Russian cellist Borislav Strulev is rapidly establishing a reputation as a cellist of exceptional temperament and technique. His charisma and his enormous sound have fascinated and enchanted audiences of world’s most renowned stages.
....Mr. Strulev’s orchestral appearances include Detroit Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Nazionale della RAI, WDR Symphony Orchestra- Koln, NO Tonkunstler in Vienna’s Musikverein, Helsingborg Symphony, Orquestra de la Laguna (Tenerife), Orquestra del Principado de Asturias, NorrlandsOperan Symphony Orchestra, Mariinsky Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic, Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra, Symphony orchestras of most South American capitals as well as of South Africa. Most notably he collaborates with following conductors: Neeme Jarvi, Kristjan Jarvi, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Sebastian Weigle, Yuri Simonov, Pavel Kogan, Alexander Vedernikov, Marco Parisotto, and Michael Stern.
....This season Mr. Strulev debuts with Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in the US premiere of Daniel Schnyder’s cello concerto under Miguel Harth-Bedoya and with NO Tonkunstler Orchestra playing Beethoven’s triple concerto under direction of Kristjan Jarvi. He returns to Russia for the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, to Moscow for the “Stars of Russia” Festival under the auspices of Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and to Irkustk, Siberia for Festival on the Baikal, Denis Matsuev- artistic director. His second CD for LYRINX label is set to be released and will include Arvo Part’s Pro et Contra, Erkki-Sven Tuur’s concerto and a world premiere recording of Daniel Schnyder’s concerto with NorrlandsOperan Symphony Orchestra.
....The 2003-2004 season saw the release of Mr. Strulev’s debut solo recording on French label LYRINX with sonatas of Schostakovich and Rachmaninov. In November Mr. Strulev performed at Alice Tully Hall – Lincoln Center as special guest in a concert featuring jazz violinist Regina Carter. Performances took Mr. Strulev this season to Monterrey- Mexico, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Chicago, Leon – Spain, Sweden, and Canada.
....Previous season Mr. Strulev debuted with Helsingborgs Symfonieorkester - Sweden under Maestro Sebastian Weigle and with Orquesta Clasica de la Laguna – Spain. On his agenda were recitals at Auditorio de Madrid, Valladolid, Bilbao– Spain, on the East Coast, as well as appearance at Skaneateles Music Festival with Haydn C-major concerto. Mr. Strulev appeared as special guest on two significant crossover recordings produced by Ettore Stratta with jazz violinist Regina Carter on “Paganini: after a dream” (Verve – Universal label) and with celebrated mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves and Brazilian jazz pianist Eliane Elias on “Lost Days” (RCA – Red Seal).
....The Canadian motion picture “La Turbulence des fluides” produced by Luc Besson, music composed by Simon Cloquet, on whose soundtrack Mr. Strulev is the featured artist has won three awards for best music at Festival International Musique et Cinema – Auxerre - France and has been nominated for Canadian Academy Award (Genie) for best soundtrack.
....The 2001-2002 season highlights included a very successful debut with Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI under Maestro Kristjan Jarvi. That performance of Saint-Saens a-minor concerto was broadcast by “RAI” radio and TV channels for entire Europe. Mr. Strulev participated in Umea Internatioanl Chamber Music festival in Sweden which also included a live broadcast of his recital on Scandiavian radio stations. He opened the Tacoma International Music Festival along with Kathleen Battle and Byron Janis, where he performed Schubert’s String Quintet with the St. Lawrence String Quartet and Chopin’s cello sonata with Byron Janis. In Canada he performed Elgar and Dvorak concertos with Maestro Marco Parisotto and the Oshawa Symphony Orchestra. He returned to South Africa for a month long tour of the entire country including both recitals and orchestral engagements in celebration of 100th anniversary of Johannesburg Musical Society.
