Born in Osaka, Japan in 1971, Midori has become a world reknowned violinist. She gave her first concert at the age of seven, playing a
Paganini Caprice. Midori continued to study with master violin teacher,
Dorthy DeLay According to Midori's official website, Pinchas Zuckerman describes one of Midori's early concerts saying, "Out comes this tiny little thing, not even 10 at the time. I was sitting on a chair and I was as tall as she was standing. She tuned, she bowed to the audience, she bowed to me, she bowed to the pianist - and then she played the Bartok Second Concerto, and I went bananas. I sat there and tears started coming down my cheeks. I said, 'Do you play something else?' and through an interpreter, she said, 'Yes, the Sauret cadenza of the Paganini Concerto.' Ten years old, and she already played the Sauret cadenza like only a few people in the entire universe can do at any time! I'm talking about forever. And she had a tiny little half-size violin, but the sound that came out - it was ridiculous. I was absolutely stunned. I turned to the audience and said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know about you, but I have just witnessed a miracle."
Midori has gone on to perform with orchestras around the world including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, the European Community Youth Orchestra,t he London Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra , the Montreal Symphony, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Midori plays at 1734 Guarnerius del Gesù violin (which is on a lifetime loan to her from the Hayashibara Foundation).
For more information about Midori, visit her official website
Violinists