The Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra (ICO) is excited to announce the appointment of Suliman Tekalli as our new concertmaster. The organization is thrilled to welcome Suli to the stage, where his dynamic presence will lead the ICO into an inspiring future.
Suli will join the orchestra this summer, with his first full season set to begin in 2025-2026. He performed on stage with the ICO at our Joyful Solidarity concert on February 1, 2025 and the APA Classical Competition Concert with Elliott Wu.
A violin virtuoso of extraordinary versatility and artistry, American violinist Suliman Tekalli has captivated audiences worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral leader. A prizewinner at numerous international competitions, most notably as top prizewinner at the 2015 Seoul International Music Competition, Tekalli has performed as a soloist with orchestras across North and South America, Europe, and Asia, appearing at esteemed venues such as Wigmore Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Seoul Arts Center. His performances have been broadcast on NPR, CBC Radio 3 in Canada, and KBS TV in Korea.
As an accomplished chamber musician, he has appeared at renowned festivals including Music@Menlo, Yellow Barn, and the Banff Centre. His collaborations include performances with Gil Shaham, Cho-Liang Lin, Donald Weilerstein, Paul Watkins, Wu Han, and David Shifrin. He has also led as concertmaster for notable ensembles such as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, New York Classical Players, Sphinx Virtuosi, and the International Sejong Soloists. He was a member of the Grammy-nominated Catalyst Quartet and he regularly tours the continents with his internationally acclaimed and genre-defying string quintet Sybarite5 as well as with his sibling and pianist Jamila Tekalli as the Tekalli Duo.
Beyond performance, Tekalli is dedicated to the evolution of classical music through transcription, orchestration, and original composition. A number of his arrangements have been featured in the album Art of Transcription on the MSR Classics label. His commitment to contemporary music has led to collaborations with contemporary composers such as Paul Wiancko, Andrea Casarrubios, Curtis Stewart, Michael Brown, and Reena Esmail among others.
A passionate educator, he has given masterclasses across the U.S. and South America and has served as a fellow of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect. He has also served as a faculty member over multiple summers at the Sphinx Performance Academy at the Juilliard School and at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Tekalli began his violin studies with Russian violinist Lev Gurevich. He went on to study at the Juilliard School, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the Yale School of Music, training under esteemed mentors including Hyo Kang, Joel Smirnoff, and Sergiu Schwartz and Ayako Yonetani.
Ticket Details
ICO has three remaining concerts in the 2024-2025 season, offering a variety of experiences such as a Charlie Chaplin silent film with live score (The Gold Rush on March 8th), Land in the Music featuring ICO Chorus and a commission premiere on April 5th, and an evening celebrating timeless songs from the Great American Songbook with Michael Feinstein on May 10th. The 2025-2026 season will be announced in May! Lookout for special announcements on our website and social media pages.
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