Universally hailed as one of the world’s finest musicians, and often referred to as the greatest living string player in the world today, Grammy award winner Maxim Vengerov also enjoys international acclaim as a conductor and is one of the most in-demand soloists. Born in 1974, he began his career as a solo violinist at the age of five, studying with Galina Tourchaninova and Zakhar Bron. He won the Wieniawski and Carl Flesch international competitions at ages 10 and 15 respectively. Vengerov made his first recording at the age of 10, and went on to record extensively for high-profile labels including Melodia, Teldec and EMI, earning, among others, Grammy and Gramophone artist of the year awards. In 2007 he followed in the footsteps of his mentor, the late Mstislav Rostropovich, and turned his attention to conducting, and in 2010 was appointed the first chief conductor of the Gstaad Festival Orchestra. Highlights of recent seasons saw Mr. Vengerov opening the season of the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala with Maestro Chailly, a Residence with Monte Carlo Philharmonic and the Philharmonie in Paris as well as a worldwide recital tours. In the previous season he opened the Shanghai International Festival with Christoph Eschenbach, and embarked on a worldwide Recital tour including America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. As one of Mr. Vengerov’s greatest passions is the teaching and encouraging of young talent, he has held various teaching positions around the world, in institutions such as the Mozarteum University in Salzburg and the Royal College of Music in London. With the vision of democratizing the access of music learning, he launched his own online platform and created an impact across 170 countries. Mr. Vengerov has received prestigious fellowships and honors such as an Honorary Visiting Fellowship at Trinity College in Oxford (2012) and an Honorary Doctorate from the Royal College of Music in London (2019). His awards include a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (with Orchestra) (2003), Gramophone awards (1994, 1995), ECHO awards (1997, 2003) and a World Economic Forum Crystal award (2007) – honoring artists who have used their art to improve the state of the world. He plays the ex-Kreutzer Stradivari from 1727.