Violinist
Ilya Gringolts created a sensation with his 2002 recording of
J.S. Bach's works for solo violin (Partitas No. 1 and No. 3 and Sonata No. 2). Describing
Gringolts' performance of these works as astonishing and powerful, critics were particularly impressed by his ability to transcend the purely technical obstacles and introduce his listeners to the infinite spiritual richness of
Bach's music for solo violin. But there is something uncanny and unique about the technique itself. As violinists and cellists know, playing
Bach is an acrobatic experience. Listening to
Gringolts, however, one gets the distinct feeling of assurance and authority: if, for most violinists, a
Bach partita is a fragile structure, the musical edifice that
Gringolts builds seems as indestructible as an idea. Born in 1982 in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg),
Gringolts started violin lessons in 1988, entering the St. Petersburg Special Music School two years later. He placed second in his first national competition in 1992, winning first prize at a national youth competition -- and making his debut with
Moscow Symphony Orchestra -- in 1994. The following year,
Gringolts won a prize at the
Menuhin Competition in England and met the legendary violinist. Also in 1995,
Gringolts made his western European orchestral debut, in Finland, performing
Bruch's Violin Concerto in G minor. Laureate of the Wieniawski Junior Competition in 1997,
Gringolts won first prize at the
Paganini Competition in 1998, becoming the youngest violinist to ever attain this honor. In 1999,
Gringolts started working with
Itzhak Perlman at the Juilliard School, continuing his studies until 2002 when he made his North American debut playing with the
National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa.
Gringolts immediately became a much-demanded soloist, sharing the stage with the world's most prominent conductors, including
Daniel Barenboim,
Kurt Masur,
Zubin Mehta, and
Mstislav Rostropovich.
Gringolts regularly performs at Europe's most distinguished concert venues and festivals. Having signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon from 2001-2005,
Gringolts first release for the label was the
Tchaikovsky and
Shostakovich violin concertos. He has since also appeared on the Hyperion label, with the music of
Arensky and
Taneyev; and on Onyx with chamber music by
Schumann; and more. His repertoire spans from
Bach (he often uses a Baroque instrument and bow for early music) to
Maxwell Davies.
Gringolts teaches at Hochschule Basel, and in 2008 formed the Gringolts String Quartet.