Violin

　

 The Georgian-born violinist Lisa Batiashvili has already made an indelible impression on the international music scene, with stunning successes throughout Europe, North America and the Pacific Rim territories. Ms. Batiashvili sprang to international attention with her unprecedented success in the 1995 Sibelius Competition (Helsinki) where she won the second-prize as the youngest competitor aged 16. Since then an exceptional career has blossomed, alongside studies with Ana Chumachenko at the Musikhochschule in Munich and with Mark Lubotski at the Musikhochschule in Hamburg.

　

 As well as being much in demand as a chamber musician, her performance schedule is characterized by invitations from the leading orchestras and conductors including Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchestra with Lorin Maazel, the Czech Philharmonic with Ashkenazy, the Philharmonia with Dohnanyi, and the Concertgebouw with McGegan, Christoph Eschenbach and the Chicago Symphony

　

 Ms. Batiashvili is a graduate of the BBC's 'New Generation Artists' scheme, in conjunction with which she made a debut recital CD for EMI - recording of music by Brahms, Schubert and Bach - which instantly won the highest critical acclaim, and was selected as one of the best CDs of 2001 by BBC Music Magazine.

　

Instrument used : Stradivarius 1709 "Engleman" violin

　

Violin

　

 Born in Munich, Julio Fischer is among the top violin soloists actively performing internationally. Ms. Fischer has received numerous acclaims from the reviewers such as: "not a talent, but a full-fledged phenomenal violinist"; "she takes your breath away"; "worthy of a hailstorm of superlatives"; "winning blend of steely assurance and unabashed lyricism".

　

 Julia Fischer has worked with such internationally acclaimed conductors as Lorin Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Yehudi Menuhin, Giuseppe Sinopoli to only name a few and with many of the world leading orchestras. Her 2003 Carnegie Hall debut received standing ovations for her performance of Brahms Double concerto with Lorin Maazel, Han-Na Chang and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Continuing to study with Ana Chumachenco at the Musikhochschule in Munich, Julia is also an active chamber musician.

　

 Julia Fischer is the First Prizewinner of the 1995 International Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition, where she also received the special prize for the best Bach solo work performance.

　

 Ms. Fischer's first DVD - Vivaldi's Four Seasons - has been released in autumn 2002 to considerable critical acclaim from the Opus Arte/BBC label.

　

Instrument used : Stradivarius 1716 "Booth" violin

　

Violin

　

 Born in Munich, Viviane Hagner made her international debut at the age of thirteen with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta at the legendary 1990 "joint concert" of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv.

　

 Ms. Hagner has since performed with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with Claudio Abbado, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Christoph Eschenbach, the Staatskapelle Berlin with Daniel Barenboim, the Deutsche Symphony with Kent Nagano, the Bavarian State Orchestra with Zubin Mehta, the NDR Symphony Orchestra with Roberto Abbado, the Czech Philharmonics with Vladimir Ashkenazy, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Sir Roger Norrington.

　

 Ms. Hagner worked with Pinchas Zukerman and Patinka Kopec at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. As a passionate chamber musician, Ms. Hagner has been a member of Lincoln Center's Chamber Music Society Two, regularly performing in New York City. Ms. Hagner frequently performs with her sister, pianist Nicole Hagner. Their debut album - Beethoven, Saint-Saens, Schubert works for violin and piano - has been released by EMI Classics in 1999.

　

Instrument used : Stradivarius 1717 "Sasserno" violin

　

Violin

　

 A Japanese national born in London, Daishin Kashimoto began to study violin at the age of three in Tokyo. At the age of seven, he was accepted by the pre-college division of The Juilliard School as the youngest student and received the Edward John Noble Foundation Scholarship. He moved to Germany in 1990 to study with Zakhar Bron and currently works with Rainer Kussmaul, former concert master of the Berlin Philharmonic.

　

 Mr. Kashimoto gave his first recital at the age of nine and has since performed with many internationally renowned orchestras under the baton of such great conductors as Mariss Jansons, Lorin Maazel, Vladimir Fedosseyev, Seiji Ozawa and Myung-Whum Chung to only name a few. Mr. Kashimoto is the First-Prize winner of such renowned competitions as the Menuhin International Junior Violin Competition (England) in 1993, the youngest winner in history of both the International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition (Austria) and the Long-Thibaud International Competition (France) in 1996.

　

 In 1999 Daishin Kashimoto signed a world-wide recording contract with Sony Classical New York and has released two CD's so far with the pianist Itamar Golan.

　

Instrument used : Stradivarius 1722 "Jupiter" violin