ROBERTO DIAZ
(viola)

A violist of international reputation, Roberto Díaz collaborates with the world's most important conductors and composers. He reaches wide audiences with both his solo and chamber music performances and inspires new talent through his many teaching and master class appointments. Some of Mr. Díaz's orchestral engagements include The Philadelphia Orchestra, National Symphony, Boston Pops, Nashville Symphony , Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Saarbrücken Radio Orchestra, Russian State Symphony, Orquesta Simón Bolivar and the Orquesta Nacional de España. Future appearances include the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony and a North American tour with Les Violons du Roy. He has collaborated with Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Riccardo Chailly, Richard Hickox, Christopher Hogwood, Krzysztof Penderecki, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Michael Stern and David Zinman.

An active chamber musician, Roberto Díaz has performed with artists such as Emanuel Ax, Yefim Bronfman, Yo-Yo Ma and Isaac Stern. His festival appearances include Mostly Mozart at Lincoln Center, Marlboro, Spoleto, Verbier, Kuhmo, West Cork, Naantali and Angel Fire. As a member of the Díaz Trio, with violinist Andrés Cárdenes and cellist Andrés Díaz, he has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico and Chile. The trio was one of two ensembles invited by Isaac Stern to participate in a special concert celebrating the next one hundred years of music-making at Carnegie Hall.

New World Records has recently released a critically acclaimed live recording of the Jacob Druckman Viola Concerto with Mr. Díaz and The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch. On the Naxos label, he has recorded works for viola and piano by Henri Vieuxtemps with pianist Robert Koenig.

Roberto Díaz has been the recipient of numerous awards, including prizes at the Naumburg and Munich international viola competitions. He currently holds the distinguished position of Principal Violist of The Philadelphia Orchestra and is a member of the viola faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music.

The violas on which Mr. Díaz performs include a 1739 Camilli and a 1595 Amati that was formerly owned by William Primrose.

For more information about Roberto Diaz,
please visit his web site at www.schmidtart.com/artists/diaz/bio_diaz.html.