MEET THE PROS

Today is celebrated Russian violin virtuoso Victor Pikayzen's 86th birthday. A protege of David Oistrakh, he is a former prize winner at the Paganini, Queen...

American comedian, vaudevillian and violinist Jack Benny was born on this day in 1894 – 125 years ago. Dying in 1974, he is widely regarded...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with LGT Young Soloists Artistic Director, violinist Alexander Gilman. Founded by Alexander and pianist Marina Seltenreich in collaboration with the LGT Private Bank, in Switzerland, the...

"How do you deal with the side effects of traveling?" The Violin Channel recently caught up with 30+ of the world’s top string players to...

Legendary German composer, conductor, theatre director and polemicist, Richard Wagner died on this day in 1883 – 136 years ago, aged 69. His signature works...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with superstar French cellist Gautier Capuçon for a behind-the-scenes Instagram takeover – direct from Lincoln Center, in New York City.     View...

French violin virtuoso and composer Émile Sauret died on this day in 1920, 99 years ago – aged 67. A protégé of Charles de Beriot and Henri Vieuxtemps, he...

Today is South-Korean VC Young Artist Ji-Young Lim’s 24th birthday. A graduate of the Korean National University of Arts where she studied with Nam-Yun Kim, and current student of...

American violinist, pianist and pedagogue Louis Persinger was born on this day in 1887 – 132 years ago. His famed students included Yehudi Menuhin, Ruggiero Ricci,...

Italian violinist and composer Antonio Bazzini died on this day in 1897 – 122 years ago. Bazzini is remembered as one of the finest concert...

Italian luthier Carlo Bergonzi died on this day in 1747. He is remembered as one of Antonio Stradivari's greatest pupils – later inheriting Stradivari's repair...

American violinist Louis Kaufman died on this day in 1994 – aged 88. It is estimated he is possibly the most recorded musical artist in...

German composer and music publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister died on this day in 1812 – 207 years ago. Hoffmeister's major contributions to the string repertoire...

The original version of Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D Minor premiered on this day in 1904 – 115 years ago. The first performance...

Today is American composer, conductor and pianist John Williams’ 87th birthday. The recipient of 3 Emmy Awards, 5 Academy Awards and 21 Grammy Awards, he...

In a VC-exclusive guest blog, Orion String Quartet violinist Todd Phillips shares his thoughts on the importance of musical curiosity - and the impact it...

Today is Belarusian cellist, VC Young Artist Ivan Karizna’s 27th birthday. A student of Frans Helmerson at the Kronberg Academy, Ivan is a former major...

Samuel Barber Violin Concerto Op. 14 premiered on this day in 1941 – 78 years ago. The first performance was given by violinist Albert Spalding with...

Norwegian violinist and composer Ole Bull was born on this day in 1810 - 209 years ago. Bull is remembered as one of the preeminent virtuosi of...

Polish-American violinist Piotr Janowski was born on this day in 1951 – 68 years ago. A student of Ivan Galamian, Zino Francescatti, Henryk Szeryng and Jascha Heifetz, Mr Janowski was a former...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with American cellist and pedagogue, Darrett Adkins - in New York City. In a VC-exclusive guest blog, the Juilliard...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with 19-year-old American cello virtuoso, VC Young Artist Zlatomir Fung - in New York City. We sat the Enescu, Schoenfeld...

Austrian-born American conductor Erich Leinsdorf was born on this day in 1912 – 107 years ago. Dying in 1993, Maestro Leinsdorf served Principal conducting positions...

Russian violin virtuoso Nelli Shkolnikova died on this day in 2010 – aged 81. A student of Lillia Kossodo and Yuri Yankelevich, Ms Shkolnikova was...

Austrian-born violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler was born on this day in 1875 – 144 years ago. He is widely regarded as one of the...

Legendary violin virtuoso Jascha Heifetz was born on this day in 1901 – 118 years ago. A protégé of Leopold Auer, he is remembered in history as one of...

Austrian composer Franz Schubert was born on this day in 1797. Despite dying aged just 31, he was tremendously prolific - outputting 9 symphonies, more than...

Today is American composer Philip Glass' 82nd birthday! Described as a composer of 'music with repetitive structures', Mr Glass is widely regarded as one of...

Today is Canadian VC Artist Nikki Chooi’s 30th birthday! A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School, Nikki is a former...

Today is Canadian violinist, VC Young Artist Blake Pouliot’s 25th birthday! A graduate of the Colburn School, where he studied with Robert Lipsett, Blake is a...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with 26-year-old Chinese-born composer Peng-Peng Gong, in Philadelphia - on the eve of the world premiere performance of...

Today is Japanese violin virtuoso Sayaka Shoji's 36th birthday! A protege of Zakhar Bron, Sayaka shot to international fame at age 16 – after winning...

Today is American cellist Lynn Harrell's 75th birthday! A protege of Leonard Rose and Orlando Cole, Mr Harrell is widely respected as one of the...

Today is Romanian-born violin virtuoso, Silvia Marcovici's birthday! A former 1st prize winner at the Long-Jacques Thibaud and George Enescu International Violin Competitions, she is...

Polish-American violin virtuoso Bronislav Gimpel was born on this day in 1911 – 108 years ago. A protege of Carl Flesch, Mr Gimpel is remembered...

Austrian-American violin virtuoso & composer Fritz Kreisler died on this day in 1962, from a heart condition - aged 86. He is widely regarded as...

Today is Taiwanese-American violin virtuoso Cho-Liang Lin's 59th birthday! A student of Dorothy DeLay, Cho-Liang has made appearances with virtually every major orchestra in the world,...

Polish-American pianist Arthur Rubinstein was born on this day in 1887 – 132 years ago. A student of Karl Heinrich Barth, Maestro Rubinstein is remembered...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with Philadelphia Orchestra Assistant Conductor Maestro Kensho Watanabe and Shanghai Philharmonic Resident Conductor Maestro Zhang Liang - in...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with the Youth Music Culture Guangdong Festival for a behind-the-scenes Instagram takeover – direct from Guangzhou, China. Takeover featuring violinist Johnny Gandelsman from...

Today is French violin virtuoso Renaud Capucon's 43rd birthday! A protege of Gérard Poulet, he is widely regarded as one of today's eminent violin...

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born on this day in 1756 – 263 years ago. Mozart is remembered in history as one of the most prolific and...

Today is German violin virtuoso, VC Artist Sarah Christian’s 29th birthday. A graduate of the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler and University of Mozarteum Salzburg, where she studied...

Today is Canadian violinist James Ehnes’ 43rd birthday. A protégé of Sally Thomas and The Juilliard School, James is widely regarded as one of today’s foremost virtuosi –...

Today, January 27th is the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. The day marks the anniversary of the 1945 liberation...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with respected Australian-British violinist and educator, Professor Simon Fischer. In a VC-exclusive guest blog, the Guildhall School of Music and Royal...

VC Facebook Live webcast direct from the Beare’s Premiere Music Festival — in Hong Kong. Program entitled ‘Viva Tango!’ includes the Hong Kong premiere of Lalo Schifrin’s...

Legendary French jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli was born on this day in 1908 – 111 years ago. Dying in 1997, aged 89, Mr Grappelli is remembered for...

Japanese pedagogue Shinichi Suzuki died on this day in 1998 – aged 99. Mr Suzuki holds an influential place in history as the creator of the Suzuki...

Today is Soviet-born violin virtuoso Boris Belkin’s 71st birthday. A protégé of Yuri Yankelevich, Felix Andrievsky and Isaac Stern, Mr Belkin is widely respected as one of the finest...