Vladimir Spivakov

Vladimir Spivakov is the world-famous violinist and conductor, patron of the arts, prominent public figure, he has brilliantly implemented his talent in the musical art and other spheres of the public activities.
V. Spivakov graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory in 1967, professor Y. Yankelevich class, being a promising solo violinist that time, awarded a number of prizes at the international contests. Early at the age of thirteen V. Spivakov was awarded the First Prize at the White Nights Contest in Leningrad and debuted as a solo violinist at the stage of the Leningrad Conservatory Big Hall. Than a lot of prizes have been won by the prominent violinist at the most prestigious international contests: the Long- Thibaud, Paris (1965), the Paganini contest in Genoa (1967), Montreal, Canada (1969, first prize), the Tchaykovsky contest, Moscow (1970, second prize).
In 1975, after V. Spivakov's triumph appearances in the USA, his brilliant international career begins. Maestro V. Spivakov appeared many times and still appears as soloist with the world best symphony orchestras, such as the Leningrad Philharmony Academic Symphony Orchestra, the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Soviet Union, the Berlin, Vienna, London and New York Philharmony orchestras, the Concertgebouw orchestra, De Paris Orchestra, the Chicago, Philadelphia and Cleveland orchestras, with the most prominent conductors: E. Mravinsky, E. Svetlanov, Y. Temirkanov, M. Rostropovich, L. Bernstein, S. Ozawa, L. Maasel, D. Giulini, R. Muti, C. Abbado.
Before 1997 Maestro Spivakov performed on Francesco Gobberti made violin, which was presented by his teacher professor Yankelevich. And beginning from 1997 V. Spivakov performs on Antonio Stradivari made violin granted to him for the life use by his excited patrons and admirers.
In 1979 V. Spivakov together with a group of his friends and artistic adherents founded the chamber orchestra “Moscow Virtuosi” and became its permanent director, chief conductor and soloist. It was preceded by years of serious preparatory work and training in the conductor art with glorious professor Israel Gusman in Russia and famous conductors Lorin Maasel and Leonard Bernstein in the USA. At the end of his training course Bernstein presented his stick to Spivakov, thus blessing him symbolically as a just starting but promising conductor. Maestro Spivakov never leaves this stick since.
Along with the sole performer activities V. Spivakov's career as the symphony orchestra conductor is also developing successfully. He appears in the world's best concert halls and conducts concerts of the US orchestras Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Symphony, Cleveland Symphony, New World Symphony, European orchestras of the La Scala theater, Santa Cecilia Academy, London Symphony, Cologne Philharmony, Schleswig-Holstein, French Radio, Toulouse, Lylle, Monaco, Budapest, the best Russian orchestras.
V. Spivakov's rich disc collection recorded in his capacity of soloist and conductor includes about 40 compact discs with the records of different style and epoque musical works, from the European baroque music to the works of the most prominent 20th century composers, mostly recorded by the BMG Classics.
V. Spivakov was founder of the International Colmare Music Festival (France) in 1989, and this festival is still headed by him. A lot of prominent musical teams appeared at the festival in recent years, a considerable part of them being the best Russian orchestras and choruses as well as such great artists as Mstislav Rostropovich, Iegudi Menuhin, Evgeny Svetlanov, Feruccio Furlanetto, Jose Van Damm, Robert Hall, Christian Zimmermann, Michel Plasson, Evgeny Kissin, Vadim Repin, Nikolay Lugansky, Vladimir Kraynev, Vladimir Viardo, etc.
V. Spivakov acts as a judge of the well-known international contests since 1989 (in Paris, Genoa, London, Montreal), he is the President of the Sarasate contest in Spain. V. Spivakov is a permanent judge of the Russian Independent Contest Triumph since the date of its foundation. In 1994 V. Spivakov inherited the very prestigious annual Zurich master classes from N. Milstein. In recent years V. Spivakov takes part each year in the Davos World Economic Forum (Switzerland) activities as the Ambassador of Arts (on behalf of UNESCO).
V. Spivakov is active for many years in humanitarian activities. In 1993 he founded the Vladimir Spivakov International Charitable Foundation.
V. Spivakov was awarded the honorary title People's Artist of the USSR (1989), the State Prize of the USSR (1989) and the Friendship Between Peoples Order (1993). In 1996 V. Spivakov was awarded the For Merits Order, III Grade (Ukraine). In 1999 V. Spivakov was awarded the highest state awards of some countries: the Arts and Polite Letters Officer Order (France), the St. Mesrop Mashtots Order (Armenia), the For Merits To Fatherland Order, III Grade (Russia). In 2000 V.Spivakov was awarded the Honoured Legion Order (France).
From September 1999 V. Spivakov acts, along with directing the State Chamber Orchestra “Moscow Virtuosi”, as the artistic director and chief conductor of the Russian National Orchestra.
Maestro Spivakov is now also the President of the Moscow International House of Music.