Wicks: Violin Concertos & Pieces

Camilla Wicks, who was born in 1928, was one of the first female American violinists to pursue an international career. She was hailed as a child prodigy and was giving concerts by the age of seven. She gave her debut with the New York Philharmonic at the age of 13. Wicks played under the most prestigious conductors of her day, including Bruno Walter and Fritz Reiner, and she undertook several concert tours of Europe. Her recording of the Sibelius Violin Concerto is legendary, greatly admired by the composer himself. Camilla Wicks married in 1951, had five children and interrupted her career in order to bring them up. In later years she began to give concerts again and she was a popular lecturer, though she never again achieved the global success of her earlier career. She ceased teaching in 2005. Camilla Wicks possessed phenomenal technique and achieved her greatest accolades for performances of nineteenth-century repertoire. In addition, Wicks was a champion of contemporary music and she premiered numerous modern compositions. Today, Camilla Wicks lives in Florida, USA. This release compiles some of her finest recordings.