Longtime Toronto Symphony Orchestra violinist Jacques Israelievitch dies

TORONTO – Jacques Israelievitch, a renowned violinist and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s longest-serving concertmaster, has died. He was 67.

Born in Cannes, France, Israelievitch debuted on French radio at age 11, graduated from the Paris Conservatory at 16 — after studying under Henryk Szeryng, Janos Starker, William Primrose and Josef Gingold — and began his orchestral career at 23, as assistant concertmaster with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

After a decade-long tenure with the St. Louis Symphony, Israelievitch became concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, a position he would hold for 20 years.

Renowned as both a soloist and a chamber musician, Israelievitch’s expansive discography includes the Juno-nominated “Suite Hebraique” — a collaboration with pianist John Greer — along with the first complete recording of Rodolphe Kreutzer’s “42 Studies for Solo Violin.”

In addition to playing with many of the world’s major orchestras, Israelievitch performed as a chamber musician with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianists Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman.

Just this past June, Israelievitch and pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico released their first collaborative album, “Fancies and Interludes,” featuring a selection of music written by Canadian composers.

The pair also recorded all 28 Mozart sonatas on violin and piano in May, with a release expected early next year.

Israelievitch was diagnosed with lung cancer in February. In August, he was presented with the Order of Canada in a ceremony at his Toronto home.

Israelievitch is survived by his wife Gabrielle, sons David, Michael and Joshua, and grandchildren Aya and Bennett.