The history of violin playing is all about overachievers, savants, and genius. While undoubtedly there are many great violin players who we will, sadly, never get to hear, below are some of the players we know have had an enormous impact on the instrument.
1. Nicolo Paganini
Nicolo Paganini has been cited many times as a benchmark in the violin technique. Though he had played for Napoleon’s sister, he was not very popular until his debut at La Scala in 1813. Pope Leo XII would honor him, and these days the violin is played as a solo instrument.
2. Joseph Joachim
Joseph Joachim was for in 1831, in what was then part of the Kingdom of Hungary. At only twelve years of age, he would debut in London at the Philharmonic Society, under the conductorship of Felix Mendelssohn. He would also eventually be paid a good wage by King Georg of Hanover in return for playing and conducting at state concerts. He would die in 1907.
3. Papa John Creach
The story of Papa John Creach is an unusual one for violin players. Born in Pennsylvania in 1917, he began playing violin in Chicago bars when he was 18. Preach played with some of the jazz and blues greats, including Louis Armstrong, T-Bone Walker and, Nat King Cole. He would become a well-known figure in the 1960s and join psychedelic band Jefferson Airplane, later Starship.
4. Itzhak Perlman
Born in Tel Aviv in 1945, Itzhak Perlman has overcome high odds to become one of the best-loved and recognized violin players in the world. He was catapulted to stardom in 1958, having appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and has ever since been a prominent figure. He has received countless accolades, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
5. Nigel Kennedy
From the illustrious musical family, Nigel Kennedy is one of the most well regarded and diverse violin players in the world. His recording alongside the English Chamber Orchestra of The Four Seasons stayed at the top of the UK classical charts for over a year. He is best known, though, for his diverse pop recordings and experimental music.
6. Anne-Sophie Mutter
A frequent soloist for the esteemed Berlin Philharmonic, Anne-Sophie Mutter has been a much sought after musician and played under Daniel Barenboim with the English Chamber Orchestra in 1977. As an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music, she has been head of its international violin studies. She has countless awards and continues to collaborate with her ex-husband, pianist Andre Previn.
7. Joshua Bell
A native of Indiana, Joshua Bell started playing violin at just 4 years old. By the age of 14, he had landed a coveted appearance as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He would make his debut at Carnegie Hall at only 17 and has since toured the world with some of the most prestigious orchestras in the world. He is a well respected musical academic and a constant contributor to film soundtracks, such as The Red Violin.
8. Midori Gotō
Japanese born American violinist Midori is one of the most celebrated violinists of modern times. A big inspiration in her playing was her mother, Setsu Goto, who was also a professional violinist. Under her tutelage, Midori began learning violin at the age of three and would give her first public performance at the age of six, playing one of Paganini’s 24 Caprices. At age eleven, she would make her debut with the New York Philharmonic. She continues to teach and play across the world, earning doctorates and teaching positions in many top universities.
9. Hilary Hahn
Hilary Hahn is one of the most exciting players in the field today. In addition to having played with the major orchestras of the world, she has embraced popular music. She has collaborated with singer-songwriters and experimental composers. She is best known for mastery of Bach’s compositions and has championed classical music performances that allow infants to attend.
10. Sarah Chang
Sarah Chang was born to South Korean immigrants Myoung-Jun and Min-Soo Chang in 1980. Both heavily involved in the classical music scene in Philadelphia, Sarah was surrounded by violin music from an early age. She was accepted into the Juilliard School by performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1 at the startlingly young age of 5.
She recorded her first album at only 10 years old and in her teens played as many as 150 concerts each year. She has been ranked as one of the Top Eight High Achieving Females in the United States by Newsweek.
