Shlomo Mintz (born October 30, 1957) is a highly regarded Israeli violin virtuoso, violinist and conductor. Worldwide he is praised for his impeccable musicianship, stylistic versatility and commanding technique alike. Mr. Mintz regularly appears with leading orchestras and conductors and performs in recitals and chamber music concerts all around the world. In 1997 he played Paganini's famous "Il Cannone", a violin made by Italian luthier Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, in 1742, during a special concert in Maastricht in the Netherlands with the Limburg Symphony Orchestra and conductor Yoel Levi. This concert was an initiative of a Dutch television network (TROS) and aired on TV in December 1997. Shlomo Mintz is regarded as one of the most enchanting violinists of the nowadays international concert scene. His intelligent way of performing, his incontestable virtuosity and his pure and shining sound, are admired by critics, audiences and colleagues worldwide. Mr. Mintz performs with the most celebrated orchestras and conductors, and also frequently appears as a violist with leading chamber ensembles, as well as in recitals. Shlomo Mintz won several prestigious music prizes including the Premio Accademia Musicale Chigiana, the Diapason D'Or, the Grand Prix du Disque, the Gramophone Award and the Edison Award. Shlomo Mintz was born in Moscow in 1957 and emigrated with his family to Israel two years later. There he studied with the renowned Ilona Feher. At age eleven, he made his concerto debut with the Israel Philharmonic. His Carnegie Hall debut came at age sixteen in a concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony. Subsequently began his studies with Dorothy DeLay at the Juilliard School of Music. Since age eighteen, Shlomo Mintz is also an acclaimed conductor, who leads celebrated orchestras worldwide with thorough comprehension and warm musicality. He became Music Advisor of the Israel Chamber Orchestra and Artistic Advisor and Principal Guest Conductor of the Maastricht Symphony. Shlomo Mintz is patron and one of the founders of the Keshet Eilon International Violin Mastercourse in Israel, and gives master classes all over the world. He has been a jury member and president of several important international competitions such as the Queen Elisabeth Competition and the Tchaikovsky Competition. Since 2002 Shlomo Mintz is Artistic Director of the Sion Valais International Music Festival and President of the Jury of the Sion Valais International Violin Competition in Switzerland.