



BIO/ACTIVITIES
To download complete BIO in WORD, go to the Press Kit page
Daniel Rubenstein has built an remarkable musical career defined by his versatility. A violinist, violist, and pianist, he graduated with distinction from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and Indiana University (USA), where he honed his skills on all three instruments at the highest level. As a concert artist, prolific chamber musician, dedicated teacher, artistic director, and researcher-transcriber, he devotes his life to music in all its forms.
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A musician of multiple breadth, Rubenstein effortlessly transitions between violin, viola, piano, and artistic direction. As a violinist and violist, he has performed as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician in more than 20 countries, gracing prestigious venues such as Salle Henri Leboeuf, Flagey, and the Koningin Elisabethzaal in Belgium; the Manuel De Falla Auditorium in Spain; the Henry Crown Symphony Hall in Jerusalem; the Tel Aviv Museum; Kadıköy Süreyya in Istanbul; the Acropolium of Carthage; the Antalya Philharmonic; and Minato Mirai Hall in Yokohama, among many others.
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A laureate of national competitions including Pro Civitate, Édouard Deru, and Lioness Club Young Virtuoso,Rubenstein made his solo debut at 15 with the Belgian National Orchestra under the baton of Mendi Rodan. He later performed with conductors such as André Vandernoot, Jean-Pierre Wallez, Proinsias O'Duin, Georges Octors, and Ronald Zollman, as well as on tour with the Waterloo Soloists, where he served as concertmaster for several years.
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A sought-after chamber musician, he has shared the stage with over a hundred artists, including Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, Muhidin Dürrüoglu, Dalia Ouziel, Hagaï Shaham, Gil Sharon, Andrew Hardy, Alexei Moshkov, Eyal Shiloach, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Alexander Dmitriev, Luc Dewez, Miha Haran, Justus Grimm, and Marc Grauwels. He has also collaborated on special occasions with musicians such as Brigitte Engerer, Abdel-Rahman El Bacha, Daniel Blumenthal, Peter Frankl, Olivier Charlier, Augustin Dumay, Francis Orval, Michel Lethiec, and Pascal Moragues. For 15 years, he was the violist of the Mahler Piano Quartet, the Guarneri String Trio, and Trio Estampes. Currently, he is the first violinist of Ensemble Mendelssohn, one of the rare European ensembles specializing in string quintets and sextets, with or without piano.
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Committed to contemporary music, Rubenstein has premiered more than 50 works, ranging from solo pieces to sextets, many of them composed especially for him by renowned composers such as Hao-Fu Zhang, Jacqueline Fontyn, Don Freund, Jan Van Landeghem, Frédéric Van Rossum, Claude Ledoux, Michel Lysight, Oded Zehavi, David Loeb, Jean-Pierre Deleuze, and Jan Freidlin. He also champions the works of younger composers, including Talia Amar, Adrien Tsilogiannis, Stéphane Orlando, and Nicolas Meunier, bridging tradition with modern expression. In Israel, he notably premiered Aviya Kopelman's violin and oud concerto, further demonstrating his dedication to innovative projects.
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His discography, released by labels such as DUX, Talent Records, Harp&Co, and Pavane Records, reflects his artistic breadth, encompassing recitals, chamber music, and contemporary compositions. These recordings were praised by international critics (Gramophone, Crescendo, Classica, Fanfare, MusicWeb, AllMusic).
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Beyond performance, Rubenstein is deeply invested in promoting chamber music. As artistic director of the Mozart Festival – Waterloo International Music Festival, which celebrated its 26th edition in 2024, he fosters an environment where international artists gather for musical excellence in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The festival has also expanded to Japan, furthering its global reach.
As a researcher, he specializes in major works for violin and viola, transcribing significant pieces—including notable works by Beethoven—for chamber ensembles.
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Rubenstein began studying the violin at the age of 6 with Marie-Christine Springuel and José Pingen, later receiving instruction from his father, Jerrold Rubenstein. At 16, he entered the Royal Conservatory of Brussels,where he studied under Marcel Debot and later Philippe Hirshhorn. He continued his education for five years at Indiana University, Bloomington, under the guidance of Miriam Fried and Franco Gulli. He further his studies during a year with Nicolas Chumachenco in Freiburg (Germany) and during two Summers at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena (Italy) with Boris Belkin.
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As a violist, he studied for three years with Atar Arad at Indiana University, earning both a diploma and soloist competition prize. Additionally, he pursued full piano studies at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels with Orit Ouziel and Robert Redaelli, graduating with distinction with a Higher Diploma in piano.
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Thanks to his diverse expertise and comprehensive training, teaching has become a central part of his career. As a professor of violin, viola, and chamber music at the Royal Conservatory of Mons (Arts²) and an associate professor of chamber music at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, he has taught numerous students, some of whom have gone on to win national competitions or join prestigious ensembles. In addition to his institutional roles, he frequently gives masterclasses in Belgium and abroad, sharing his experience and musical vision with the next generation.