Vladimir Achkenazi

Vladimir Davidovitch Achkenazi or Vladimir Ashkenazy , the form most usually met (in; ) is a Leader and Pianiste Russian virtuoso , born the July 6th 1937 with Nijni-Novgorod in the USSR of a Jewish father and an orthodoxe Russian mother. It is, since 1972, citizen Icelandic.

Biography

Its career of pianist

Achkenazi begins its musical studies as of six years and proclamation an extraordinary talent for its young age. At eight years, it enters to the academy. In 1955, it gains the second price with the prestigious international Concours of piano Frederic Chopin, in 1956 he is prize winner with the international musical Concours Queen-Elisabeth-of-Belgium and shares the first price in 1962 with the international Concours Tchaïkovski. In 1966, it passes to the West and is established in Iceland then in Switzerland.

Although it is known to have recorded the twenty-four preludes and runnings away of Chostakovitch as well as the complete work of Chopin for Piano, there does not stop its immense and vast repertory, that it does not cease widening, so much in the Chamber music, the concertos and the multitudes of works for piano solo of various type-setters. It approaches all the kinds but avoids more and more Liszt and the Modern music (although its intégale of the five concertos of Prokofiev is completely extraordinary)…

Its career of leader

With semi-career, Achkenazi is tested with the orchestral direction while continuing its activities of pianist. Its interpretations of the Symphonie S of Sibelius were particularly acclaimed, just like its recordings of the orchestral music of Rachmaninov.

From 1989 to 1999, it occupies the functions of permanent chief to the head of the Deutsches Symphony-Orchester Berlin . In 1996, it is named principal chief of the Czech Philharmonic orchestra and, in 2004, musical director of the Symphony orchestra of the NHK.

Vladimir Achkenazi is today president of the Rachmaninoff Society.

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