Stefan de Leval Jezierski
Stefan de Leval Jezierski was born in Boston, U.S.A. His first instrument was the ukulele. While attending grade school in Durham, North Carolina, he joined the sixth grade band as a cornet player and in the eighth grade started playing horn. Stefan was a student of Fred Bergstone at the North Carolina School of the Arts for eleventh and twelfth grades. He continued his studies with Myron Bloom at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
As winner of the C.I.M. Concerto Competition, he was the soloist in a performance of Mozart 3rd Horn Concerto with with members of the Cleveland Orchestra in Severance Hall. Shortly thereafter he was appointed Principal Horn of the Kassel State Opera Orchestra.
At the age of twenty-three, Stefan de Leval Jezierski was hired by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic to play high horn. Since then he has been a member of the Berlin Philharmonic and co-founded the Scharoun Ensemble Berlin.
Stefan de Leval Jezierski appears regularly as a soloist and chamber musician at major music festivals and concert venues throughout Europe, America and Asia. Many of his students at the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic now have top positions in major German orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic.
After 44 years spanning six decades as a member of the Berlin Philharmonic, Stefan de Leval Jezierski had an official Farewell Ceremony this past March in the sold-out Philharmonie after a performance of Mahler’s Second Symphony conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Since then, he has frequently appeared with the Philharmonic as a guest performer.
Stefan Jezierski enjoys teaching students from around the world at institutions such as the Barenboim-Said Academy and the Verbier Festival, as well as in his Berlin studio and online.
His enthusiasm for playing jazz on the horn inspired him to collaborate with top North American jazz musicians living in Berlin, such as vibraphone legend David Friedman, with whom he recently recorded nine jazz ballads. His love for jazz has led to onstage improvisations with other notable musicians such as Nigel Kennedy.
Stefan de Leval Jezierski will stay in Berlin where he lives with his family and will continue to work as a free lancer, chamber musician, soloist, jazz musician, and teacher. Countless LP's, CD's, video and audio recordings document his career.