WOMAD

Gilles Apap & the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

From Australia, France

Hailed by the late Yehudi Menuhin as “the violinist of the 21st Century”, Gilles Apap distinguishes himself as a resolute iconoclast. A classical violinist at heart, he defies logical career patterns with a musical repertoire including gypsy music, swing, Irish, and bluegrass.  His performances communicate an insatiable curiosity and joie de vivre. Gilles Apap studied music at the Nice and Lyon conservatories in France, and in 1985 after being awarded the first prize in the contemporary music category at the Yehudi Menuhin Competition, he was invited by Menuhin to perform at a concert in Berlin in 1989. Menuhin described Apap as representing the direction in which music should evolve: on the one hand respect for the precious classical works, on the other hand, the discovery of contemporary (popular) music and its creative element.   A recent documentary about Apap, “The Unknown Fiddler of Santa Barbara”, presents a young man, happy to be playing, sharing his infectious enthusiasm with his young students.  Gilles Apap will perform at Womadelaide 2001 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, a program which will include Bartok, Ravel, Mozart and more. www.gillesapap.com       www.aso.com.au