If you have just started playing the violin, you know that this instrument is harsh at first and you might be looking for some information on how to tune your violin. Fortunately, we have written an article on that for you, and if you also want to learn more about the differences between acoustic vs electric violins, we recommend reading our guide on that.
Naming the best violin player in the world is a hard thing to do, taking into account that there are many successful violinists that have been playing for a long time. However, there are certain violinists that always appear in the tops and people consider them to be the best, so here are some details about them.
Itzhak Perlman
Known worldwide for his talent on the violin, he is also appreciated for his charisma and his joy of making music. His superstar status is something rarely seen in classical musicians. Perlman received many distinctions, amongst which the Kennedy Center Honor that celebrates his many achievements.
He played with the occasion of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama and he also performed for Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. Perlman was born in Israel in 1945 and soon went to a school of music there. He then moved to New York and made his first appearance in the Ed Sullivan Show in 1958.
After winning the Leventritt Competition in 1964 he used the opportunity to start his successful international career. And since then he appeared with all the major orchestras around the world and in all the major festivals.
He is not only a good violinist but also a conductor. Touring all around the world, he often performs in new locations and visits many countries. Because of his major influence on music, he has received four Emmy Awards and he is also a subject of documentaries.
Besides live performances all across the globe, Perlman also appears on TV a lot and has been present on shows such as The Late Show, The Tonight Show and numerous live broadcasts.
Hilary Hahn
Although she is only 39, Hilary Hahn has become one of the best-known instrumentalists in the world and that is because some consider her to be the most talented violinist. She was born in 1979 in the U.S. and she toured the globe both as a solo artist and as a recitalist accompanied by an orchestra.
She is an excellent player of classical music but she also built a reputation as a champion of contemporary music. Following the Suzuki Program, she started playing the violin just before she turned 4 and went on to learn in different musical institutes.
She was a prodigy and made her big orchestral debut when she was just 11 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Her international debut came in 1994 when she performed in Hungary with Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra.
Hahn completed her university requirements by 16 but chose to still be a student to pursue elective courses. In terms of musical releases, she began recording in 1996 and since then she released 16 albums, 3 DVDs and several compilations. She also had an Oscar-nominated movie soundtrack and a recording for children that won many awards.
As an artist, Hahn is a solo violinist but she also performed as a chamber musician. She has performed nearly every year with the Skaneateles Chamber Music Festival, since 1992. Hahn likes cross-genre music and collaborated with different artists in this sense. She also commissioned contemporary composers to write music that she would later perform.
Sarah Chang
Daughter of two South-Korean parents, Sarah was born in 1980 in a family of musicians. Her mother is a composer and her father a violinist and music teacher. Despite never actually living in South Korea, Chang said she feels her roots are there.
Like some other famous violinists, she was a prodigy and at the age of 5, she auditioned and was accepted to the Juilliard School. But she didn’t limit herself to learning in school and she practiced a lot outside it, with the help of professional violinists.
Her debut record came in 1991 when she was 10 and it quickly reached the status of classical music best-seller. After that, she quickly became famous and started performing all over the globe. She only took a break from all the touring when she was 20 years old. All the shows that she performed from a young age helped her to develop better as a musician and kept her focused.
One moment that left a mark on her memory was when she performed in Pyongyang, North Korea. She felt it as a frightening and exhilarating experience at the same time, and she also said that music is a universal language and she is fortunate to share it.
Viktoria Mullova
Best known for her interpretations of Bach’s compositions, Viktoria Mullova is a versatile violinist that innovates the style of playing popular and jazz music as well. Born in Russia in 1959, she studied music in Moscow and won numerous prizes amongst which the Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982.
Mullova didn’t like living in the Soviet Union so, when she had the chance in 1983 in Finland, she and her lover left the hotel where they were staying in Kuusamo and flew to Stockholm. They spent some time there and they finally got their visa to the U.S. and flew to Washington D.C.
In terms of repertoire, her works focus a lot on the compositions of Bach and her interpretations have gained her a lot of praise. Great critiques said that hearing her play Bach is one of the most enchanting experiences. She also performs a lot of Bach’s works when she is on tour.
But she does sometimes stray away from classical music and likes to reinvent contemporary music. Starting with 2000 she has been playing rearranged pop, jazz and mainstream music in her own style. She likes to experiment with certain cultures and how they have influenced music. That includes showcasing the gypsy impact upon the classical and jazz genres.
Bibliography:
2) Famous Violin Players You’ve Got to Know
3) Wonderful and famous violinists
4) The Greatest Violinists of All Time
5) Sarah Chang – the American classical violinist
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