David Garrett, the global rockstar violin virtuoso, will make his triumphant Oceania debut, performing highly anticipated concerts in Australia and New Zealand in September and October 2023.
Garrett will take to stages in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland as part of his globally acclaimed ICONIC tour which has sold out concerts in more than 30 cities across eight countries.
Garrett said in a statement that he is “so thrilled to finally perform in Australia and New Zealand. I’ve been waiting for this for such a long time. We are going to play a wonderful classical tour called ICONIC. I can’t wait to see everyone.”
The ICONIC tour marks the globally acclaimed violinists debut Oceania performances and will see him perform as part of a trio with guitar and bass.
These concerts will showcase Garrett’s latest Deutsche Grammophon album ICONIC, inspired by the Golden Age of the famous violinists of the 20th century, featuring Andrea Bocelli, flautist Cocomi and trumpeter Till Bronner.
With a fusion of classical and contemporary flair, the tour promises to be a mesmerising experience, featuring a diverse repertoire in a soulful homage to legendary violinists whose gems and melodies inspired Garrett even as a child. Audiences will be treated to favourites from the likes of Mozart, Vivaldi, Dvorák, Schubert and JS Bach amongst others.
The Oceania leg of ICONIC will introduce Garrett’s prized new violin, a Guarneri del Gesù from 1734, once owned by the great virtuoso Gaetano Pugnani. The violin was purchased at auction in June 2022 for €3.5 million ($5.85 million AUD) and was the first violin by its maker to be sold at auction in more than a decade.
“I am particularly excited to introduce my new violin on this tour: a Guarneri del Gesù from 1734, once owned by the great virtuoso Gaetano Pugnani,” said Garrett. “One of the main reasons why I acquired this wonderful instrument, which has not been played for such a long time, was this tour – so that I could present it to you.”
“I believe that the sound of a Guarneri violin can express all the vulnerability and fragility, everything human – whereas a Stradivarius always sounds somewhat superhuman. Especially with my current repertoire, which is full of big emotions and feelings, that fragile human touch is much more important to me than the superhuman sound of a Stradivarius.”
“That’s why my new Guarneri del Gesù is the perfect violin for the ICONIC concerts – and hopefully you will enjoy listening to it as much as I love playing it,” said Garrett.
Australian fans should prepare themselves to be enthralled by Garrett’s incredible virtuosity and showmanship as he continues to push the boundaries of what is possible on the violin.
David Garrett is the pioneering icon of crossover violin. At age 10, he became the youngest student to attend the prestigious Julliard School of Music in New York City where he was mentored by renowned violinists Itzhak Perlman and Dorothy DeLay.
Garrett’s prodigious talent and dedication to his craft paved the way to him winning the prestigious Yehudi Menuhin International Competition, which launched his career as a professional.
As an award-winning artist Garrett has amassed more than 460 million album sales and has performed for the British Royal Family, President Obama and featured in global sporting events including the 2012 EUFA Champions League Final.
In 2022, Garrett released his autobiography If You Only Knew, where we witness his world through his own eyes for the first time. This tour marks Garrett’s return to international concert stages in what promises to be an evening of indulgence in the highest level of auditory experience that is not to be missed.
David Garrett presents his ICONIC tour at Sydney Town Hall (17 September), Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide (22 September), Palais Theatre, St Kilda (23 September), Auckland Town Hall (29 September) and Brisbane City Hall (1 October). For more information, visit: www.david-garrett.com for details.
Image: David Garrett – photo courtesy of Harmonie International