Birth

:

September 30, 1919 in Odessa, Ukraine

Death

:

March 13, 2008 in Moscow, Russia

 

Elizaveta Gilels was a renowned classical music artist who was born on September 1, 1912, in Odessa, Ukraine. She was the younger sister of the famous pianist Emil Gilels, and the daughter of a musical family. Her father, Grigory Gilels, was a renowned violinist, and her mother, Rebecca, was a pianist. Elizaveta grew up in a musical environment, and her parents encouraged her to pursue a career in music. Elizaveta began her musical training at a young age, studying the violin with her father. She showed great promise as a musician, and her talent was recognized by her family and teachers. At the age of 10, she made her debut as a soloist with the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra, playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. In 1925, Elizaveta and her family moved to Moscow, where she continued her musical studies at the Central Music School. She studied with some of the most renowned violin teachers of the time, including Pyotr Stolyarsky and Abram Yampolsky. She also studied chamber music with the famous cellist Lev Berezovsky. In 1930, Elizaveta made her debut as a soloist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, playing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. Her performance was a great success, and she was praised for her technical skill and musicality. She went on to perform with many other orchestras in the Soviet Union, including the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra and the Kiev Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1935, Elizaveta won first prize at the All-Union Violin Competition, which was held in Moscow. Her performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto was highly praised by the judges, and she was awarded the gold medal. This was a major achievement for Elizaveta, and it helped to establish her as one of the leading violinists of her generation. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Elizaveta continued to perform extensively in the Soviet Union. She also toured abroad, performing in countries such as Germany, France, and Italy. Her performances were always well-received, and she was praised for her technical skill, musicality, and emotional depth. In 1955, Elizaveta made her debut in the United States, performing with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Dimitri Mitropoulos. Her performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto was a great success, and she received a standing ovation from the audience. She went on to perform with many other orchestras in the United States, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In 1962, Elizaveta was awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR, which was the highest honor that could be bestowed upon a Soviet artist. This was a great achievement for Elizaveta, and it recognized her contributions to the development of classical music in the Soviet Union. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Elizaveta continued to perform and record extensively. She recorded many of the major works of the violin repertoire, including the concertos of Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, and Brahms. Her recordings were highly praised by critics, and they helped to establish her as one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. Elizaveta retired from performing in the early 1980s, but she continued to teach and mentor young musicians. She was a professor at the Moscow Conservatory, where she taught many of the leading violinists of the next generation. She was known for her strict but nurturing teaching style, and she was greatly respected by her students.

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