Viktoria Mullova facts for kids

Viktoria Yurievna Mullova (Russian: Виктория Юрьевна Муллова, IPA: [vʲɪˈktorʲɪjə ˈmuləvə]; born November 27, 1959) is a famous violinist. She was born in Russia and later became a British citizen. She is well-known for her amazing performances and recordings of violin concertos. She also plays music by Johann Sebastian Bach. Viktoria Mullova is also famous for her fresh and new ways of playing popular and jazz songs. These include pieces by artists like Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and The Beatles.

Viktoria Mullova's Early Life and Training

Viktoria Mullova was born in Zhukovsky, a town near Moscow, in what was then Soviet Russia. When she was four years old, her father, Yuri Mullov, encouraged her to start playing the violin. He was a physicist and engineer.

Viktoria studied at the Central Music School of Moscow. She then continued her studies at the Moscow Conservatory. Her teacher there was the famous violinist Leonid Kogan. She worked very hard and achieved great success in competitions.

Winning Major Violin Competitions

In 1980, Viktoria Mullova won first prize at the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki, Finland. Two years later, in 1982, she won the gold medal at the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition. This competition is one of the most important in the world for classical musicians.

Viktoria later shared that her musical education in the Soviet Union was very strict. She felt a lot of pressure and found it difficult. She knew she wanted to leave the country one day.

Viktoria Mullova's Journey to Freedom

In 1983, Viktoria Mullova was on a music tour in Finland. During this tour, she decided to leave the Soviet Union. She planned her departure with her partner, Vakhtang Jordania. He pretended to be her accompanist so they could leave together.

They left their hotel in Kuusamo, Finland. Vakhtang told the officer watching them that Viktoria was not feeling well. They left behind a valuable Stradivarius violin, which belonged to the Soviet Union.

Escaping to Sweden and the United States

A journalist from YLE, Finland's broadcasting company, helped them. The journalist, Jyrki Koulumies, and a photographer drove them in a rented car. They crossed the border into Sweden at Haparanda and then went to Luleå. From there, they flew to Stockholm.

In Sweden, the police helped them. They suggested Viktoria and Vakhtang stay in a safe place for a few days. This was until the American Embassy opened. They wanted to apply for political asylum, which means asking another country for protection.

For two days, they stayed hidden, using different names. Their pictures were on the front pages of newspapers around the world. Two days later, they arrived in Washington, D.C., in the United States, with special visas.

Viktoria Mullova's Career in the West

After moving to the West, Viktoria Mullova continued her successful music career. She made many recordings that became very popular. Her first recording included violin concertos by Tchaikovsky and Jean Sibelius. This recording won the Grand Prix du Disque award.

Forming Her Own Ensemble and Winning Awards

In the mid-1990s, Viktoria Mullova started her own group called the Mullova Chamber Ensemble. This group toured in countries like Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. They also recorded Bach's violin concertos.

Viktoria was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1995 for her recording of the Bach Partitas. She also won several other important awards in 1995. These included an Echo Klassik award, a Japanese Record Academy Award, and a Deutsche Schallplattenkritik prize. These awards were for her recording of the Brahms violin concerto.

Performing with World-Famous Orchestras

Viktoria Mullova has performed as a soloist with many of the world's leading orchestras. These include the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Philharmonia, the Berlin Philharmonic, and the Vienna Symphony. She has also played with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed as a soloist and director with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

Her Special Instruments

Viktoria Mullova plays on two very special violins. One is a Jules Falk Stradivarius violin made in 1723. The other is a violin made in 1750 by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini. She also uses different bows, including a Baroque style bow made by Walter Barbiero, who is a very skilled bow maker.

Viktoria Mullova's Family Life

Viktoria Mullova lives in Holland Park, London, England. She lives there with her husband, Matthew Barley, who is a cellist. She has three children. Her son, Misha Mullov-Abbado, is a jazz bassist. Her daughter, Katia, and another daughter, Nadia, who is a dancer with the Royal Ballet.

Selected Discography

• Beethoven Violin Sonatas Nos. 3, 9 (Onyx 4050). With Kristian Bezuidenhout; 2010
• JS Bach Sonatas & Partitas for violin solo (Onyx 4040); 2009
• JS Bach Sonatas for violin and harpsichord (Onyx 4020). With Ottavio Dantone; 2007
• Vivaldi 5 violin concertos (Onyx 4001). With Il Giardino Armonico; 2005
• Beethoven and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos (Philips, 473 872–2). With Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique/John Eliot Gardiner; 2003
• Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1, 3-4 (Philips, 470 292). With Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; 2002
• Through the Looking Glass (Philips, 464 184–2). With Matthew Barley and Between the Notes; 2000
• Bartók and Stravinsky Violin Concertos (Philips, 456 542–2). With Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra/Esa-Pekka Salonen; 1997
• Brahms Violin Sonatas (Philips, 446 709–2). With pianist Piotr Anderszewski; 1997
• Tchaikovsky and Sibelius Violin Concertos(Philips 416 821–2) Boston Symphony Orchestra/Seiji Ozawa; 1985

See also

In Spanish: Viktóriya Mulova para niños

• List of Eastern Bloc defectors