Born in Tel-Aviv in 1941, Shmuel Ashkenasi began his musical training at the Musical Academy of Tel-Aviv studying with legendary theater Ilona Feher. He arrived in the United States while still young and studied with Efrem Zimbalist at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ashkenasi won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in 1961 and in 1962 captured top prizes at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Russia, the Merriweather Post Competition in Washington, D.C., and the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels, Belgium. He was 21 years old.

As a soloist, he has toured the Soviet Union twice and plays concerts every year throughout Europe, Israel and the Far East. He has performed with famed American orchestras and many of the orchestras of Europe.  In 1969, he formed the famed Vermeer Quartet and remained its first violinist throughout the quartet’s 39-year career, gaining a reputation as one of the world’s outstanding chamber musicians.

Ashkenasi is also a noted teacher, currently holding posts of Professor of Violin at Bard College Conservatory of Music, Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts, and the Curtis Institute of Music.

Shmuel Ashkenasi will be in concert with Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, Park University Collaborative Artist, at the 1900 Building. Their program will include Sibelius’ 5 pieces for violin and piano Op.81, and other works.