Robert McDuffie
Grammy- and Emmy-nominated violinist Robert McDuffie enjoys a dynamic and multifaceted career. While appearing as soloist with renowned orchestras on five continents, he has also shared the stage with Rolling Stones’ pianist Chuck Leavell and the late Gregg Allman. Philip Glass dedicated his Violin Concerto No. 2, The American Four Seasons to Mr. McDuffie, and Mike Mills of the iconic band R.E.M. composed Concerto for Violin, Rock Band and Orchestra for him. A Night of Georgia Music, recorded live with Mills and Leavell, is currently being broadcast on public television stations across America. Mr. McDuffie is the founder of both the Rome Chamber Music Festival in Italy and the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in his native city of Macon, Georgia.
Robert McDuffie has recently completed a U.S. tour performing Brahms’ Violin Concerto with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, including a critically acclaimed performance at Carnegie Hall. He has also appeared as soloist with most of the premier orchestras of the world, including the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics; the Chicago, San Francisco, National, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, St. Louis, Montreal, and Toronto Symphonies; the Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Minnesota Orchestras; the London and Czech Philharmonics; Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, North German Radio Orchestra, Düsseldorf Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Hamburg Symphony, Bruckner Orchestra Linz, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome, Venice Baroque Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Mexico, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and all of the major orchestras of Australia.
Robert McDuffie has a diverse discography and his recent release, Icons, with pianist Elizabeth Pridgen, features sonatas of Philip Glass and John Corigliano as well as John Adams' Road Movies. His acclaimed Telarc, Orange Mountain, and EMI recordings include the violin concertos of Mendelssohn, Bruch, Adams, Glass, Mills, Barber, Rózsa, Bernstein, William Schuman, and Viennese violin favorites. He has been profiled on NBC's Today, CBS’s Sunday Morning, and in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Robert McDuffie has been awarded the Premio Simpatia by the Mayor of Rome in recognition of his contribution to the city’s cultural life. He served for ten years on the board of directors of the Harlem School of the Arts in New York City where he was chairman of the artistic and education committee. He plays a 1735 Guarneri del Gesù violin, known as the “Ladenburg.” This instrument is owned by a limited partnership formed by Mr. McDuffie.