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.