Vita
"Alexander Suleiman is one of the most interesting and versatile musicians that I have met. He is not only a brilliant virtuoso but also a profoundly philosophical interpreter of the entire cello repertoire. His music is language in the best sense of the word; he never "plays" just to please. His musical spirit is universal and not just bound to the perspective of a string player. He moves in undiscovered regions of the contemporary world, inspires, questions, experiments and enriches everything that he gets his fingers on with that quantum individuality that makes his playing so sensational and convincing…." (Franz Hummel)
Alexander Suleiman began his musical career as an award winning pianist before falling in
love with the cello at age 17. He commenced his studies with Eldar Issakadze and continued
under the legendary Daniil Shafran and Natalia Gutman. Mr. Suleiman was awarded first
prize in the International Johannes Brahms Competition and has since concertized worldwide.
Last season he performed with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, the KZN Philharmonic
Orchestra Durban, the Caucasion Chamber Music Orchestra, the Novosibirsk Academic
Symphony Orchestra and the World Chamber Orchestra. He frequently performs and holds
master classes at international music festivals in Finland, Germany, Israel, Russia and the
US. The 2009 season includes invitations to Italy, Poland, Alaska, Latvia, Germany, Lebanon
and Canada.
Mr. Suleiman is the director of the newly established Arts Academy in the state of Bremen, designed to train promising artists from developing countries. His duties will commence in 2010 with an inaugural gala concert in the German Congress.
Mr. Suleiman is professor of Cello at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California. His recordings have been released on the Guild and mediaHyperium labels.
