IDA HAENDEL

Violinist.

Born in Poland. Permanently lives in Canada. Began to study violin at Warsaw Conservatory, then continued her studies in Paris (with Karoly Flesch and George Enescu). At the age of 14 debuted at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London under the direction of Sir Henry Wood. Recited with Karel An?erl, Thomas Beecham, Otto Klemperer, Rafael Kubelik, Charles M?nch, Malcolm Sargent, George Sz?ll and other world famous conductors.

Participated in many international music festivals. Used to perform many concerts all over the world, including her two notable concert tours in the USSR (1960 and 1966).

In a review of Ida Haendel's performance of the Elgar Violin Concerto, Nicholas Kenyon of the Times of London wrote, “If there is a more sheerly musical violinist before the public today than Ida Haendel, I have yet to hear him or her. Haendel's qualities an unobtrusively precise sense of style, a glorious freedom of phrasing, an acute feeling for the large-scale direction of a piece are only a small part of her talent”. Critic Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe cogently summed up the artistry of Ida Haendel in a review of her recent performance of the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra: “Fresh, youthful inspiration still animates everything Haendel does; she knows it all, but she is still out on a voyage of discovery. She plays the notes with such simplicity, directness and emotional force that they tear your heart out.”

CDs and DVDs of her performances, primarily recorded for the Decca, EMI and Testament labels, are available. Wrote an autobiographical book “Woman with Violin”.