Today is Violinist Dora Schwarzberg's Birthday!

The violinist and pedagogue is Professor Emeritus at Vienna's University of Music and the Performing Arts

27 March marks the 77th birthday of the Russian-born violinist and pedagogue Dora Schwarzberg!

Born in Tashkent in modern-day Uzbekistan in 1946, Schwarzberg was accepted into the Stoliarsky School in Odessa at the age of nine. The school's renowned music program had already produced musicians such as David Oistrakh, Emil Gilels, and Nathan Milstein. During this time, Schwarzberg played for the violinists Isaac Stern and Ivry Gitlis, as well as making solo appearances with orchestra.

Schwarzberg continued her studies with the renowned Russian pedagogue Yuri Yankelevich and with Valentin Berlinsky (of the Borodin Quartet) at the Moscow State Conservatory, during which time she got the opportunity to work with Dmitri Shostakovich on his opera The Nose.

In 1973, Schwarzberg immigrated to Israel, where she came into contact with Isaac Stern. He was to loan her an instrument by Guadagnini, which she played for many years. During this time, she undertook extensive chamber music touring throughout Israel and Europe, and she recorded all the Brahms sonatas and piano trios on the Ricordi label.

Schwarzberg was a laureate at several prestigious competitions, including the Carl Flesch Competition in London, the ARD Violin Competition in Munich, the Romano Romanini in Brescia, and the Paganini Competition.

At Isaac Stern's recommendation, Schwarzberg began teaching at the Mannes School of Music in New York. In 1989 she took up a position at the Vienna University of Music and the Performing Arts, where she currently holds the title of Professor Emeritus.

Schwarzberg's students have won a number of international competitions, and play in major orchestras and chamber ensembles all over the world.