Vera Hilger was born on May 12, 1985, in Vienna, Austria. She was born into a family of musicians, and her parents were both professional classical musicians. Her father was a renowned cellist, and her mother was a pianist. From a young age, Vera was exposed to classical music and began playing the piano at the age of four. Vera's parents recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue a career in music. She began taking piano lessons with her mother and quickly showed a natural aptitude for the instrument. By the age of ten, Vera had already won several local piano competitions and was performing in public regularly. At the age of twelve, Vera was accepted into the prestigious Vienna Conservatory, where she studied under the tutelage of renowned pianist and teacher, Maria João Pires. Under Pires' guidance, Vera's skills as a pianist flourished, and she quickly gained a reputation as one of the most promising young pianists in Austria. In 2003, Vera won first prize in the International Piano Competition in Vienna, which launched her career as a professional pianist. She went on to win several other international competitions, including the Chopin International Piano Competition in Warsaw, Poland, and the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow, Russia. Vera's performances were praised for their technical brilliance and emotional depth. She was known for her ability to bring out the nuances and subtleties of the music, and her performances were often described as "spellbinding" and "mesmerizing." In 2007, Vera made her debut with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5. The performance was a huge success, and Vera was praised for her "virtuosic" and "sensitive" interpretation of the piece. Over the years, Vera has performed with some of the world's most renowned orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, and the London Symphony Orchestra. She has also collaborated with many of the world's leading conductors, including Daniel Barenboim, Simon Rattle, and Valery Gergiev. In addition to her performances as a soloist, Vera is also an accomplished chamber musician. She has performed with many of the world's leading chamber ensembles, including the Emerson String Quartet and the Guarneri Quartet. Vera has recorded several albums, including a critically acclaimed recording of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Her recordings have been praised for their technical precision and emotional depth, and she has won several awards for her recordings, including a Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo. In addition to her career as a performer, Vera is also a dedicated teacher. She has taught masterclasses at some of the world's leading music schools, including the Juilliard School in New York and the Royal Academy of Music in London. Vera's contributions to classical music have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 2010, she was awarded the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art, and in 2014, she was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Music. Despite her success, Vera remains humble and dedicated to her craft. She continues to practice for several hours a day and is always looking for ways to improve her playing. She is passionate about sharing her love of music with others and believes that music has the power to bring people together and inspire positive change in the world.

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