MEET THE PROS

Russian Romantic composer, doctor and chemist Alexander Borodin died on this day in 1887 - aged 53. A member of the 19th Century 'Russian Five',...

Today is German violin virtuoso Frank Peter Zimmermann’s 54th birthday! A student of Valery Gradov, Saschko Gawriloff and Herman Krebber, he is widely regarded as one...

Today is Latvian-German violin virtuoso Gidon Kremer's 72nd birthday. A student of David Oistrakh, Maestro Kremer is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated musicians...

Today is VC Young Artist Kerson Leong’s 22nd birthday! A student of Augustin Dumay at the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth, Kerson is a former Junior 1st...

American violin virtuoso Eugene Fodor died on this day in 2011. A student of Ivan Galamian, Josef Gingold and Jascha Heifetz, he was a former...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with acclaimed French violinist Augustin Dumay – for a fun game of VC Desert Island Downloads. We sat him...

Celebrated American violinist Guila Bustabo was born on this day in 1916 – 103 years ago. A student of Leon Sametini and Louis Persinger, she...

American cellist David Soyer died on this day in 2010 - one day after his 87th birthday. A student of Emanuel Feuermann and Pablo Casals,...

Jewish-American composer Franz Waxman died on this day in 1967 from cancer – aged 59. A prolific composer, he left a legacy of over 150...

American cellist David Soyer was born on this day in 1923. A student of Emanuel Feuermann and Pablo Casals, Mr Soyer was a founding member...

English violin virtuoso Albert Sammons was born on this day in 1886 – 133 years ago. Largely a self-taught violinist, he is remembered particularly for...

Soviet violin virtuoso Julian Sitkovetsky died on this day in 1958, from lung cancer - aged just 32. The father of violinist and conductor Dmitry...

English composer Sir Edward Elgar died on this day in 1934 – 85 years ago. His signature works include the Enigma Variations, the Pomp...

Russian-born violin virtuoso, pedagogue and composer Efrem Zimbalist died on this day in 1985 – aged 94. A student of Leopold Auer, he is remembered as...

English viola virtuoso Lionel Tertis died on this day in 1975 – aged 98. He is remembered as one of the most eminent violists of...

Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy in E-flat Major Op. 46 premiered on this day in 1881. The first performance was given by Hungarian virtuoso Joseph Joachim - with...

Russian-born American violinist and pedagogue Zvi Zeitlin was born on this day in 1922. A graduate of The Juilliard School, where he studied with Ivan Galamian, Mr Zeitlin...

'What is your preferred tuning A-pitch frequency?" The Violin Channel recently caught up with 30+ of the world’s top string players to find out … Violin...

Today is German-born pianist and conductor Christoph Eschenbach’s 76th birthday. A protege of Herbert von Karajan and George Szell, Maestro Eschenbach is widely regarded as...

Today is Italian conductor Riccardo Chailly’s 66th birthday. Maestro Chailly is widely regarded as one of today’s foremost conductors. He has held principal conducting positions with...

Today is Latvian violin virtuoso Baiba Skride's 38th birthday! A graduate of the Rostock Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Petru Munteanu, Baiba was awarded 1st...

Today is Russian violin virtuoso Alena Baeva's 34th birthday. A student of Eduard Grach at the Moscow Central School of Music, Tchaikovsky Conservatoire and the Moscow...

Acclaimed Australian conductor Stuart Challender was born on this day in 1947. A graduate of the Victorian Conservatory of Music, he served Principal Conducting positions...

Hungarian violin virtuoso Joseph Szigeti died on this day in 1973 – aged 80. A protégée of Jeno Hubay, Mr Szigeti is remembered as one of the...

Today is Israeli-American violin virtuoso Gil Shaham’s 48th birthday. A graduate of the Juilliard School and Columbia University, where he studied with Dorothy DeLay and...

Sergei Prokofiev‘s Sinfonia Concertante in E Minor Op. 125 premiered on this day in 1952. The first performance was given by legendary cello virtuoso Mstislav Rostropovich - with...

Soviet composer Dmitry Kabalevsky died on this day in 1987 - aged 82. He is remembered for his contribution to developing young talent – having...

Italian violin virtuoso and composer Camillo Sivori died on this day in 1894 - 125 years ago. He is remembered in history as Niccolo Paganini's only...

The Violin Channel recently caught up with American violinist, VC Artist Stefan Jackiw for a behind-the-scenes Instagram takeover – direct from The Crypt Sessions, in Harlem,...

German violinist Willy Hess died on this day in 1939 – aged 79. A protege of Joseph Joachim, he was a former Concertmaster of the...

Today is French violin virtuoso Olivier Charlier's 58th birthday. A student of Yehudi Menuhin and Henryk Szeryng, he is a former 1st prize winner at...

Belgian composer and violinist Henri Vieuxtemps was born on this day in 1820. A protege of Charles de Bériot, he is remembered as one of...

French violinist and composer Pierre Rode was born on this day in 1774 – 245 years ago. A student of Giovanni Battista Viotti, Rode...

Today is Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer John Corigliano's 81st birthday. A graduate of Columbia University and the Manhattan School of Music, his signature works include...

The Violin Channel recently caught up Dallas Symphony Concertmaster and Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music teaching faculty member, American violinist Alexander Kerr. We sat him...

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Violin Concerto in D Major Op. 35 premiered on this day in 1945. The first performance was given by Jascha Heifetz with...

Alexander Glazunov Violin Concerto in A Minor Op. 82 premiered on this day in 1905 – 114 years ago. The first performance was given by...

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...