Famous Violinists

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria, shaped the classical era's music. His talent showed early; he wrote his first piece at age five, showing musical genius. As a child, he toured Europe with his family, playing and composing for royalty. Mozart created over 800 works, including symphonies, operas, chamber music, sonatas, and choral pieces.

Jayne Mansfield, Vera Jayne Palmer, was an American actress, singer, and nightclub entertainer. She became a major Hollywood sex symbol during the 1950s and early 1960s. Born April 19, 1933, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, she grew up in Dallas, Texas, where she found acting. Mansfield pursued her dreams despite her parents' opposition, earning recognition as a leading lady in films like The Girl Can't Help It and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?. Her blonde bombshell look, like Marilyn Monroe's, made her popular.

Johann Sebastian Bach (March 31, 1685 – July 28, 1750) was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He wrote instrumental works like the Art of Fugue, the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. He also wrote vocal works such as the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor. The Bach Revival in the 19th century established him as one of the greatest composers in Western art music history. The Bach family already had several composers when Johann Sebastian was born; he was the last child of a city musician in Eisenach.

Marlene Dietrich, an iconic 20th-century figure, was born in Berlin, Germany, December 27, 1901. She started her career in the early 1920s as a violinist and actress in Berlin. Dietrich moved to film, becoming a top performer. Her 1930 role in Josef von Sternberg's The Blue Angel captured global audiences with her voice, beauty, and screen presence. Dietrich moved to Hollywood in the 1930s, quickly becoming a symbol of glamour.

Emilie Autumn acted in "Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival" and "The Devil's Carnival."

Charlie Daniels, a musician, songwriter, and producer, earned fame for his fiery fiddle playing and Southern Rock anthems. Charles Edward Daniels was born October 28, 1936, in Wilmington, North Carolina. Daniels began developing his music skills early. Pentecostal gospel music, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, and country music inspired Daniels to create his distinct style, which soon grabbed global audiences. Daniels began his music career in the late 1950s, writing songs for Elvis Presley and playing as a session musician. In 1973, he

Bridget Catherine Regan, born February 3, 1982, is an American actress. She plays Kahlan Amnell in Legend of the Seeker, Rebecca Lowe/Rachel Turner in White Collar, Rose Solano in Jane the Virgin, and Dottie Underwood in Agent Carter. Since 2016, she has played Sasha Cooper on the TNT drama series The Last Ship.

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (Italian: anˈtɔːnjo ˈluːtʃo viˈvaldi; 4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian Baroque composer, violinist, teacher, and priest. Born in Venice, the capital of the Venetian Republic, he became one of the greatest Baroque composers. His influence spread across Europe during his life. He composed many instrumental concertos for the violin and other instruments, sacred choral works, and over forty operas. His best-known work is the Four Seasons violin concertos.

Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (Italian: ni(k)koˈlɔ ppaɡaˈniːni; 27 October 1782 – 27 May 1840) was an Italian violinist, violist, guitarist, and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time. He left his mark as a pillar of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices for Solo Violin Op. 1 are among his best compositions. These pieces inspire many prominent composers.

After high school, Torrey DeVitto started a modeling career, taking commercial and print ad jobs. Modeling was not a long-term goal. DeVitto moved to Los Angeles in 2002 to enter film and television. Walk-on roles in shows followed quickly, including appearances on "Dawson's Creek," "Scrubs," and "The King of Queens." In 2005, Devitto played Karen Kerr on "Beautiful People." Karen Kerr moves with her sister and mother from New Mexico to New York City, hoping to become a model.

Violinist Lindsey Stirling mixed classical training, hip-hop beats, and dance into worldwide fame. She became a viral sensation on YouTube first. Later, she released two chart-topping albums, including *Shatter Me*, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Lindsey Stirling was born September 21, 1986, in Santa Ana, California. She grew up in a middle-class Mormon household in Gilbert, Arizona. Her family's money limits meant she only took violin lessons. Stirling first put her classical training into...

Franz Joseph Haydn (German: [ˈfʁants ˈjoːzɛf ˈhaɪdn̩] (listen); March 31, 1732 – May 31, 1809) composed music during the Classical period as an Austrian composer. Haydn shaped chamber music, including the piano trio. His work on musical form earned him the titles "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet". Haydn worked as a court musician for the rich Esterházy family at their remote estate. This isolation kept him separate from other composers and musical trends, forcing him to become what he called "ori".

