Vladimir Ashkenazy

Vladimir Ashkenazy is a Russian pianist and world-renowned conductor.

∙ Ashkenazy began playing piano at age six and was enrolled in Moscow’s renowned Central Music School by age eight.
∙ In 1956, he achieved international acclaim as a teenager after he won first prize in the highly competitive and world-famous Queen Elisabeth Competition for classical music.
∙ After becoming an Icelandic citizen in 1972, he was awarded the Order of the Falcon, the country’s highest honor given to citizens.
∙ As a pianist and conductor, he has recorded all of Beethoven’s sonatas, Mozart’s concertos, and Rachmaninoff’s solo works.
∙ Before retiring in 2020, he served as chief conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
∙ Ashkenazy won seven Grammy awards in a wide range of categories, including orchestral, chamber music, and solo performances.