Julian Rachlin

Violin soloist

Julian Rachlin is one of the most exciting and respected violinists of our time. He has established close relationships with many of the most prestigious conductors and orchestras. He is also praised as viola player and conductor, and is receiving recognition for his educational outreach and charity work as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

Highlights of Mr. Rachlin’s current season include engagements with the Munich Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic and Yuri Temirkanov, the Israel Philharmonic and Gianandrea Noseda, a North America tour with the China Philharmonic and Long Yu, and his return to the Edinburgh Festival with the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra and Riccardo Chailly. Additionally, Mr. Rachlin performs his second season as Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Northern Sinfonia and will conduct, among others, the China Philharmonic, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Luxembourg Philharmonic and State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia. Mr. Rachlin has recently been appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Turku Philharmonic in Finland, a post he will assume in the 2017/18 season.

Born in Lithuania in 1974, Mr. Rachlin immigrated to Vienna in 1978. He studied violin with Boris Kuschnir at the Vienna Conservatory, and with Pinchas Zukerman. After winning the "Young Musician of the Year" Award at the Eurovision Competition in 1988, he became the youngest soloist ever to play with the Vienna Philharmonic, debuting under Riccardo Muti. At the recommendation of Mariss Jansons, Mr. Rachlin has been studying conducting with Sophie Rachlin. Since September 1999, he is on the violin faculty at the Konservatorium Wien University. His recordings for Sony Classical, Warner Classics and Deutsche Grammophon have been met with great acclaim.  

Julian Rachlin plays the 1704 "ex Liebig" Stradivari, on loan to him courtesy of the Dkfm. Angelika Prokopp Privatstiftung. His strings are kindly sponsored by Thomastik-Infeld.