Shlomo Mintz

Shlomo Mintz (born 1957 Moscow) is a highly regarded Israeli violin virtuoso, violist and conductor.

Worldwide he is praised for his impeccable musicianship, stylistic versatility and commanding technique alike.

Mr. Mintz regularly appears with leading orchestras and conductors and performs in recitals and chamber music concerts all around the world.

Training and early career

In 1959, at the age of two Shlomo Mintz emigrated with his family from Moscow to Israel, where he studied with the renowned Ilona Feher.

Mrs. Feher introduced Shlomo Mintz to Isaac Stern, who became his mentor.

He was also a student of Dorothy Delay in New York.

Shlomo Mintz began his career at age 11 as a soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Soon afterwards he was called on a week's notice by Zubin Mehta to play Paganini's first Violin Concerto with the orchestra when Itzhak Perlman fell ill. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of sixteen in a concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra that was presented under the auspices of Isaac Stern and the American-Israel Cultural Foundation, and subsequently began his studies with Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School of Music in New York.

Conducting

At the age of eighteen, Shlomo Mintz added the role of conductor to his artistic endeavours and has since conducted acclaimed orchestras worldwide, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (United Kingdom), the NHK Symphony Orchestra (Japan) and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

He was Music Advisor of the Israel Chamber Orchestra from 1989 to 1993 and in March 1994 he was named Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor of the Maastricht Symphony Orchestra (The Netherlands). He led the orchestra in weeks of concerts during four seasons, including some as both conductor and violin soloist.

Teaching

Shlomo Mintz is patron and one of the founders of the Keshet Eilon International Violin Mastercourse in Israel, an advanced-level summer programme for young talented violinists from all around the world in Kibbutz Eilon, Israel, and gives master classes worldwide.

Competition jury

He has been a member of the jury of several important international competitions, such as the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1993) and the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in Brussels (1993 and 2001).

In October 2001 Mr. Mintz was President of the Jury of the International Henryk Wieniawski Competition for the Violin in Poznan, Poland. Since 2002 he is Artistic Director of the Sion Valais International Music Festival and President of the Jury of the Sion Valais International Violin Competition in Switzerland.

Awards

• Premio Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena
• Diapason D’Or
• Grand Prix du Disque (thrice)
• Gramophone Award
• Edison Award (twice)

Discography

This is an incomplete list of his recordings:

• Bach Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin BWV 1001 – 1006, Deutsche Grammophon
• Bartók 2 Portraits, Deutsche Grammophon
• Bartók Violin Concerto No. 1, RN
• Beethoven Violin Concerto, Beethoven Romance No. 1, Beethoven Romance No. 2, Deutsche Grammophon
• Brahms Complete Violin & Viola Sonatas, Avie Records
• Brahms Violin Concerto, Deutsche Grammophon
• Bruch/Mendelssohn Violin Concertos, Deutsche Grammophon
• Debussy Violin Sonata in G, Ravel Violin Sonata in G, Franck Violin Sonata in A, Deutsche Grammophon
• Dvorak/Sibelius Violin Concertos, Deutsche Grammophon
• Fauré Violin Sonata No. 1 op. 13, Fauré Violin Sonata No. 2 op. 108, Deutsche Grammophon
• Israel Philharmonic 60th Anniversary Gala Concert, RCA Victor
• Kreisler Various Compositions, Deutsche Grammophon
• Lalo Symphonie Espagnole, Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5, Saint-Saëns ‘Introduction et Rondo capricioso’, Deutsche Grammophon
• Mendelssohn Violin Sonata in F Minor, Mendelssohn Violin Sonata in F Major, Deutsche Grammophon
• Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola KV 364, RCA Victor
• Mozart The Five Violin Concertos, Sinfonia Concertante, Concertone, Avie Records
• Paganini 24 Caprices for Solo Violin op. 1, Deutsche Grammophon
• Prokofiev Violin Concertos No. 1 & 2, Deutsche Grammophon
• Prokofiev Violin Sonata No. 1 op. 80, Prokofiev Violin Sonata No. 2 op. 94, Deutsche Grammophon
• Shostakovitch Violin Sonata op.134, Shostakovitch Viola Sonata op.147, Erato
• Stravinsky ‘Histoire du Soldat’, Valois
• Vivaldi ‘The Four Seasons’, Deutsche Grammophon
• Vivaldi Complete collection of Violin Concertos (10 Volumes), MusicMasters Classics.*

See also

• List of violinists