
  6. ↑ Avery Fisher Career Grants Recipients Archived May 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ "Violin by Antonio Stradivari, 1730 (Royal Spanish)". Cozio.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
  8. ↑ Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644–1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, New York, 1972.
  9. ↑ Jeanne Claire van Ryzin (2010). "Austin violinist Anne Akiko Meyers buys rare Stradivarius for record-setting $3.6 million". Austin360. Archived from the original on October 17, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
  10. ↑ "Ms. Meyers and the $3.6 million violin". MSNBC.
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ "The Bach Hour | WCRB". Wgbh.org. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  13. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers Receives Lifetime Use of "Vieuxtemps" Guarneri del Gesu". violinist.com. January 24, 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-23.
  14. ↑ "A high-strung market: Expensive violins". Prospero blog. The Economist. December 2, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Richmond Symphony and Anne Akiko Meyers Perform Mason Bates' Violin Concerto This Weekend". Broadway World. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  16. ↑ "Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers: From Playing In Knee Socks To Owning Two Strads". NPR. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  17. ↑ Lindsey, Zach. "Orpheus Chamber Orchestra performs sold-out show with violinist Anne Akiko Meyers". Lehigh Valley Live. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  18. ↑ Kaczmarczyk, Jeffrey. "Michael Bolton's a hoot as Captain Jack Sparrow on 'SNL,' but collaborators aren't surprised at all". MLive. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  19. ↑ "Il Divo announces Christmas concerts". UPI. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  20. ↑ "Violinist, Anne Akiko Meyers Tours with Jazz Trumpeter, Chris Botti". University of Texas at Austin. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  21. ↑ "The Engagements By J. Courtney Sullivan". Penguin Random House. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  22. ↑ "Crumpet The Trumpet – Book with CD Recording – by Kristine Papillon – featuring Anne Akiko Meyers". Shar Music. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  23. ↑ "The 100 Best Songs Of 2017". NPR. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  24. ↑ "Angelfire & other works". Hyperion Records.
  25. ↑ Edward Reichel (August 4, 2009). "Symphony guest conductor directs impressive concert". Deseret News. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
  26. ↑ "Haydn & Saint-Saens' Organ Symphony – Pittsburgh | Official Ticket Source | Heinz Hall | December 7, 2012 – December 9, 2012 | Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra". Trustarts.culturaldistrict.org. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  27. ↑ Amacher, Julie. "New Classical Tracks: Anne Akiko Meyers, 'The American Masters'". Classical MPR. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  28. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers will release The American Masters on September 30th". EOne Music. Entertainment One Ltd. August 27, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
  29. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers is Billboard's 2014 Top-Selling Classical Instrumentalist". WMOT Public Radio. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers World Premiere Samuel Jones Violin Concerto All-Star Orchestra". YouTube. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  31. ↑ "All-Star Orchestra: Program 11: A Hero's Life in Music / Program 12: Mozart and a World Premiere". Naxos. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  32. ↑ Amacher, Julie. "New Classical Tracks: Anne Akiko Meyers, 'Serenade: The Love Album'". Classical MPR. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  33. ↑ "Einojuhani Rautavaara's FANTASIA Receive's Posthumous Premiere". Broadway World. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  34. ↑ Overton, Marcus (2018-02-11). "Review | Meyers triumphs in Schoenberg concerto, but San Diego Symphony orchestra fizzles in Sibelius' Fifth". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  35. ↑ "VC LIVE | Adam Schoenberg's Violin Concerto World Premiere – Anne Akiko Meyers [LIVE]". The Violin Channel. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  36. ↑ Johnson, Lawrence A. "New York Classical Review". Theclassicalreview.com. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  37. ↑ "Austin Arts: Seeing Things". www.austin360.com. February 22, 2012. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  38. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers's Four Seasons: The Vivaldi Album Debuts at #1". New York: ArtsNewsDesk. 2014. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
  39. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers Discography". All Music. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  40. ↑ "All Albums by Anne Akiko Meyers". Amazon. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  41. ↑ "Catalogue: Mirror in Mirror". Avie Records. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  42. ↑ "January 2018". Classical Music. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  43. ↑ Niles, Laurie. "Anne Akiko Meyers brings Einojuhani Rautavaara's 'Fantasia' to life". Violinist.com. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  44. ↑ "Fantasia Exclusive New Release by Anne Akiko Meyers". YouTube. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  45. ↑ "Rautavaara: Fantasia – EP". iTunes. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers: The Complete RCA Recordings". ArkivMusic. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  47. ↑ "Vivaldi Triple Concerto – Anne Akiko Meyers Performs all 3 Parts-World Premiere". YouTube. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  48. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers Summer from Vivaldi's Four Seasons". YouTube. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  49. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons". YouTube. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  50. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson at age 11". YouTube. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  51. ↑ "Avery Fisher Career Grants". Lincoln Center. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  52. ↑ "Anne Akiko Meyers–2008 Regents Lecturer in the UCLA Department of Music | music @ UCLA". Music.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2012-07-14.
  53. ↑ Claire, Jeanne (June 25, 2009). "Staff blogs on Statesman.com and Austin360.com". Statesman.com. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
  54. ↑ "Moonlight Sonata 2015". Pasadena Symphony and Pops. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  55. ↑ DeCwikiel-Kane, Dawn. "Anne Akiko Meyers to premiere Samuel Jones Violin Concerto at EMF". Greensboro News & Record. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
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