Violin Sonatas

He returned to the MSO in the 03-04 season after holding positions as Concertmaster of the Rotterdam Philharmonic with Valery Gergiev in 02-03, and Concertmaster of the London Philharmonic with Kurt Masur in 2001. He continues an active schedule of solo and chamber music performances in the US and abroad including recent appearances with the American String Project in Seattle, the Nara Academy in Nara, Japan, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Music in the Vineyards, and various solo appearances with orchestras. He has been a member of the chamber group An die Musik in New York City since 1997, and also directs the highly successful Frankly Music Chamber Series based in Milwaukee.

At 17, he was one of the youngest prizewinners in the history of the Nicolo Paganini Competition in Genoa, Italy, and five years later was one of two American prizewinners at the Eighth International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow,which was documented in an award-winning PBS film. Since then he has kept up an eclectic mix of activities in addition to his Concertmaster duties, appearing both as a soloist and chamber musician. In addition to his work with An die Musik, Mr. Almond's talent as a chamber musician has generated collaborations with many of today's well-known institutions, including the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Ravinia Festival, La Jolla Summerfest, Music in the Vineyards, and numerous other festivals.

He has recorded for Summit, Albany, Boolean (his own label), Newport Classic, Wergo and New Albion and has appeared numerous times on NPR's Performance Today. In both 2002 and 2004 An die Musik received Grammy nominations for its "Timeless Tales" series. The re-release of Mr. Almond's recording of the complete Brahms Sonatas, performed in collaboration with pianist William Wolfram, brought extraordinary critical acclaim. BBC Music Magazine wrote, "...the disc ends with an explosive finale which reaffirms the players' unassailable technical mastery and absolute temperamental harmonization." A review from American Record Guide was equally enthusiastic: "...this is easily the greatest Brahms I have ever heard. Almond and Wolfram tower above giants." It was also listed in the American Record Guide top recordings of 2001. Another CD with William Wolfram is planned for release in November 2006 on the AVIE label.

Mr. Almond holds two degrees from the Juilliard School, where he studied with Dorothy Delay. When he's not traveling around playing the violin he lives in Milwaukee with his wife and daughters Tess and Gabrielle.