Presidential Distinguished Speaker Series: Martin Chalifour
Martin Chalifour, renowned violinist, dedicated chamber music instructor at Caltech, and former principal concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will visit Caltech as the next featured guest in the Presidential Distinguished Speaker Series. The series brings eminent speakers to campus to discuss timely topics in science and engineering, culture, public policy, and American higher education.
Registration for this event is now closed.
Questions or requests for ADA accommodations? Please contact us at [email protected].
About the Speaker
Violinist Martin Chalifour recently celebrated his 30-year tenure as principal concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, marking the milestone in the 2024-2025 season.
Appointed in 1995 by Esa-Pekka Salonen following an international search, Chalifour became a focal artistic presence during a transformative period for the orchestra, which included a landmark 1996 European tour that helped restore the LA Phil's prominence on the world stage. In 2003, Salonen selected Chalifour to help inaugurate the Disney Concert Hall with solo performances from the iconic organ loft during three globally broadcast gala concerts.
Under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel, Chalifour was featured in concerto appearances and collaborated with him on a popular Mexican music program at Carnegie Hall—a first in philharmonic history.
In addition to Chalifour's leadership role with the LA Phil, he sustained an impressive solo career, performing a repertoire of more than 60 concertos. He has also appeared under the batons of Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, and Sir Neville Marriner. He has performed internationally with the Auckland Philharmonia, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.
Born in Canada, Chalifour graduated with honors from the Montreal Conservatoire before continuing his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music. He received a Certificate of Honor at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and was named a laureate of the Montreal International Music Competition.
Chalifour began his orchestral career with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. He later served as associate and acting concertmaster of The Cleveland Orchestra under Christoph von Dohnányi. He taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music and co-founded the Cleveland Orchestra Piano Trio. He continues an active performance schedule, along with his role on the faculty of Caltech's Performing and Visual Arts program.
About the Series
For more information on the Presidential Distinguished Speaker Series, visit the speaker series website.
