Samuel Rosenthal

Internationally renowned violist Samuel Rosenthal, celebrated for his generous musical spirit, takes great pleasure in sharing music with audiences of all ages. He collaborates with some of today’s most prominent artists, and his performances are praised for their “intimate, personal approach” (Journal of the American Viola Society) and “communicative style that effectively conveys the full spectrum of human emotions” (ClevelandClassical.com).

Sam’s remarkable achievements include first prize at the 2025 Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and a silver medal at the 2021 Primrose International Viola Competition. He has also received significant recognition through major prizes at the Johansen International Competition and, as a member of the renowned Razumovsky String Quartet, at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

Sam’s musical journey began in Cleveland, where he pursued his viola studies under the guidance of Jeffrey Irvine as a member of the Young Artist Program at the Cleveland Institute of Music. His passion for chamber music was ignited by formative experiences with the esteemed Cavani String Quartet and the Cleveland Quartet violinist Peter Salaff. Sam’s studies of viola and chamber music have also included work with esteemed artists such as Tabea Zimmermann, Kim Kashkashian, Donald Weilerstein, Roger Tapping, Yura Lee, Merry Peckham, and Joel Krosnick. Since 2016, Sam has been honored to be part of the Perlman Music Program community, serving as a student at both the Summer Music School and the Chamber Music Workshop. His time at PMP has been marked by transformative travel residencies to Sarasota, Palm Beach, and Tel Aviv, Israel, which have enriched his musical horizons.

Chamber music holds a special place in Sam’s musical life, and he continues to be deeply committed to its exploration and performance. Sam has had the privilege of performing and collaborating with the legendary roster of artists at the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont since 2023. Recent performances at renowned chamber music festivals across the United States and internationally, include Chamberfest Cleveland, Musique de Chambre en Normandie, Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, Music from Angel Fire, and Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute. Notably, he received the Audience Prize at the Schiermonnikoog Festival in the Netherlands. Sam has had the honor of performing with some of the most prominent artists of our time, including Itzhak Perlman, Miriam Fried, Joseph Lin, and Anthony McGill. He is a proud recipient of The Kover Fellowship for his Bachelor and Graduate degrees at The Juilliard School, where he had the privilege of working with esteemed faculty members Heidi Castleman, Misha Amory, and Hsin-Yun Huang. Currently, he is a fellow at the Kronberg Academy under the guidance of Nobuko Imai, funded by the Annika and Wolfgang Fink Patronage, and since 2024 has served as guest violist with The Cavani String Quartet.