Mischa Mischakoff

Mischa Mischakoff (April 16, 1895^[1] – February 1981^[1]) was an outstanding violinist and concertmaster for 70 years, from the age of ten until the age of eighty.

Mischakoff was born in Proskurov, Ukraine, as Mischa Fischberg. In 1921, he escaped from Russia with, among others, his friend and colleague, cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, with whom he had played in the Bolshoi Theater. Mischakoff emigrated to the United States later that year, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1927.

He led the string sections of the St. Petersburg Conservatory Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Bolshoi Theater, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, New York Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, NBC Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and, in retirement, the Baltimore Orchestra and Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra of Detroit - William Savola (Youtube.com/user/williamsavola), Conductor) in Southfield, Michigan. At the conclusion of the Sibelius 2nd Symphony and in recognition of their professional collaboration, Mischa Mischakoff and his wife Hortense honored Conductor Savola by presenting to him a baton once used by Arturo Toscanini. The baton was last held in the hand of Toscanini.

He also led the Mischakoff String Quartet in the various cities where he lived and taught at the Juilliard School in New York between 1940 and 1952. One of his notable pupils was Canadian violinist Albert Pratz. Mischakoff died in Petoskey, MI.

He owned four Stradivari violins, on which he appeared as soloist and recitalist.

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Social Security Death Index

References

• Heiles, Anne Mischakoff (2006). Mischa Mischakoff: Journeys of a Concertmaster. Sterling Heights, Mich.: Harmonie Park Press. ISBN 089990131X. 

Persondata
Name	Mischakoff, Mischa
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 16, 1895
Place of birth
Date of death	1981
Place of death