Jacobson Vers La Valse for Alto Flute / Flute and Piano

Jacobson is a pianist, composer, conductor, and teacher. He studied piano with Lamar Crowson, John Barstow, and Louis Kentner, and composition with Arthur Benjamin and Humphrey Searle. He was also part of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Throughout his career, Julian has performed as a solo pianist, ensemble and duo partner, composer, arranger, conductor, and teacher. He has played as a soloist with prestigious orchestras such as the London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Philharmonia, BBC Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony, and English Chamber Orchestras. He has collaborated with renowned conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, Tamas Vasary, and Jane Glover. Julian has also performed alongside esteemed musicians like Sandor Vegh, Zara Nelsova, and Ivry Gitlis.

Julian’s solo repertoire is extensive and includes all 32 sonatas of Beethoven, which he has performed as a cycle multiple times. In addition, he presented a series of concerts called “Beethoven-plus” in 2000, where he combined the sonatas with commissioned works from various composers. He has also had compositions written for him by notable composers such as Stephen Oliver, Simon Bainbridge, Robert Saxton, and Benedict Mason.

As a recording artist, Julian has released albums featuring Weber’s complete sonatas, Schumann’s works including the C major Fantasy and “Scenes from Childhood,” and virtuoso pieces by Balakirev. He has recorded extensively for the BBC, including over a hundred solo works. Julian has toured extensively in over 30 countries across five continents, performing in major cities and music centres worldwide.

Aside from his performances, Julian has conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Irish RTE Orchestra, and the European Community Chamber Orchestra, as well as various student ensembles. His compositions are published by Bardic Press and Faber.

Julian has held teaching positions at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and is currently a professor at the Royal College of Music. He is also the Artistic Director of the Paxos International Music Festival in Greece and conducts masterclasses internationally. Additionally, he has become a sought-after guest soloist on cruise ships for classical music festivals and other events.

http://julianjacobson.com/about