....His 2000-2001 season counted appearances with the WDR Symphony Orchestrain Koln and Detroit Symphony Orchestra under Maestro Neeme Jarvi where he played the Rococo Variations of Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saens concerto in a-minor respectively. It also included appearances at some of the most celebrated musical venues including Alice Tully Hall with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Haydn – Divertimento) and Merkin Hall in New York City, in recital with gold medallist of Tchaikovsky competition Denis Matsuev. He performed with NorrlandsOperan Symphony Orchestra the Walton concerto in Sweden with Kristjan Jarvi and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with the Orchestra del Principado de Asturias in Oviedo-Spain under Maestro Jose Mena. On his schedule was also a tour of South Africa, Strauss’ Don Quixote with the National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, and Dvorak concerto with National Orchestras of Colombia and Panama.
....In November 1999 Mr. Strulev made his sensational Carnegie Hall debut with the legendary pianist Byron Janis playing Chopin Sonata. Earlier that year he was invited for a concert tour as soloist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under Maestro Yuri Simonov on its 1999 American tour with Rococo Variations. In New York he premiered John Tavener’s “Svyaty” for cello and chamber choir with the Little Orchestra Society and the Orpheon Chorale. He also gave the American premiere of legendary composer Lou Harrison’s Suite for cello and string Orchestra with the California Symphony. At the Musical Festival of the Hamptons he took part in ‘A Bernstein celebration’ playing “The Meditations from a Mass” for cello and piano. In Europe, Mr. Strulev made an acclaimed recital tour of Sweden (Goteborg, Malmo, Kalmar), concerts and master classes in France (Lyon, Chambery), Spain (San Sebastian) and Finland (Oulu) where he also played Schostakovich’s concerto No.1 under Maestro Dieter Rossberg.
....Borislav Strulev made his North American debut with a recital at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, in December 1993 and his orchestral debut with the Chicago Sinfonietta at the Orchestra Hall with Maestro Paul Freeman in October1994. He had his New York orchestral debut with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall playing Saint-Saens’ a-minor concerto. He also played with Honolulu Symphony under Maestro Michael Stern, Reno Philarmonia Orchestra, Bangor Symphony, and Westchester Symphony and has given recitals at the Kravis Center and Van Wezel Hall in Florida.
....Mr. Strulev’s international touring activity in previous seasons has also been wide ranging. He made his South American debut as soloist with the National Orchestra of Colombia in 1995 and performed the following year with the National Orchestra of Chile. In 1997 he made his South African debut with recitals in Cape Town and Johannesburg. During the 1997-98 season he made his first tour of 10 cities in Japan as recitalist on the JAL Young Artists Series, highlighted by a performance at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. Among his many festival appearances have been those at Ravinia Festival (Chicago), Reims and Tours (France), Lausanne and Verbier (Switzerland).
He has appeared in virtually every major Russian City both as recitalist and with the foremost orchestras such as Symphony Orchestra of Moscow under Pavel Kogan in the Great Concert Hall, Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra under Alexander Vedernikov and Moscow Philharmonic. As recitalist Mr. Strulev played at Small Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Yalta Music Festival and Pushkin Museum in Moscow.
....His various musical activities also included performances at venues of great political importance such as the United Nations in New York, Unesco in Vienna, the Russian, French, Italian and Hungarian consulates where he played in honor of such celebrated figures as Prince Alexis N. Obolensky, Gorbachev, Clinton, mayor Giuliani and U 2’s Bono.
Borislav Strulev began to play the cello at the age of 8 and studied at Moscow’s Central School of Music. He is a son of professional musicians. His mother is an outstanding pianist who has accompanied Borislav in his worldwide appearances and his father one of the founders of celebrated Moscow State Chamber Choir. Mr. Strulev was a first-prize winner at the All-Russia Young Artists Competition in Moscow in 1992 and became a laureate of International Charity Foundation “New Names”. In October 1998, he received the Salon de Virtuosi Arthur W. Diamond Fellowship Grant at Steinway Hall in New York. His recitals have been broadcasted live on WQXR, WBGO and WNYC in New York, WFMT in Chicago, France Musiques, and RAI (Radio televisione italiana) radio and television channels.