Alexander Markov facts for kids

Alexander Markov is a talented Russian American violinist. He is famous for his amazing violin playing and has won important awards. One of his biggest achievements is winning a gold medal at the Paganini International Violin Competition. He also received the Avery Fisher Career Grant, which helps young musicians.

Markov is especially known for his recording of Paganini's 24 Caprices for Solo Violin. These are very difficult pieces for a violin played alone. People love his special way of playing the 24th Caprice, especially a part called "left-hand pizzicato". Pizzicato means plucking the strings with your fingers instead of using a bow. A film was even made showing him playing these Caprices!

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Alexander Markov was born in Moscow, which is the capital city of Russia. He started learning the violin from a very young age. His first teacher was his own father, Albert Markov, who is also a famous concert violinist.

By the time Alexander was just eight years old, he was already performing on stage. He played as a solo artist with orchestras. He also performed special "double concertos" with his father, where they both played the violin together with an orchestra.

Moving to the United States

Alexander Markov and his parents moved to the United States. He became a citizen of the U.S. in 1982. Soon after, he made his first big performance in New York City. This was a special concert at Carnegie Hall, a very famous music venue. He also played with the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall, led by conductor Christoph Eschenbach.

Recordings and Performances

Alexander Markov has recorded many albums for the Erato label. This company's music is shared all over the world by Warner Classics. His recordings include beautiful pieces for violin and piano by the famous composer Tchaikovsky.

Performing with Top Orchestras

Markov has performed with many of the world's best conductors. These include Charles Dutoit, Ivan Fischer, Neeme Järvi, Zdeněk Mácal, Lorin Maazel, and Gerard Schwarz. He has also played with many famous orchestras around the globe.

Some of the orchestras he has performed with are the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris from France, and the BBC Symphony from the United Kingdom. He has also played with the Montreal Symphony in Canada, the Budapest Festival Orchestra in Hungary, and many American orchestras like the Detroit Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, and Seattle Symphony. He has also performed with orchestras in Houston, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Jerusalem. In July 2012, he played at the Llandeilo Music festival in Wales, and people loved his performance.

What Others Say About Him

The legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin once wrote about Alexander Markov. He said that Markov is "without doubt one of the most brilliant and musical of violinists." Menuhin believed that Alexander Markov would "certainly leave his mark on the music-lovers of the world." He also said that Markov would be remembered among the greatest violin players of our time.

See also

In Spanish: Alexander Markov para niños