Henryk Szeryng was born in 1918 in Warsaw, Poland. In 1925, he studied violin with Maurice Frenkel. In 1927, he auditioned for Bronislaw Huberman who praised him, saying “The boy has exceptional talent and hands like Jascha Heifetz.” Huberman advised him to continue his studies in Berlin and Paris. Szeryng began his career as a concert violinist in Warsaw in 1933. In 1938, he studied composition with Nadia Boulanger.
During World War II, David Oistrakh distinguished himself by performing in front of soldiers. He later founded a trio with Lev Oborine on piano and Sviatoslav Knushevitski on cello. Oistrakh was also honored with the Stalin Prize and the Order of Lenin. His international career took off as the Soviet government gradually allowed him to give concerts in the West.
In 1943, Szeryng settled in Mexico City, where he became a professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In 1956, the Mexican government appointed him Cultural Ambassador of Mexico. He was the first artist to travel with a diplomatic passport and in 1970, he became an Honorary Advisor to Mexico’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO.
Both Szeryng and Oistrakh became renowned ambassadors of Soviet art worldwide through their exceptional violin performances. Their contributions to the music world have left a lasting legacy.
