ANTIGUA Y MODERNA

Romanian-born violinist Ruxandra Marquardt attended the ‘George Enescu’ School of Music and Conservatory of Music in Bucharest, where she was profoundly influenced by professors Stefan Gheorghiu and Modest Iftinchi. As a young musician, she won several prizes and medals in international competitions such as “Concertino” Prague (1981), Henri Wieniawski (1983), Tibor Varga (1985), All-Romania Prize (1981, 1982) and participated in the Yehudi Menuhin Competition.

In 1986, she left communist Romania to participate in the Indianapolis Violin Competition, defecting to the US immediately afterward. She continued her studies at Indiana University with Joseph Gingold and at Syracuse University, where she joined the faculty from 1990 to 1998. In 1988, she became the youngest Associate Concertmaster in the US, a position she held for 13 years. She was also Principal Second Violin and Concertmaster (2008-2009) of the Jacksonville Symphony in Florida from 2002 to 2012 and appeared as guest Concertmaster of the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the New Mexico Philharmonic (2013). She played under many noted conductors, including Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Fabio Mechetti, James DePriest, Raymond Leppard, and Andrew Litton.

Ms. Marquardt’s solo performances include appearances with the Bucharest Philharmonic, the Bucharest Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Syracuse Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Gainesville Chamber Orchestra, Boston Virtuosi, Coastal Symphony of Georgia and the San Marco Chamber Society. As a chamber musician, she has participated in the Bayreuth Festival (1985), Skaneateles Music Festival (1991-2000), Eastern Music Festival (2002), and the Grand Tetons Festival (2003).
In 2012, Ruxandra moved to the beautiful state of New Mexico and lives in Rio Rancho with her husband, Paul Marquardt, a composer and pianist. She has has appeared as a soloist with the New Mexico Philharmonic and on the Chatter Chamber Music Series in Albuquerque. She frequently performs in the Abiquiu Chamber Music Festival, Serenata Santa Fe and the New Mexico Performing Arts Society.

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