Henry "Henny" Youngman (original Yiddish surname Yungman; 16 March 1906 – 24 February 1998) was an English-American comedian and musician. He mastered the "one-liner," with "Take my wife ... please" being his best. While other comedians told long stories, Youngman used simple one-liner jokes, sometimes adding violin playing. These routines showed simple, cartoon-like scenes, skipping long builds and hitting the punch line fast. Columnists gave him the title "King of One-Liners."

Johann Strauss II (born Johann Baptist Strauss; October 25, 1825 – June 3, 1899), also called Johann Strauss Jr., the Younger, or the Son (German: Sohn), son of Johann Strauss I, composed light music, especially dance music and operettas. He wrote over 500 waltzes, polkas, quadrilles, and other dance music. Strauss also wrote several operettas and a ballet. People called him "The Waltz King". He greatly increased the popularity of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century. Strauss had two younger brothers, Josef and Eduard Strauss, who became c

Vanessa-Mae (陈美 Chén Měi) (born 27 October 1978), also named Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson, is a British violinist. Her album sales reached millions. In 2006, she became the wealthiest entertainer under 30 in the United Kingdom. Vanessa-Mae competed for Thailand in alpine skiing at the 2014 Winter Olympics under the name Vanessa Vanakorn (her father's surname). The Court of Arbitration for Sport later canceled her skiing ban, finding no proof of her wrongdoing or any manipulation.

Lucia Micarelli appeared in "Tremé" (HBO, 2009-2014). She joined the cast as Annie on HBO's "Treme" in 2010.

Owen Pallett began studying classical violin at age three. He composed his first piece at 13. He wrote music for videogames, short films, and operas before earning a Music Composition degree from the University of Toronto. His first recording was a collaboration with Jim Guthrie on Morning Noon Night (2002). He also played with the Toronto trio Les Mouches, releasing three albums from 2002 to 2004. Pallett first arranged strings for Montreal's Arcade Fire's breakthrough album Funeral (2004). His interest in computer games inspired him.

Itzhak Perlman (Hebrew: יצחק פרלמן; born August 31, 1945) is an Israeli-American violinist, conductor, and music teacher. Perlman performed globally. He played in venues across the United States. These venues included a State Dinner at the White House honoring Queen Elizabeth II and the Presidential Inauguration of President Obama. Perlman conducted the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Westchester Philharmonic. In 2015, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet (June 2, 1857 – February 23, 1934), was an English composer. Many of his works appear in British and international classical concert programs. His best-known compositions include orchestral pieces like the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos for violin and cello, and two symphonies. He also wrote choral works such as The Dream of Gerontius, chamber music, and songs. He became Master of the King's Musick in 1924. Most of Elgar's music sounds English.

Larry Fine acted as the middleman for The Three Stooges comedy trio. Larry Fine took endless slaps, eye pokes, and mallet hits for the laughs. With brothers Moe and Shemp Howard, Larry first gained fame in the vaudeville act, Ted Healy and his Stooges. After Jerome Howard, who became "Curly," replaced Shemp, the trio became the Three Stooges, achieving national success. Columbia Pictures had The Three Stooges star in nearly 200 shorts.

Friedrich "Fritz" Kreisler (February 2, 1875 – January 29, 1962) was an Austrian violinist and composer. He was one of the most noted violin masters of his time and one of the greatest violinists ever. People knew him for his sweet tone and expressive phrasing. His characteristic sound was recognizable immediately. His style borrowed from the Franco-Belgian school, but it also recalled the cozy life of pre-war Vienna.

Giovanni Battista Draghi (Italian pronunciation: [dʒoˈvanni batˈtista ˈdraːɡi]; January 4, 1710 – March 16 or 17, 1736) was an Italian composer, violinist, and organist. He wrote the Stabat Mater and the opera La serva padrona (The Maid Turned Mistress). His music covers operas and sacred pieces. Tuberculosis killed him at age 26.

Sharon Helga Corr MBE (born March 24, 1970) is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician, and TV personality. She is best known as a member of The Corrs, a pop-rock band she co-founded in 1990 with her brother Jim and sisters Caroline and Andrea. She plays violin, piano, and guitar, and sings backing vocals. Sharon started learning the violin at age six. She played in national youth orchestras and qualifies to teach the violin. Queen Elizabeth II awarded the Corr siblings honorary MBEs in 2005 for their musical talent.

