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Maxim Vengerov

About this Artist

At just 29 years of age, MAXIM VENGEROV is recognized as one of the world's most exciting violinists. Since he started playing at the age of four-and-a-half, he has evolved into an assured musician of the highest order.

Vengerov performs regularly with all the major orchestras and the most eminent conductors. In recent years he has stretched beyond the standard concerto and recital repertoire, performing as soloist and conductor and on Baroque violin as well as viola.

Vengerov recorded exclusively for Teldec Classics for ten years, during which time awards and accolades were plentiful, including the 1994 Gramophone Young Artist award. His recordings of Shostakovich and Prokofiev concertos garnered a number of distinctions, including two Grammy nominations. More recently, in 2003 Vengerov received an Edison award for his CD of Bach, Ysaÿe, and Shchedrin on EMI Classics, with whom he signed an exclusive contract in May 2000.

In 1997, at the age of 23, Vengerov was appointed Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). As the first classical musician to be appointed in this role, Vengerov has played for abducted child-soldiers in Uganda, disadvantaged children in Harlem, children suffering from drug addiction in Thailand, and children on both sides of the Kosovo ethnic divide. Of his experience he says: "I understood what miracles you can bring back to children with music; this is a universal language that everyone understands; it goes from heart to heart."

Vengerov wishes to express his gratitude to Mrs. Yoko Nagae Ceschina for all her continued support, advice, and help, which made possible the purchase of his unique "Kreutzer" Stradivarius violin.