Maxim Vengerov
Maxim Vengerov is a perfect example of a violinist who was born with immense talent, acquired a unique technique through hard work, and subsequently gained a well-deserved international reputation. Born in 1974 to a family of musicians, his natural ability was encouraged from the crib. Vengerov gave his first recital at the age of five. At the age of ten he won the First Prize in the Junior Wieniawski Competition in Poland. At the age of fifteen, he won the Carl Flesch International Violin Competition. In 1991, Vengerov played with the New York Philharmonic. Six years later, he was the guest soloist for the opening concert of the year at the New York Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra. Vengerov has been honored with the Spanish Ritmo Artist of the Year, the Edison Award for Best Concerto Recording, and Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra). Vengerov was also the first classical musician to be named Envoy for Music by UNICEF. In 2005, Vengerov took a sabbatical to study improvisation and tango dance. The process culminated with a new concerto written specifically for him by Benjamin Yusupov, which premiered with the NDR Orchestra in Hanover, Germany. In addition to his performing work, Vengerov is currently a Professor of Violin at the Musikhochschule des Saarlandes.
