Vladimir Teodorovich Spivakov (Russian: Влади́мир Теодо́рович Спивако́в; born 12 September 1944) is a Soviet and Russian conductor and violinist best known for his work with the Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra. Spivakov was born in Ufa. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory. Spivakov is also considered one of the foremost violinists of his generation, having studied with Yuri Yankelevich at the Moscow Conservatory. Spivakov currently serves as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the National Philharmonic of Russia. He conducted the music for Garri Bardin's 2010 animated feature, The Ugly Duckling. In March 2014 he signed a letter in support of Vladimir Putin's policies regarding the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea and Ukraine. However, in 2022, he and other Russian artists signed a letter against the Russian invasion of Ukraine initiated by Putin. Honours and awards Lenin Komsomol Prize (1982) - for high performance skills Order of Merit, 2nd class (Ukraine, 2009) "Russian of the Year" (May 2005) UNESCO Artist for Peace - for his "outstanding contribution to the musician in the art world, his work for peace and dialogue between cultures" (2006) See also List of Russian composers References External links [Official Website[russian] Official site of Spivakov Foundation Official site of Spivakov's orchestra Biography in English Another English biography Spivakov on Classical Archives Biography in Russian Spivakov and the National Philharmonic of Russia A quest for harmony 1944 births 20th-century Russian conductors (music) 20th-century Russian male musicians 20th-century violinists 21st-century Russian conductors (music) 21st-century Russian male musicians 21st-century violinists Living people Musicians from Ufa Moscow Conservatory alumni Honored Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the RSFSR People's Artists of the USSR Recipients of the Lenin Komsomol Prize Full Cavaliers of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" Recipients of the Order of Merit (Ukraine), 2nd class Recipients of the title of People's Artists of Ukraine Recipients of the USSR State Prize State Prize of the Russian Federation laureates Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition prize-winners Officiers of the Légion d'honneur Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Paganini Competition prize-winners Male violinists Jewish classical musicians Russian male conductors (music) Russian Jews Russian violinists Soviet conductors (music) Soviet violinists Russian activists against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine