Alexander Bălănescu

Alexander Bălănescu (born 11 June 1954) is a Romanian violinist, and founder of the Balanescu Quartet.

Biography Bălănescu was born in Bucharest, and at the age of seven went to the Special School for Music there. His teachers in Romania were Dolly Koritzer, Garabet Avakian and Ștefan Gheorghiu. Of Jewish descent, he emigrated to Israel with his family when he was 14 years old. His studies continued at the Rubin Academy in Jerusalem with Iair Kless, London's Trinity College with Bela Katona, and from 1975-79 at the Juilliard School, New York with Dorothy DeLay, where he also took part in master classes with Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman, Felix Galimir and Robert Mann.

In 1979 Bălănescu became leader of the Michael Nyman Band and toured with this group around the world for 15 years. During the same period he was also a member of the Gavin Bryars Ensemble. Several short animated films by Phil Mulloy use his music.

He founded and leads the Balanescu Quartet and is a founding member of the Michael Nyman Band, performing on most of their albums, except between 1994 and 1998, as well as other ensembles playing Michael Nyman's music. He left the band during the recording of Facing Goya, and his concertmaster seat was assumed by Gabrielle Lester.

Balanescu has lived in London for over 40 years.

Recordings Solo: Alexander Bălănescu - Lume Lume (1991) Alexander Bălănescu - Il Partigiano Johnny (2005)

Group: Alexander Bălănescu & Jonathan Rees - Vivaldi: Les Quatre Saisons; Concertos pour 3 & 4 Violons (2008) Ada Milea & Alexander Bălănescu - The Island - featuring the Bălănescu Quartet (2011)

Featured: Michael Nyman - Drowning By Numbers - featuring Peter Greenaway, Alexander Bălănescu (1980s) Rabih Abou-Khalil - Arabian Waltz (Enja, 1996) - featuring the Bălănescu String Quartet Michael Nyman - And Do They Do/Zoo Caprices - featuring Alexander Bălănescu (1999) Muzsikás - The Bartók Album - featuring Márta Sebestyén and Alexander Bălănescu (1999) Erhard Grosskopf - Sound Pool: Adagio - featuring Alexander Bălănescu (2000) To Rocooco Rot & And I Sound - Music Is A Hungry Ghost - featuring Alexander Bălănescu (2001) Upside Down - with Evelina Petrova (2007)