Yehonatan Berick ( he, יהונתן בריק; August 30, 1968 – October 31, 2020) was a violin and viola

virtuoso A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...

and pedagogue. Born in

Holon Holon ( he, חוֹלוֹן ) is a city on the central coastal strip of Israel, south of Tel Aviv. Holon is part of the metropolitan Gush Dan area. In it had a population of . Holon has the second-largest industrial zone in Israel, after Haifa. ...

, Israel, he started his musical education at the age of six. His principal violin teachers were

Ilona Feher ''Ilona'' is a Hungarian female given name, the traditional name of the Queen of the Fairies in Magyar folklore. Its etymology is uncertain. A common theory is that Ilona is cognate with the Greek given name ''Helen''. Diminutive forms include ...

, Henry Meyer,

Kurt Sassmannshaus Kurt Sassmannshaus is a German violin instructor, primarily at the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music and Great Wall International Music Academy. Life and career Born in Würzburg, Germany, he is the son of violin pedagog ...

, and

Dorothy DeLay Dorothy DeLay (March 31, 1917 – March 24, 2002) was an American violin instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School, Sarah Lawrence College, and the University of Cincinnati. Life Dorothy DeLay was born on March 31, 1917, in Medicine Lodg ...

. He had theory teachings with composer

Sergiu Natra Sergiu Natra (12 April 1924 – 23 February 2021) was an Israeli composer of classical music. (Print version: Sadie, Stanley (ed.), ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', Macmillan, 1980, Vol. 13 p. 76. ) Among Natra's creations: ...

, and attended masterclasses with such artists as Isaac Stern, Henryk Szeryng, Max Rostal and

Josef Gingold Josef Gingold (; January 11, 1995) was a Russian-born American classical violinist and teacher who lived most of his life in the United States. At the time of his death he was considered one of the most influential violin masters in the United St ...

. In 1993 he was prizewinner at the Walter W. Naumburg International Violin Competition, and in 1997 he was awarded Quebec's Prix Opus. Berick has performed as soloist, presented numerous recitals and collaborated in chamber music performances with a long list of internationally renowned artists. He took part in the world's leading festivals, including Marlboro and Ravinia. Touring as a

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...

ian, he has been featured in the world's most important music centers. He has recorded for the Summit, Gasparo, Acoma, JMC and Helicon labels. He was Professor of Violin at the School of Music at the University of Ottawa, and has also taught at the University of Michigan at

Ann Arbor Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...

, McGill University in Montreal and at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Yehonatan Berick died from cancer on October 31, 2020, aged 52.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berick, Yehonatan 1968 births 2020 deaths American classical violinists Male classical violinists American male violinists Israeli classical violinists American classical violists Israeli classical violists University of Michigan faculty University of Ottawa faculty 21st-century classical violinists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American violinists 21st-century violists