Profile

Rudolf Koelman (born 1959 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch violinist and is professor for violin at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK) in Switzerland.

Biography

Koelman studied the violin with Jan Bor and Herman Krebbers in Amsterdam. From the age of 18, he studied with Jascha Heifetz on a full scholarship at the University of Southern California School of Music, now known as the USC Thornton School of Music, in Los Angeles. From 1996 until 1999 he was first concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. 2000-2005 he was Professor for violin and chamber music at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, Germany. Currently (since 1987) he is Professor for violin and chamber music at the "Zürcher Hochschule der Künste" (ZHdK) known as Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland where he also leads the ZHdK Strings chamber orchestra. He is frequently invited as a jury member at international violin competitions and gives masterclasses all around Europe, Asia and Australia.

Academic and Professional Appointments

1984–1989 Professor for Violin and chamber music at the Landeskonservatorium für Vorarlberg in Bregenz & Feldkich, Austria.

1996-1999 First Concertmaster of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

2000–2005 Professor (C4) for Violin and chamber music at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, Germany. (Prof. title and chair for life)

Since 1987 Professor for violin and chamber music and leader of the ZHdK Strings Orchestra at the Zurich University of the Arts in Switzerland. (Prof. title and chair for life)

Masterclasses at institutions such as: Aurora Sweden, Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne, Griffith University in Brisbane, International Holland Music Sessions, Keshet Eilon Israel, Conservatorio Vincenzo Bellini Palermo, Perth University, Porto Carras in Greece, Silkroad Summer Sessions, Sweelinck Conservatorium Amsterdam, Sydney Conservatory, Thessaloniki Conservatory, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Shanghai Conservatory, Shanghai University and many more.

Online Master Professor at iClassical Academy with whom he has recorded several online Masterclasses.

Since 2024 Leader and artistic director of the Silkroad Chamber Soloists

Collaborated as a Soloist worldwide with orchestras including:

Bruckner Orchester Linz, WDR Rundfunkorchester Köln, Korean Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Worked with leading musicians and conductors such as:

Atar Arad, Joshua Bell, Douglas Boyd, Ronald Brautigam, Rudolf Buchbinder, Riccardo Chailly, Sir Colin Davis, Richard Dufallo, Thomas Demenga, Youri Egorov, Chiara Enderle, Dmitri Ferschtman, Liza Ferschtman, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Philippe Herreweghe, Godfried Hoogeveen, Heinz Holliger, Maris Janssons, Alexander Kerr, Ulrich Koella, Ton Koopman, Hartmut Lindemann, Radu Lupu, Nikita Magaloff, Orfeo Mandozzi, Frederic Meinders, Shlomo Mintz, Viktoria Mullova, Roger Norrington, Antoine Oomen, György Pauk, Thomas Riebl, Nathaniel Rosen, Paul Rosenthal, Kurt Sanderling, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Markus Stocker, Duncan McTier, Jan Willem de Vriend, Raphael Wallfisch, Thomas Zehetmair, Frank Peter Zimmermann, Jaap van Zweden and many others.