Violinist Julian Sitkovetsky Was Born On This Day in 1925

Dying aged just 32 from lung cancer, David Oistrakh once suggested that had he lived, he would be remembered as one of the truly great virtuosi of all time

Ukranian violin virtuoso Julian Sitkovetsky was born on this day in 1925.

Sitkovetsky, born in Kiev, commenced violin lessons at the age of 4 under the guidance of his father, followed by instruction from David Bertie at the Central School in Kiev. He showcased his talent to Jacques Thibaud at the age of 8, identifying him as a child prodigy. By the age of 9, he performed Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Kiev Symphony.

In 1939, he became a student at the Moscow Central Music School, studying under Abram Yampolsky, whose notable pupils included Leonid Kogan, Igor Besrodny, and Rotislav Dubinsky.

Sitkovetsky won the All Soviet Union Young Performers Competition in 1945, where he competed in piano, cello, and violin categories (notably, Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich were winners in the piano and cello divisions)m and wwo years later, he shared the First Prize at the Prague Festival alongside Leonid Kogan and Igor Besrodny.

In 1952, Sitkovetsky was awarded the Second Prize in the Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition, sharing the honor with Wanda Wilkomirska, while Igor Oistrakh claimed the first prize. Subsequently, in 1955, he was awarded Second Prize at the Queen Elizabeth Music Competition, although Yehudi Menuhin, a jury member, felt he deserved the First Prize.

Despite his talent, Sitkovetsky limited his touring due to his diagnosis of lung cancer in 1956. He passed away in Moscow in 1958, at the age of 32.

"Had he lived longer, he would not have had any rivals." - Jan Weber

JULIAN SITKOVETSKY | SIBELIUS | VIOLIN CONCERTO | NIKOLAI ANOSOV & THE CZECH PHILHARMONIC | 1953