Marantz America will sponsor German classical and rock violinist David Garrett through his 21-city tour of the United States. The tour sponsorship includes an integrated marketing initiative to directly support key Marantz retailers across the country, as well as generate music content for Marantz’s good-looking new website and other social media platforms.

Kevin Zarow, Marantz’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said: “As a longtime supporter and proponent of both classical and rock music, our sponsorship of David Garrett is a perfect fit. Just as Marantz creates products that position us for leadership in today’s new era of digital entertainment, David conveys both the excitement and emotion of classical music while engaging younger audiences with his stunningly modern rock and pop compositions. We are delighted to be working with such an exciting talent in this stage of a career that is sure to set the world on fire!”

In 2004, David Garrett graduated from The Julliard School, where he had studied under violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman. Garrett made his first public performance at the Hamburg Philharmonic when he was ten; at 13, he became the youngest classical artist ever to sign a contract with a record label. Of his relationship with Marantz, Garret added: “As a musician, the quality of sound, as well as performance, is of the utmost importance. My whole life I’ve been searching for perfection; with Marantz, I am very pleased to be working with a brand that shares this ambition.”

The 21-city tour unofficially opened with a “flash mob” performance at New York City’s Eataly restaurant. (Those “flash mob” things are always so fun. I keep waiting for one to happen when I least expect it, but a "flash mob" is like love: You can't just go looking for it.)

Stereophile has recently reviewed products from Marantz, including the excellent and affordable PM5003 integrated amplifier (with built-in phono stage!), and the beautiful, limited-edition SA-KI-Pearl SACD player. Bob Reina’s review of the overachieving CD5004 CD player ($350) and additional comments on the latest iteration of the PM5003 integrated will appear in our March issue. For more info on Marantz and David Garrett, and for a complete list of Garrett’s tour dates, visit the new Marantz website.