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.
Mr. Suleiman regularly performs in Europe, Asia, North- and South America, and Africa. He debuted in Russia with Prokofiev's "Sinfonia Concertante" for cello and orchestra with the Academic Symphony Orchestra Novosibirsk and his debut in South Africa included performances of the Elgar cello concerto as well as the recently discovered entire "Grand Militaire" cello concerto by Jacques Offenbach for symphony orchestra and cello with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. Besides appearances as a soloist with the standard cello repertoire most recent performances include less frequent heard cello concertos by outstanding composers such as Erik Sven-Tueuer, Vaza Azarashvili, Sulchan Nassidze and Franz Hummel.
In 2012 Mr. Suleiman is giving his debut in China and Jordan. Concerts in Shanghai, Xiamen, Nanjiing, Chengdu, Beijing as well as in Jordan and Israel include performances of the cello concertos by Schumann, Dvorak and Haydn as well as the Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations and the Brahms Double concerto with numerous symphony orchestras.
Besides maintaining a very active performing career, Alexander Suleiman is deeply committed to musical education and teaching. Mr. Suleiman frequently holds master classes and courses at international music festivals and universities in Europe, Asia, and North- and South America. Conservatories in China that he is invited to give master classes during his tour in 2012 include the Shanghai Conservatory, the Central Conservatory, the Wuhan Conservatory, the Chengdu Conservatory and the China Conservatory in Beijing.
Suleiman's recordings include world premiere CD recordings of solo concertos as well as chamber music. He frequently performs and records works by outstanding composers many of whom have dedicated their works to him. His latest CD "Out of the Blue" has been released in April 2012 at the TyXart label.
Suleiman's commitment to chamber music is longstanding. He is routinely invited to perform in various international music festivals, including the Kuhmo and Suomussalmi Chamber Music Festivals in Finland, the International-Oleg-Kagan-Music-Festival in Wildbad Kreuth,Germany, the Pacem in Terris Festival, the Woerthersee Classics Festival, Sommerakademie Neuburg/Donau in Germany, and others. The 2013/2014 season includes invitations to Germany, Korea, Dubai, China and the UAE.
Besides his passion for music and cello in particular Mr. Suleiman's life displays a variety of facets that include degrees in Mathematics and Physics, Latin and ancient Greek as well as the black belt in Taekwondo. In his spare time he pursues his passion for tournament chess as well as close up magic as a distinguished active magician member at the world renown Magic Castle in L. A.
Through his degrees in Latin and ancient Greek he also follows invitations to hold lectures on topics that embrace western classic and modern philosophy.
Suleiman has been honored with an appointment as artisitic director of the newly established Art Conquers Borders Academy in the state of Bremen, Germany. The mandate of the academy is to train promising artists from developing countries. His duties commenced in December 2009 with a concert at the German House of Congress in Berlin.
Mr. Suleiman's involvement with Nicolaus Harnoncourt has cultivated a deep devotion to the interpretation of Baroque Music. A CD including cello sonatas by Vivaldi and Boismortier performed on period instruments was released in December 2009.
Alexander Suleiman commenced his studies with Eldar Issakadze and continued under Daniil Shafran and Natalia Gutman. As a protege of the late Eleonore Schoenfeld, Suleiman was awarded top prizes in both categories, cello as well as piano, at numerous international competitions in Spain, Germany and Austria.
