Alexander Velinzon
Lecturer in Music, Violin
Alexander Velinzon is the First Associate Concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Between 2021 and 2025 he was acting as Concertmaster for the BSO.
During recent years Velinzon has appeared as a guest Concertmaster with the London Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Royal Opera Orchestra in London, Seoul Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, and WDR Symphony Orchestra among others. He served as the Concertmaster for the Seattle Symphony from 2012 to 2015.
In April 2025, Alexander Velinzon made his BSO solo debut performing Arvo Part “Tabula Rasa” with his colleague and BU faculty Lucia Lin. Other recent concerto performances included Shostakovich violin concerto with the Cambridge Symphony and Tchaikovsky concerto with the Civic Symphony. Velinzon’s other solo highlights include critically acclaimed performances of Brahms Violin Concerto with the Seattle Symphony under the baton of Ludovic Morlot and Schnittke Violin Concerto with the Seattle Symphony, as well as appearances with the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra and Oregon Music Festival Orchestra.
An avid chamber musician, Velinzon has performed regularly with the Boston Symphony Chamber Players including on their European tours and Seattle Chamber Music Society. In New York, he has appeared with the Jupiter Chamber Players. In 2010 Mr. Velinzon made his highly praised debut at London’s Wigmore Hall with the Soloists of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
Mr. Velinzon is on the faculty at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge. He has given numerous masterclasses around the US, coached chamber music, and taught private lessons at Tanglewood Music Center, New World Symphony Orchestra, and MIT.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Alexander Velinzon graduated from the Leningrad School for Gifted Children. After moving to the United States, he studied with renowned pedagogue Dorothy DeLay at The Juilliard School, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. His success at the Tibor Varga International Competition and the Artist International Young Artists Auditions led to his New York recital debut at Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall.
