Uto Ughi

Italian violinist whose remarkable talent was demonstrated from the time he was a child. Ughi’s first performance was at the age of seven in Milan when he played the Chaconne from Bach’s Partita No. 2 as well as several Paganini Capriccios. He has followed an intensive concert career ever since. He studied with Georges Enescu, and in 1959, began touring Europe, performing in most of the capital cities where he was well received, with popularity that extended to Russia, Japan and South Africa. He has performed with the major European and American Orchestras, including the Boston Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and the Concertgebouw of Amsterdam. Ughi has appeared as well as a soloist with all of the prestigious English orchestras, and in November 1990, during an official state visit to England, he was asked to play for the Queen.

He is the founder of the "Homage to Venice" Festival, which raises funds used to restore Venetian historic monuments. Many of his concerts have been benefits for cancer research, aid for the sick, fighting against child cancer and aid for Bosnia. Ughi is a member of the Academia di Santa Cecilia and founder and president of Omaggio a Venezia Foundation. He has also been awarded the Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and Musician of the Year, both in 1991.

He was commissioned "Cavaliere della Gran Croce" ("Knight of the Grand Cross") by the Italian President on 4 September 1997.

For pleasure, Ughi enjoys art, literature and traveling.