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Virgilio Stoco was a renowned classical music artist who was born on May 12, 1939, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He was the youngest of three children born to Italian immigrants who had settled in Brazil. His father was a carpenter, and his mother was a homemaker. From a young age, Stoco showed a keen interest in music, and his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion. Stoco began his musical training at the age of six, studying the piano with his mother. He quickly showed a natural talent for the instrument and progressed rapidly. At the age of ten, he began studying the violin, and by the age of twelve, he was already performing in public. He continued his studies at the Sao Paulo Conservatory of Music, where he excelled in both piano and violin. In 1958, Stoco won a scholarship to study at the Juilliard School in New York City. He spent the next four years studying with some of the most renowned teachers in the world, including Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay. During this time, he also had the opportunity to perform with some of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. After completing his studies at Juilliard, Stoco returned to Brazil, where he quickly established himself as one of the country's leading classical musicians. He performed regularly with the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra and the Rio de Janeiro Symphony Orchestra, and he also gave numerous solo recitals throughout the country. In 1966, Stoco was invited to perform at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, one of the most prestigious music competitions in the world. He performed Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35, and his performance was met with critical acclaim. He was awarded the silver medal, and his performance was hailed as one of the highlights of the competition. Over the next few years, Stoco continued to perform and record extensively, both in Brazil and abroad. He recorded several albums for the Philips label, including a highly acclaimed recording of the Brahms Violin Concerto with the London Symphony Orchestra. He also performed with some of the world's leading conductors, including Leonard Bernstein, Zubin Mehta, and Claudio Abbado. In 1972, Stoco was invited to perform at the Salzburg Festival, one of the most prestigious music festivals in the world. He performed Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219, and his performance was once again met with critical acclaim. He was invited back to the festival several times over the next few years, and he became a regular fixture on the international music scene. Throughout his career, Stoco was known for his technical brilliance and his passionate interpretations of the classical repertoire. He was particularly renowned for his performances of the works of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Mozart, and his recordings of these composers' works remain some of the most highly regarded in the classical music canon. Stoco received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Order of Cultural Merit from the Brazilian government and the Medal of Honor from the city of Sao Paulo. He was also a member of the Brazilian Academy of Music, and he was widely regarded as one of the country's most important cultural ambassadors. Sadly, Stoco's career was cut short by his untimely death in 1982, at the age of just 43.

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