Back to overview Vladimir Ashkenazy, born July 6, 1937 in Gorki, today called Nischni Nowgorod, is a Russian pianist and conductor with an Iceland citizenship as of 1972. Since 1978, he has lived in Switzerland. As graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, Vladimir Ashkenazy won second prize at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1955, first prize at the Concours Reine Elisabeth in Brussels in 1956, as well as at the International Tschaikowsky Competition in Moscow in 1962. His recording activity is more extensive than for hardly any other pianist. As of 1978 Vladimir Ashkenazy also began to work as conductor. He was conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, German Symphony Orchestra Berlin and Czech Republic Philharmonic. Vladimir Ashkenazy was patron of the 2006 International Carl Bechstein Competition Ruhr.

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