Jorge Ávila has won attention as an outstanding violinist through numerous appearances as a soloist, recitalist, concertmaster, and chamber musician. A recipient of numerous awards and honors, Jorge received his resident status in the United States under the “Extraordinary Talent” category. He was also awarded first prize at the 2001 Mu Phi Epsilon International Music Competition.
Hailed as “a strong violinist” by the NY Times after his performance as a soloist and concertmaster in The Sacred Music in a Sacred Space concert of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and Haydn sinfonia concertante; Jorge has also performed as a soloist with orchestras in Europe, the U.S., Central and South America. In the New York City area, he has appeared as a soloist with the Ridgefield Symphony, Colonial Symphony, the Bay Atlantic Symphony, Saint Andrew Chorale and orchestra, the Riverside Orchestra, Hofstra Symphony, New Amsterdam Symphony, City Island Chamber Orchestra, and The Bronx Arts Ensemble.
Born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Jorge began his violin studies at age 14. In 1987, Jorge moved to the U.S. to study at the University of Georgia as a full scholarship student, where he served as concertmaster of the orchestra and member of the Pre-College faculty. In 1988, Jorge won the Atlanta Music Club Concerto Competition. That same year, Jorge moved to New York City where he began his studies as a scholarship student at the Mannes College of Music; from Mannes he received both his Bachelor of Music and Professional Studies diplomas. Jorge’s major teachers include Jorge Corpus, David Nadien, Charles Castleman, and Jose Chaín-Barbot. While attending the Tanglewood Music Center as recipient of the “Omar del Carlo” Fellowship, Jorge studied chamber music with members of the Juilliard Quartet and the Galimir Quartet, as well as with Leon Fleisher, Gilbert Kalish and Timothy Eddy.
Jorge made his Carnegie Hall Concerto debut with the DCINY orchestra on Januray 16th, 2012. His most recent concerto performances include Prokofiev’s 1st Violin Concerto and the Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra, the Tchaikovsky concerto with the Bay Atlantic Symphony and also with the Merrimack Valley Philharmonic. Jorge made his solo Weill Recital Hall debut at Carnegie Hall in 2009 featuring music from his CD of Spanish Sonatas for Violin and Piano, which can be found on the Centaur Label, or downloaded from iTunes and Amazon.
Jorge has recorded for the Centaur, Naxos, Nonesuch Records and other labels. He has also performed live on both television and radio. Previous seasons’ highlights include many recitals, as well as performances of the Brahms, Bruch, Mendelssohn concertos, as well as a memorable performance of Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with David Finckel, Wu Han and the Salem Chamber Orchestra. In 2008, Jorge appeared as Concertmaster for His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, at a televised Mass held at Yankee Stadium. In 2015, he served once again as concertmaster for His Holiness, Pope Francis, at a televised Mass held at Madison Square Garden.
Jorge has appeared as concertmaster with numerous groups in the tri-state area, including the Greenwich Symphony, Stamford Symphony, Colonial Symphony Orchestra, Westfield Symphony, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Gotham Opera, National Chorale, Verismo Opera, José Limón Dance Company, Sonos Chamber Orchestra, Bachanalia, the New Amsterdam Symphony and the Tanglewood Music Center orchestra.
He is also the Concertmaster of Distinguished Concerts International New York and The Ridgefield Symphony. Among many other choral groups in New York City, Jorge also appears as concertmanster with the Oratorio Society of New York, The Choral Society of Grace Church, Sacred Music in a Sacred Space, Saint Andrew Music Society and The St. Patrick’s Cathedral Orchestra. In addition, Jorge performs as a chamber musician with the Bronx Arts Ensemble, and The Greenwich Chamber Players.
Jorge has participated in multiple recordings of various internationally reknowned artists, Radio and TV jingles. He has also performed with over 35 Broadway orchestras over the last 24 years, serving currently as guest concertmaster for the orchestra at Wicked and the solo violin chair at Chicago, The Musical.