Roger Malitz: Cellist

Honors Chamber Music Institute 2001 (for precollege students, July 15-21)

Roger Malitz was born in Chicago and made his solo debut with the Chicago Symphony at the age of sixteen. Before his twenty-first birthday he was featured several times on the television program Artists' Showcase, accompanied by the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Malitz has been principal cellist with the University of Chicago's Contemporary Chamber Players, Florida Orchestra, Caracas Philharmonic, and National Symphony of South Africa. Since his appointment to the Ball State University School of Music Faculty in 1985, he has concertized and presented master classes in Argentina, Canada, the Czech Republic, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, and Thailand. Malitz is chair of strings and cellist of the American Piano Trio, the first ensemble to be designated Sterling Patrons of the international professional music fraternity, Mu Phi Epsilon.

A dynamic performer on five continents, his career has been characterized most enthusiastically in the press. Malitz has been hailed as an elegant and evocative musician (Johannesburg Citizen), a superlative romantic musician (Tampa Tribune), a cellist's dream (Clearwater Sun), a true artist (Caracas Daily Journal), a supersensitive musician (Hyde Park Herald), a dramatic lyricist (Johannesburg Star), an outstanding performer (Caracas El Universal), and an impeccable artist (Monterrey El Norte), possessing a dazzling technique (St. Petersburg Times). Malitz has been described as probing, sensitive, and thoroughly musical (Chicago Daily News), expansive, lyrical, and aggressive (Duluth News-Tribune), precise, inspired, and refined (Buenos Aires La Nacion), and as a musician whose approach projects warmth, richness and passion (Alberni Valley Times, British Columbia).

Malitz studied with Karl Fruh and Raya Garbousova, and has served on the faculties of the Chicago Conservatory, University of Tampa, Caracas Conservatory, and Bowling Green State University. He has been featured on Public Television and National Public Radio, and his recordings are currently available on the Musical Heritage Society, Owl, Desto, and CRI labels. During a recent residency at the Banff Centre, Malitz recorded repertoire for a new CD, The Ethnic Cello, which has been released by Crystal Records. He performs on a cello made by the Italian master Antonio Casini in 1678.

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New Release

The Ethnic Cello

Crystal Records CD 831

Fanfare Magazine
July/August 2000

"...[Roger Malitz] shows a complete sympathy for the music that he presents, shaping each of the movements with obvious care and affection...Technically he meets all of the demands in these most pleasurable scores...He plays a remarkably fine Antonio Casini cello of 1678, the instrument's warm tone particularly ideal for the Bloch. As we often complain of the soloists's being given a dominant recorded balance, it is good to report that this disc gives ample presence to the piano in Crystal's excellent sound quality. Malitz's excellent partners move impeccably with him throughout, though they are greatly assisted by a total avoidance of idiosyncrasies on the part of the cellist...the performances will certainly give much pleasure, and I commend the disc to you."

--- David Denton

E-mail Roger Malitz at rmalitz@bsu.edu