Ilan Schneider, Viola

Born in 1968 in Lithuania, Ilan Schneider received first musical education in his native town, Vilnius. At the age of 15 followed his family to Israel and continued his studies at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. In 1989 Schneider won the first prize of the Violin Competition of the Rubin Academy of Music. Later he resumed studies with members of the Alban Berg Quartet at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. Schneider studied with the virtuoso violist, Michael Kugel from 1997. In 1998 he achieved a major success at the First International Viola Competition in Vienna. In 2003 Schneider graduated with highest distinction from the Royal Conservatory in Ghent. He appears regularly on the international concert scene as soloist and chamber musician. Schneider is currently a principal violist of the Luxemburg Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the “Quatuor Louvigny.” Schneider gives regular master classes in the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Croatia and Lithuania and judges international competitions. Numerous recordings of solo and chamber music by Ilan Schneider have been produced by the labels in Luxembourg, Germany, and France and have received distinctions from the international press, such as the “Diapason d’Or” and the “Strad Selection.” Newest recital-CD was selected as the “CD of the month” by “The Strad” magazine.