Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts To Play With NZSO
Astonishing young Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts will perform with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in June and
July throughout the North Island in some of the best concerts of the year, and incorporating a celebration of his 21st
birthday on 2 July in Palmerston North.
Russian violinist Ilya Gringolts
Ilya Gringolts, a protégé of one of the world's top violinists and teachers Itzhak Perlman , will perform the gorgeous
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and the boldly romantic Sibelius Violin Concerto. In 1998, at the age of 16, Ilya won First
Prize at the International Paganini Violin Competition as well as a special prize for the best interpretation of
Paganini's "Capriccio". He was also a prizewinner in the 1995 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition.
Gringolts' first teacher refused to teach him, having already decided, that at the age of five, he was completely
talentless. At 20 he is described by Gramophone magazine as "Another outstanding Russian violinist...He has a notably
rich, beautiful unforced tone". In 2002 he became one of twelve young artists selected by the BBC for their New
Generation Artists Scheme.