Alison Krauss, an American bluegrass-country singer and musician, became a major figure in the music industry starting with her 1985 debut album. Born July 23, 1971, in Decatur, Illinois, Krauss found music early. She learned the violin at five years old. Her talent showed fast; by age eight, she played in local contests. At fourteen, she won the Walnut Valley Festival Fiddle Championship, securing her first record deal with Rounder Records. Krauss's career grew fast with her band, Alison Krauss.

Sarah Chang (Korean: 장영주; born Young Joo Chang; December 10, 1980) is an American classical violinist. Recognized as a child prodigy, she first played as a soloist with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1989. She enrolled at Juilliard School to study music, graduated in 1999, and continued university studies. During the 1990s and 2000s, Chang held major soloist roles with many world orchestras.

Ottorino Respighi (reh-SPEE-ghee, US: rə-, Italian: [ottoˈriːno reˈspiːɡi]; July 9, 1879 – April 18, 1936) was an Italian violinist, composer, and musicologist. He earned fame for his trilogy of orchestral tone poems: *Fountains of Rome* (1916), *Pines of Rome* (1924), and *Roman Festivals* (1928). His study of 16th-, 17th-, and 18th-century music inspired his compositions. Respighi also wrote operas, including the famous *La fiamma*.

Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (June 8, 1671 – January 17, 1751) was an Italian Baroque composer. Albinoni gained fame as an opera composer then. Today, people know him for instrumental music, especially his concertos. A work called "Adagio in G minor" is remembered, though it was likely written by Remo Giazotto, a modern musicologist and composer who cataloged Albinoni's works.

Jerry Gray (July 3, 1915 – August 10, 1976) was an American violinist, arranger, composer, and leader of swing dance orchestras. Gray worked with popular music during the Swing era. His name connects directly to Artie Shaw and Glenn Miller, two famous bandleaders. Gray and Bill Finegan wrote many of Miller's arrangements in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Later in his career, his orchestra played as the house band at the Venetian Room of the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas.

Xavier Cugat (Catalan: [ʃəβiˈe kuˈɣat]; January 1, 1900 – October 27, 1990) was a Cuban-Spanish and American musician and bandleader. Cugat grew up in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he helped spread Latin music. In New York City, he led the resident orchestra at the Waldorf–Astoria before and after World War II. Cugat also worked as a cartoonist and a restaurateur. Xavier Cugat's personal papers are kept in the Biblioteca de Catalunya.

Linda Cullberg Lampenius, better known as Linda Lampenius and stage name Linda Brava (born February 26, 1970), is a Finnish classical concert violinist. Brava is named one of the most skilled and versatile players of her generation. Brava also performs pop, rock, folk, techno, film, jazz, and world music.

Maxim Alexandrovich Vengerov (Russian: Максим Александрович Венгеров, pronounced [mɐkˈsʲim ɐlʲɪˈksandrəvʲɪtɕ vʲɪnˈɡʲɛrəf]) (born August 20, 1974 in Novosibirsk) is a Russian-born Israeli violinist, violist, and conductor.

Saxophonist and composer Ornette Coleman pushed jazz boundaries past post-bop. He became a prime mover of avant-garde jazz, developing new musical expressions. Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman was born March 9, 1930, in Fort Worth, Texas. He started playing jazz and R&B in his teens. In 1949, he toured with Clarence Samuels' R&B band. The next year, he joined the blues man Pee Wee Crayton's band, moving to L.A. with them. He stayed in L.A. after Crayton fired him. By the time Coleman released his debut...

Carl August Nielsen (Danish: [kʰal ˈnelsn̩]; June 9, 1865 – October 3, 1931) was a Danish composer, conductor, and violinist. He was widely recognized as his country's top composer. Poor but musical parents raised him on the island of Funen. He showed musical skill early. He played in a military band first. Then, he attended the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen from 1884 to December 1886. He premiered his Op. 1, Suite for Strings, in 1888 at age 23. Nielsen began a 16-year run as a second violinist in the Roya the following year.

George Enescu (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈd͡ʒe̯ord͡ʒe eˈnesku] (listen); 19 August [O.S. 7 August] 1881 – 4 May 1955), known in France as Georges Enesco, composed music. He was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor, and teacher. Many consider him Romania's most important musician.

