Lydia Mordkovitch was born in Saratov , Russia , and studied the violin form the age of seven. After graduating form the Odessa Conservatory, she became a master-pupil and assistant to David Oistrakh at the Moscow Conservatory. She was a prize winner of the National Young Musicians Competition in Kyiv, and of the Long-Thibaud International Competition in Paris . She has lived in Britain since 1990.

Lydia Mordkovitch made her British debut in 1979 with the Halle Orchestra under Walter Susskind, and her American debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Sir George Solti. Other American appearances include a performance of the Brahms Concerto with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ricardo Muti. In Britain , she has appeared regularly with the LSO, LPO, Philharmonia, Halle , RPO, RSNO, BBC Philharmonic, and the English Chamber Orchestra as well as numerous orchestras abroad. Conductors include Neeme Jarvi, Richard Hickox, Hugo Wolff, Ian Leighton-Konig, Vernon Handley, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Vasily Sinaisky and Stanislav Skrowaczewski. Past performances include a very successful Wigmore Hall recital in 1995; in 1994 a tour with the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra which received outstanding reviews, and her March 1996 tour with the Polish National Radio Orchestra which was met with similar acclaim. Her performances of the Brahms, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Bruch Violin Concertos with the Philharmonia, the RPO and the Liverpool Philharmonic were great successes and were played to full houses.

An impressive Discography reflects Lydia 's wide repertoire, encompassing music form the Complete Solo Works for Violin by Bach to the Concertos of Shostakovich. Works recorded for RCA and Chandos have been nominated for the Gramophone Award twice and she has received seven Critic's Choices. Lydia Mordkovitch's Shostakovich Two Concertos won the 1990 Gramophone Award and the Diapason d'Or Award, which she has also won for her Prokofiev Two Concertos with the RNSO and Jarvi. Her Bartok, Honegger, Prokofiev Sonata for Two Violins , Brahms Concerto , Scharwenka Sonata, Trio and Seranade , and a recording of Alwyn's Concerto (never previously recoded), have all won further nominations or prizes across Europe . The Dyson Concerto with Richard Hickox and the City of London Sinfonia has received both a Critic's Choice and the Penguin Guide Rosette. Recordings include Szymanowski's Sonata , Three Myths , Nocturne and Tarantella , which received a “10” from Repertoire magazine as did her Prokofiev Two Concertos. Other recordings hear Lydia perform music for Violin and Piano by Elgar and Bloch, Bartok's Forty-four Duos for Two Solo Violins and Vaughan-Williams' Album for Violin and Piano. Her recent release of Benjamin Britten's and John Veale's Concertos have been received with high critical acclaim.

“Her tone is golden, her lyricism elegant, her bravura winning”

•  New York Times, Sept 1989

“a violinist to treasure” Financial Times, January 1992

“a fiery soloist … with leonine strength” The Times, February 1994

“more than mere technical virtuosity it is the unceasing variety of her playing, alive to every nuance of music, which distinguishes her performances” The Strad

Lydia is a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London . Last year, she received the title of “Honorary Member” of the R.A.M. She was given the title “ The Woman of the Year” from 1996-2000. Lydia has also received the titles “Outstanding Woman of the 20 th Century” and “Outstanding Woman of the 21 st Century” by the American Biographical Institute, who are the co-authors of “Who's Who”.