HYAR: Jordan Bak

Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak is establishing a career as an artist of passion, energy, and authenticity in the recital and chamber music arenas. Considered one of the most outstanding musicians of his generation, Bak is a winner of the 2019 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, the recipient of the 2019 Samuel Sanders Tel Aviv Museum Prize and the 2019 John White Special Prize from the Tertis International Viola Competition. Bak is also a Sphinx Competition alum and Sphinx MPower Artist Grant Recipient. In addition to his growing solo career, Jordan Bak is a member of the celebrated New York Classical Players and guest artist with the Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players.

Highlights of the 2019-2020 season include a Young Artist Residency with Minnesota Public Radio’s Performance Today, showcase recitals in both New York and Tel Aviv, performances with A Far Cry and The Knights, and a 2020 concerto premiere by James Ra with the New York Classical Players. Bak will also be appearing at the Kallos Chamber Music Series in Connecticut and the legendary Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont. He has been heard as a recitalist and chamber musician in the United States at such venues as Alice Tully Hall, Bruno Walter Auditorium, Jordan Hall, and Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, among others, and in Europe at the Verbier Festival, the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève, the Centre de Musique Hindemith, and the Helsinki Musiikkitalo.

A proud advocate of 20th and 21st century new music, Bak gave the world premieres of Kaija Saariaho’s Du gick, flög for viola and mezzo-soprano and Die Aussicht for string quartet and soprano. Bak also gave an acclaimed performance of the Druckman Viola Concerto with The Juilliard Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall in New York. He has additionally collaborated with such composers as Eli Greenhoe, Sampo Kansurinen, Caroline Shaw, and Delong Wang.