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Alexander Somov, cello
Alexander Somov was born in Sofia and studied at the National Music School with Stefan Rounevsky. At the age of 15, he made his concerto debuts in Bulgaria and Germany, recorded the Tchaikovsky Rococo variations and premiered Angel Escudero's Concierto de Espana on consecutive tours of Spain with the National Youth Orchestra. Winning several national competitions, Alexander also performed in Greece, Italy, Serbia and Israel.
At the invitation of Professor Stefan Popov, he continued his studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) where, in 1998, he became the first East-European recipient of the Gold Medal- Guildhall School's highest award, previously won by Jacqueline du Pre, Bryn Terfel and Tasmin Little. Other first prizes to his name include the International Alexander Tansman Competition (Lodz, Poland), The Royal Overseas League and the International POSK competition, London. Since then he has performed to critical acclaim concertos by Dvorak, Schumann, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Elgar, Tchaikovsky, Haydn, Strauss, Beethoven, Brahms, Gulda and Turnage, with orchestras including the Philharmonia, the Northern Sinfonia, the Strasbourg Philharmonic, Stadtkapelle Achern, the Bulgarian National Radio Symphony, the Sofia and the Varna Philharmonic, under conductors such as Thierry Fischer, Paul McCreesh, Thomas Zehetmair, David Parry, Mark Albrecht, Peter Ounjian, Lionel Bringuier, James MacMillan, Theodore Guschlbauer, Yordan Dafov, Martin Panteleev, and Milen Nachev, among others.
Alexander's recital and chamber music partners have included Thomas Zehetmair, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Tasmin Little, Boris Garlitsky, John York, Nathan Williamson, Bogdana Popova, Lucy Jeal and Venera Bojkova, at venues from the Wigmore Hall London to the Sage Gateshead, as well as across Bulgaria, France, Sweden, Germany, Spain and Cyprus.
In 2006 Alexander Somov took up the position of Violoncelle Super Soliste of the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra. He was the Principal cellist of Northern Sinfonia from 2000-2006. Since 2002, he has regularly been invited as guest principal with the London Philharmonic, London Symphony, the Philharmonia, Scottish Chamber, the Halle and English Chamber orchestras. A keen pedagogue, since 2006 Mr. Somov is professor at the Conservatoire and Academie Superieure de Strasbourg, and is regularly invited at the International Music Academies Flaine, Musicalta, les Stages Boite a Musique (France), the Ringamala Festival (Sweden) etc.
Alexander has solo recordings for Naxos/Marco Polo, Gega New label, the BBC, the Bulgarian National TV and Radio, Polish Radio and Radio Valencia. An eclectic artist, he enjoys combining styles and expanding musical horizons whether performing with fellow co-founders of the Robertsau Buskers, in concert with Salonorkester Baden-Baden, or playing the guitar, gadulka or percussion in his spare time.
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