Suliman Tekalli, violin

Top prize winner of the 2015 Seoul International Music Competition and prize winner in the Sendai, Lipizer, and Szeryng International Violin Competition, violinist Suliman Tekalli's performing career has taken him throughout the U.S., Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia as a soloist and chamber musician.  He has toured as concertmaster with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Sejong Soloists, and Sphinx Virtuosi.  

An exponent of chamber music, Mr. Tekalli has made appearances at numerous festivals including Music@Menlo, Yellow Barn, and the Banff Centre. He has collaborated and performed with eminent musicians such as Gil Shaham, Cho-Liang Lin, Donald Weilerstein, Paul Watkins, Wu Han, and David Shifrin. He also concertizes as part of the Tekalli Duo, formed with his sibling, pianist Jamila Tekalli with whom he had recorded an album entitled “Duality”, including works of Messiaen, Ravel, and Michael Brown.  He is a current member of Sybarite5.

Mr. Tekalli commitment towards spreading a love and appreciation for music and the arts have made him a passionate educator.  As an alum of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect, he has performed for classrooms at schools and various community centers throughout the New York/New Jersey area.  He also regularly works with talented youths through New York Youth Symphony Orchestra’s chamber music program. 

Suliman Tekalli was admitted to the Juilliard School in Bachelor's Degree program studying with Hyo Kang, and received a Masters Degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music studying with conductor and former violinist of the Juilliard String Quartet Joel Smirnoff.  He also holds an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music.  His early teachers include Lev Gurevich and Sergiu Schwartz.