Role

:

Conductor  

Country

:

France

Birth

:

October 3, 1945 in Cannes, France

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

 

Orchestral

 

Jean-Jacques Kantorow is a French violinist and conductor who has made a significant impact on the classical music world. Born on October 17, 1945, in Cannes, France, Kantorow began playing the violin at the age of five. His father, a violinist and conductor, was his first teacher, and he later studied with Henryk Szeryng and Jascha Heifetz. Kantorow's talent was evident from a young age, and he won several competitions as a child. At the age of 16, he won first prize at the International Wieniawski Competition in Poland, which launched his career as a soloist. He went on to perform with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. In addition to his solo career, Kantorow has also made a name for himself as a conductor. He has served as the principal conductor of the Tapiola Sinfonietta in Finland and the Granada Symphony Orchestra in Spain. He has also conducted many other orchestras around the world, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orchestre National de France. Kantorow's repertoire is vast, and he has recorded over 100 albums, including works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. He is particularly known for his interpretations of French music, including works by Debussy, Ravel, and Saint-Saëns. One of Kantorow's most significant achievements was his recording of the complete works for violin and orchestra by Camille Saint-Saëns. The recording, which was released in 1994, received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the Grand Prix du Disque and the Diapason d'Or. Kantorow has also been recognized for his contributions to the classical music world. In 1991, he was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite by the French government, and in 2000, he was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. He has also received several other awards, including the Midem Classical Award and the Victoire de la Musique. Throughout his career, Kantorow has remained dedicated to promoting classical music and nurturing young talent. He has served as a professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and has given masterclasses around the world. He has also been a jury member for many international competitions, including the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Belgium and the Tchaikovsky Competition in Russia. In recent years, Kantorow has continued to perform and record, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He remains a beloved figure in the classical music world, admired for his virtuosity, his passion for music, and his commitment to excellence.

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