Violinist

 Violinist Gidon Kremer, born in Riga, Latvia in 1947, has established a worldwide reputation as one of the most original and compelling artists of his generation, praised for his high degree of individualism, his rejection of the well-trodden paths of interpretation, and his search for new possibilities.
Kremer began studying at the age of four with his father and grandfather, who were both distinguished, professional violinists. At the age of seven, he entered the Riga Music School. At sixteen he was awarded the First Prize of the Latvian Republic and two years later he began his studies with David Oistrakh at the Moscow Conservatory. He went on to win prestigious awards including the 1976 Queen Elizabeth Competition and the First Prize in both the Paganini and Tchaikovsky International Competitions.
Gidon Kremer has appeared on virtually every major concert stage with the most celebrated orchestras of Europe and America. He has collaborated with the foremost conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, Herbert von Karajan, Christoph Eschenbach, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, James Levine, Valery Gergiev, Claudio Abbado and Sir Neville Marriner, among others.
Gidon Kremer's repertoire is unusually extensive, encompassing all of the standard classical and romantic violin works, as well as music by 20th century masters such as Henze, Berg and Stockhausen. He has also performed many important new compositions, several of them dedicated to him. He has become associated with such diverse composers as Alfred Schnittke, Arvo Pärt, Giya Kancheli, Sofia Gubaidulina, Valentin Silvestrov, Luigi Nono, Aribert Reimann, Peteris Vasks, John Adams and Astor Piazzolla.
An exceptionally prolific recording artist, Gidon Kremer has made more than 100 albums, many of which brought him prestigious international awards and prizes in recognition of his exceptional interpretative powers. In February 2002 he and Kremerata Baltica were awarded a Grammy for their latest Nonesuch recording "After Mozart" in the category "Best Small Ensemble Performance."
In 1997, he founded Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra to foster the talent of outstanding young musicians from the three Baltic States. Since then, Kremer has been touring extensively with the orchestra, appearing at the world's most prestigious festivals and concert halls. He has also recorded a number of CDs with the orchestra.
Kremer is equally a gifted writer. He is the author of three books in German that refect his artistic philosophy: Kindheitssplitter, Oase Lockenhaus. 15 Jahre Kammermusikfest KREMERATA MUSICA 1981 - 1996, and Obertöne. Kindheitssplitter has been translated in Russian, Latvian, French and Japanese.
Links: http://kremeratabaltica-lv.blogspot.com

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