Anne-Sophie Mutter, born June 29, 1963, is a German violinist. Herbert von Karajan supported her early career. Sebastian Currier, Henri Dutilleux, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutosławski, Norbert Moret, Krzysztof Penderecki, André Previn, Wolfgang Rihm, John Williams, and others composed works for her.

Leopold Godowsky Jr. (May 27, 1900 – February 18, 1983) was an American violinist and chemist. He created the first practical color transparency film, Kodachrome, alongside Leopold Mannes.

Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin (April 22, 1916 – March 12, 1999), was an American-born violinist and conductor. He spent most of his performing career in Britain. Many consider him one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century. He played the Soil Stradivarius, considered one of the finest violins made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari.

A former concert pianist, Schertzinger contributed the score to Thomas Ince's "Civilization" (1916), among other silents. He made his directing debut in 1917. Schertzinger produced many silent and sound films, composing scores for many of them. He is best known for directing two of the Hope-Crosby-Lamour "Road" films.

Victor Young wrote songs and scores for hundreds of films. These works earned him 22 Academy Award nominations during his short career. Young died after only twenty years in the business. Romance standards like "When I Fall in Love," "Stella By Starlight," and "Love Letters" kept him in film credits past 1956.

Jascha Heifetz (February 2, 1901 – December 10, 1987) was a Russian-American violinist. Many call him the greatest violinist ever. He was born in Vilna (Vilnius). He moved to the United States as a teenager. His Carnegie Hall debut received great praise there. Fritz Kreisler, another leading violinist of the twentieth century, said after hearing Heifetz's debut, "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." He had a long, successful performing career. An injury to his right (bowing) arm stopped him.

Isaac Stern lived from July 21, 1920, to September 22, 2001. Isaac Stern was an American violinist.

Josef Suk (January 4, 1874 – May 29, 1935) was a Czech composer and violinist. He studied under Antonín Dvořák. He married Dvořák's daughter.

Elizabeth Key "Bess" Armstrong, born December 11, 1953, is an American actress in film, stage, and television. She is known for roles in films like The Four Seasons (1981), High Road to China (1983), Jaws 3-D (1983), and Nothing in Common (1986). Armstrong also acted in the ABC drama series My So-Called Life and played lead roles in many made-for-television films.

Pinchas Zukerman (Hebrew: פנחס צוקרמן‎, born July 16, 1948) is an Israeli-American violinist, violist, and conductor.

Julia Fischer, born June 15, 1983, is a German classical violinist and pianist. She teaches at the Munich University of Music and Performing Arts. She performs up to 60 times yearly. On January 1, 2008, Fischer performed Camille Saint-Saëns' Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor and Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt.

Arcangelo Corelli (February 17, 1653 – January 8, 1713) was an Italian violinist and composer of the Baroque era. His music shaped the modern sonata and concerto genres. It established the violin's top spot. His work formed the first combination of modern tonality and functional harmony.

Janine Jansen, whose Dutch pronunciation is [ʒɑnine jɑnsən], was born January 7, 1978, in Soest, Netherlands. Janine Jansen is a violinist and violist.

Pandit Dr. Lakshminarayana Subramaniam, born July 23, 1947, is an acclaimed Indian violinist, composer, and conductor. He trained in classical Carnatic music and Western classical music. He is known for his virtuoso playing and compositions in orchestral fusion.

Vladimir Cosma, a Romania-born composer, collaborated with major French cinema auteurs. Cosma composed film music for Yves Robert's "Alexander," a movie about a man's life under his wife's control until her death frees him. Cosma and Robert worked together on adaptations of Marcel Pagnol's novels "My Father's Glory" and "My Mother's Castle," earning Cosma a César nomination for best music. Cosma wrote music across many genres.

René-Charles "Zino" Francescatti (August 9, 1902 - September 17, 1991) was a French virtuoso violinist. He was born in Marseilles into a musical family. Both parents played the violin. His father, a cellist, studied under Camillo Sivori. Zino began violin study at age three. He quickly became a child prodigy. He started performing at age five. Zino debuted at age ten, playing Beethoven's Violin Concerto. In 1927, he moved to Paris to teach at the École Normale de Musique. He also conducted the Concerts Poulets. His first world tour occurred in 1931.