Q&A: Vadim Gluzman plays Korngold with the Colorado Symphony

(Photo: CPR/Brad Turner)Violinist Vadim Gluzman joins the Colorado Symphony this weekend to play Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto.

The Ukranian-born violin virtuoso has recorded a stack of CDs and is hailed internationally for his passionate, old-world-style playing. 

The son of a conductor and a musicologist, Gluzman started playing violin at age 7. He plays the 1690 Stradivarius violin that once belonged to Leopold Auer, a legendary violinist and celebrated teacher for whom Tchaikovsky wrote his Violin Concerto.

Gluzman lives in Chicago and Tel Aviv and plays about 100 concerts a year. His program this weekend with the Colorado Symphony also includes Mahler’s Symphony No. 7.

He spoke with CPR Classical about why he decided to play the violin, the story of his priceless instrument and an encounter with legendary violinist Isaac Stern.