Ivan Ženatý (USA)

The career of one of the best-known Czech violinists of our day started with a podium placing at the Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition before he went on to win first prize at the Prague Spring Competition. During his career he has appeared in London, Berlin, at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and in New York. Studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and his personal relationship with Nathan Milstein had the greatest impact on his technical approach to the violin. The great Czech musical tradition was passed on to Ivan Zenaty through his mentor Josef Suk. He plays on over 40 CDs, including recordings of the complete violin oeuvres of Bach and Mendelssohn. In addition to his active performance career he is a passionate teacher as well: after teaching at the Hochschule fur Musik in Dresden he was invited to join the violin faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2012, and he also regularly lectures at the Meadowmount School of Music Summer Academy. Thanks to the Harmony Foundation of New York, Ivan Zenaty plays a rare Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù violin made in 1740.