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Midori, violinist

Short Biography

Heralded as one of the world’s foremost violinists, Midori consistently seeks to share herself with others and finds great personal fulfillment in that pursuit, both on and off the concert stage. Her performing schedule, balanced between recitals with Robert McDonald and appearances with the most prestigious symphonic ensembles, annually takes her to the great concert stages of Europe, North America and the Far East. Chamber music has become an equally important element of her activities: she has spent several summers at the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont and makes times for special chamber music projects throughout the year. Midori added an important dimension to her life in 1992 when she founded Midori & Friends, a non-profit organization whose motto, "Inspiring Children Through Music," is realized on a daily basis through music instruction programs benefiting thousands of children each year.

The year 2002 marks the 20th anniversary of Midori’s professional debut, which took place on New Year’s Eve 1982, with Zubin Mehta and the New York Philharmonic. Commemorative events have been planned throughout the world: the celebrations begin in Japan in May 2002 as Midori plays a major recital tour with pianist Robert McDonald.

Midori records exclusively for Sony Classical. Her most recent release, recorded in Hamburg with Christoph Eschenbach and the NDR Symphony Orchestra, features Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with violist Nobuko Imai, as well as the newly reconstructed Concerto in D Major for Violin and Piano with Mr. Eschenbach at the piano.

Born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971, Midori began studying the violin with her mother, Setsu Goto, at a young age. She now lives in New York City with her two dogs, Franzie (after Franz Joseph Haydn) and Willa (after Willa Cather, one of Midori’s favorite writers). Her violin is the 1734 Guarnerius del Gesu "ex-Huberman", which is on a lifetime loan to her from the Hayashibara Foundation.

May 2002/303 words

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