David Garrett February 2, 2011

He’s a star everywhere from the catwalk to the Billboard charts, but violinist David Garrett is ready to conquer new terrain with his groundbreaking Rock Symphonies album, available on Decca July 20th, just in time for his newest PBS special. This international superstar has quickly amassed a huge and devoted audience—especially of a much younger fanbase than the listeners usually associated with classical music. His fresh, vibrant take on classical music has shot new life into this genre. He has gained international stardom, with chart-topping albums and gold and platinum selling discs across Europe, in the UK and the Far East. The super-powered David has experienced huge success with American audiences as well. Not only was he Billboard’s best-selling new classical music artist of 2009, but was the # 9 overall New Artist across all genres. His debut album for Decca, David Garrett, debuted at No. 1 on the Classical Crossover chart, and maintained its presence there for 31 solid weeks.
David explains. "The real definition of a rock star is someone who's extremely passionate about music, somebody who's a genius, and tries not to be afraid of exploring. Beethoven was definitely not a follower." David winces when he's asked if this is a covers album. "That would be the most horrible thought,” he says wryly. “First of all, I tried to view every song from a very different angle than the original, and sometimes even changed the whole character of the piece. Secondly, not using vocals gives a lot of freedom." Born in Aachen, Germany with an American ballerina mother and a German lawyer as a father, David and his family were nurturing his international solo career since his early childhood. By his teens, he was subject to a grueling schedule of symphonic concerts and recordings—but even by then, he longed to escape that life. Without telling his parents, he fled to New York, where his life revolved around rock, clubbing, and a seemingly deserved rebellion, abandoning the classical violin. But even in that hedonistic milieu, he realized that he missed the instrument that had been such a crucial part of his identity. He decided to audition at the world-famous Juilliard School, where he was not only accepted as a student, but also invited to join the studio of one of classical music’s most legendary artists, Itzhak Perlman.

While he was at Juilliard, David began picking up various side jobs, including modeling gigs. His intense, chiseled looks quickly earned him a place in such magazines as Vogue and on the catwalk for Armani during Fashion Week. With such a fashion pedigree, his personal style is also a great hybrid of influences. "My fashion sense is very rock," David observes, "though I like to wear a suit too. I like to mix it up.” That’s true for his music-making as well – as evidenced on his groundbreaking Rock Symphonies album.

Official Website: http://www.aladdin-theater.com/show_page.aspx?eventid=1994