Odin Rathnam (Violin)

Odin Rathnam Violin

Since his critically acclaimed Lincoln Center debut in 1993, the American violinist Odin Rathnam has established himself as one of the most passionate and versatile artists of his generation. He has received unanimous praise from critics and audiences for his "captivating temperament," "brilliant technique" and “recalling the legendary violinists of the past”. A veteran performer at many major European and American festivals including the Algarve International Music Festival in Portugal, Denmark's Tivoli and Vendsyssel Festivals, Deia International Festival in Mallorca, Boswil Festival in Switzerland, Aspen, Caramoor and Endless Mountain Music Festivals. He has also appeared in recital on the Market Square Concerts series, Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Recital Hall, where Rathnam first appeared at the age of 15. As a soloist, he has performed with the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, the Colombian National Symphony, the Harrisburg Symphony, the Lancaster Symphony, the York Symphony, the EMMF Orchestra, The New Amsterdam Symphony and the Randers Chamber Orchestra, to name a few.

Recent seasons have included performances of concerti of Bernstein, Mozart and Bach with the Philadelphia Virtuosi, and multiple engagements with conductor Stephen Gunzenhauser and the EMMF Orchestra, performing Mozart #3, Sarasate “Zigeunerweisen”, Wieniawski “Legende”, Lalo “Symphony Espagnole”, and Brahms Violin Concerto, as well as 9 performances of Sarasate “Carmen Fantasy” and Beethoven Romance in F, with the Harrisburg Symphony. In 2007, he made his Tivoli Festival debut playing Prokofiev Sonata for Two Violins with Nikolai Znaider. The Danish newspaper, Kristelig Dagblad, hailed the “outstanding, full-blooded romantic violin playing by both players.”

Upcoming performances include a three concert series at The Forum in Harrisburg, chamber music with the Phillips Camerata in Washington, DC, Beethoven Violin Concerto, Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, the Four Seasons of Piazzolla, as well as return engagements with the Randers Chamber Orchestra and various festivals in Scandinavia and Portugal, performing 5 chamber music programs and concerti of Mozart and Kreisler.

Mr. Rathnam is extremely committed to the development of young musicians and his numerous students have been accepted at major conservatories throughout the United States and abroad, several going on to win prizes in national and international competitions. He has served as a performing faculty member at Anker Buch’s Danish Summer School for Strings on the island of Mors, Danish Strings led by Lars Bjornkjaer, and the Nordic Music Academy led by Nicolai Profile 2 Odin Rathnam (Violin)

Znaider in Denmark. In 2012, Mr. Rathnam accepted a five year appointment as artistic director of the Academia de Verao in Lagos, Portugal. He then collaborated with Danish conductor, Christian Horbov-Meier on master classes in Silkeborg, Denmark. Odin Rathnam is also the founder and artistic director of the West Branch International Music Festival and Academy.

As a chamber musician, Odin Rathnam has collaborated (violin/viola) with leading artists of his generation including: violinists Nikolai Znaider, Gil Shaham, Adele Anthony and Kurt Nikkanen; pianists Rohan De Silva, Albert Tiu, Robert Koenig and Anton Nel; and cellists Matt Haimowitz, Bion Tsang, Sara Sant’Ambrogio, Wendy Warner, and Daniel Gaisford, Concertante (which he founded in 1995), the Rafael Trio, the Ying Quartet and the Fry Street Quartet.

Mr. Rathnam received his early training at Juilliard Pre-College and Mannes College of Music with Sally Thomas, returning to the Juilliard School as a scholarship student of Dorothy DeLay and Masao Kawasaki. He studied chamber music with Julius Levine, Felix Galimir, Joel Smirnoff, and Josef Gingold. He also worked closely with the Danish violinist and pedagogue Anker Buch, who is credited by many for bringing Ivan Galamian’s teachings to Denmark.

Odin Rathnam performs on a late 19th century violin crafted by an unknown maker, in the manner of Guarnerius Del Gesu’s middle period, and on an Italian violin by Batolomeo Calvarola, built in 1755.