What is your most memorable moment with the orchestra?
Aix-en-Provence, 2005. Really one of the most magical summers of my life. My first project: six weeks of Mozart opera with an orchestra of this caliber in the South of France, free days swimming in the Mediterranean, the markets, the wine... I still remember the first rehearsal, and Chiara and Mizuho exchanging cascading runs in the overture, and I just had to stop for a few measures and listen. And smile. I was hooked.

What do you need to feel at home whilst on tour?
A double bed, a window seat, wifi, a few new episodes of whatever series I'm hooked on, a well-stocked gym, Starbucks, and American chunky peanut butter (not the organic kind with the oil that floats to the top, yuck). I'm trying to get Monsieur Vuong to come along as tour chef. There are some places I feel instantly at home in - like Tokyo or Lucerne, or Ferrara, or Madrid, or even - shocker - Dortmund. On the other hand, no matter what I find or bring along, places like Bogotá or Beijing might as well be on Mars.

If you could play another instrument what would it be?
The piano, no question. I took lessons when I was very young and quit when I was slightly less young and I regret it. From the repertoire, to the sheer volume of sound, to the completeness of it: how I'd love to come home at the end of the day, make a gin gimlet and sit down and play a Chopin Nocturne... Someday I'll go back to it.

The most inspiring composer:
Bach. My favorite. Who I listen to more than anyone else. Last year I flew about 125,000 miles and Bach was on the iPod the entire time. That's Bach around the globe five times.

What would you do if you weren't a musician?
When I was about 10 I thought I'd like to be a pediatrician. I was a rather healthy kid and going to the doctor was quite fun... magazines and picture books in the lobby, cool machines, being the center of attention, candy on your way out. What's not to like? I studied film producing in college, although never with a serious intention of pursuing it professionally. At a certain point you just get too good to quit. But I do have my moments, when I'm fed up with things, or discouraged - my quit fantasies. But I just haven't any idea what I'd do instead. Someday I'll learn to make furniture - design chairs and tables - it's in the genes. I'll also start a band. The simple fact is, I have no memory of a life that didn't include a violin in it.

BIOGRAPHY
Eoin Andersen is a member of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the LUCERNE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA, and Principal 2nd violin of the Orchester der Oper Zürich.  He has performed as guest Principal Second Violin with the London Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Mahler, Zurich, and Australian Chamber Orchestras. Additionally, he has worked with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and he has been a guest leader with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. 

He has performed as a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (Sibelius), the Concord Chamber Orchestra (Saint-Saens), the Ottumwa Symphony (Tchaikovsky) and the Menomonee Falls Symphony (Bruch), among other American orchestras.

As a chamber musician and recitalist he has performed in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Palm Beach, at Interlochen, at the Aspen Music Festival, at Tanglewood's Ozawa Hall, at the Gubbio Festival in Italy, and on a Pacific Music Festival sponsored tour in Japan. Festival appearances include the OK Mozart Festival, Bellingham Music Festival, the Cabrillo Music Festival in California, Florida's Sarasota Festival, as well as the Classical Winter Series in Israel.

Formerly a member of the Mark Morris Dance Group Music Ensemble, he performed Bartok's Fourth Quartet (All Fours), Schumann's Piano Quintet (V) and other works choreographed by Mark Morris throughout the United States and in England, Scotland and Wales.
 
Other projects include the solo violin role in Bright Sheng and David Henry Huang's chamber opera The Silver River at the Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia. He performed as solo violinist in the Broadway production of Cabaret, and served as music consultant for two films: Fine Tuning; The Pacific Music Festival Experience, and Bravo Television’s The Art of Influence. He has recorded for NPR, NHK, Dreamworks and ABC television.
 
Eoin Andersen began violin lessons at the age of five. His teachers have included Noraleen Retinger, Lucia Lin, David Taylor, Efim Boico and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg.

Click here to read Eoin's Tour Diary entry (10.10.2007)

EOIN'S PERFORMANCES WITH MAHLER CHAMBER SOLOISTS