Julimar Gonzalez

Venezuelan violinist Julimar Gonzalez began her studies at the age of 7 with Professor Heemath Jahoor at the world-renowned music program known as El Sistema. She was chosen to be part of the first violin section of the Jose Felix Ribas Youth Orchestra in 2006 and later in 2007 became a member of the National Children’s Orchestra of Venezuela conducted by Maestro Gustavo Dudamel and Sir Simon Rattle. During that same year she joined the Latin American Academy of Violin where she studied under Maestro Jose Francisco Del Castillo until 2013.

Gonzalez has appeared as a soloist in various cities around Venezuela with conductors such as Pablo Castellanos, Carlos Riazuelo, Manuel López Gómez and Joshua Dos Santos including performances with Maestro Gustavo Dudamel and the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. Most recently she performed with the Roosevelt University Orchestra at Chicago Symphony Center conducted by Maestro Emanuele Andrizzi. She has also performed overseas recitals in Barcelona, Spain at the Vesprades de Tardor Music Festival and she has spent her summers at Chautauqua Music Festival and Bowdoin Music Festival in the United States during consecutive years since 2014.

She has participated in masterclasses with renowned violinists Ray Chen, Ilya Kaler, Ida Kavafian, Rachel Barton Pine, Albert Markov, Donald Weilerstein, Maurice Hasson, Michaela Martin, Kristoff Barati, Kathleen Winkler, among others. 

In 2022 Gonzalez won the SAI competition at Chautauqua Institution, the concerto competition at Roosevelt University, and she won first place in the Collegiate Strings Division of the national young artist competition held by the Coeur d´Alene Symphony Orchestra. In 2021 Gonzalez won The Farewell Trust award by the Musician’s Club of Woman competition. In 2019 she won the concerto competition at Chicago College of Performing Arts and also received first place at the Illinois American String Teachers Association Competition. In the past she has also been a semifinalist of the Sphinx Competition in Detroit and other competitions.

Gonzalez has been a student of Almita and Roland Vamos since 2013. She earned her Bachelor’s degree and Performance Diploma in Violin Performance at Roosevelt University.