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Ida HaendelBritish violinist of Polish origin
Date of Birth: 15.12.1928
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Biography of Ida Hendel
Ida Hendel is a British violinist of Polish descent. She began learning to play the violin at the age of three under the guidance of Mecheslaw Michalowicz in Warsaw. Within two years, she received the Bronislaw Huberman Prize for her performance of Beethoven's Concerto and in 1935, she became the youngest participant in the first International Violin Competition named after Wieniawski. She further honed her skills under the tutelage of Carl Flesch and George Enescu. In 1937, she made her debut in London with an orchestra conducted by Henry Wood, and soon after, her family settled in the United Kingdom.
Concerts and Recognition
During World War II, Hendel participated in concerts for the armed forces and performed at the National Gallery in London. She showcased her violin skills by performing Dvorak's violin concerto at a festival honoring the composer's centennial birth anniversary. After the war, she went on international tours, including visits to the United States (1946-1947) and the USSR (1966). In 1952, she relocated from England to Canada and in 1973, she became the first Western musician to be allowed to perform concerts in China after the Cultural Revolution.
Continued Career and Legacy
Hendel continues to perform even in her advanced age. In 2003, she participated in the Paganini International Festival in Wrocław. Her performances are known for their technical excellence, pitch accuracy, and classical interpretation of musical works. Renowned composers such as Jean Sibelius and William Walton spoke favorably about her renditions of their violin concertos, and several contemporary composers have dedicated works to her. Hendel has an extensive discography that encompasses almost the entire classical and romantic violin repertoire. In 1970, she published her autobiography, "Woman with Violin".
