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Vanessa Mae Profile |
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Birth Date: October 27, 1978
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Birth Place: Singapore
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Birth Name: Vanessa Mae Vanakorn
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Height: 5'3"
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Biography |
Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson was born October 27, 1978, in
Singapore. Incidentally, she shares a birthday with the
classical composer, Paganini. The daughter of a Chinese
mother and Thai father, Vanessa relocated to London at the
age of 4 with her mother.
By the time she was 3 years old, Vanessa was already taking
piano lessons, and 2 years later, she began to study the
violin. Despite her multi-talent at playing both the piano
and the violin, Vanessa decided to focus on the violin,
ironically after winning a prize at the British Young
Pianist of the Year Competition.
The former (and youngest) student of Professor Lin Yao Ji of
the Central Conservatoire of China, and of Felix Andrievski
of the Royal College of Music in London, the wonderkid was
set to hit the stage. She began performing early in her
career, as she performed with the Philharmonie Orchestra at
the age of 10.
Her skilled violin-playing was evident by audiences and
especially those in the industry -- the Director of the
Royal College of Music even hailed Vanessa as a "true child
prodigy, like Mozart and Mendelssohn."
No doubt, even being compared to such classical greats is an
honor in itself, and by the time she was 13, Vanessa had
gone on an international tour with the London Mozart Players
and recorded both Tchaikovsky's and Beethoven's Violin
Concertos (making her the youngest in the world to have
completed such a feat).
When Vanessa began to work on her album, The Violin Player,
she already had 3 classical recordings under her belt, as
well as her debut and sophomore albums, Violin and Kids'
Classics.
1995's The Violin Player, which blends traditional and
modern, electric violin sounds, spawned the pop song,
"Toccata & Fugue", which hit the UK charts. Vanessa made
history yet again, as the only classical artist to have a
Billboard Dance Chart Topper, with the dance remix of
"Toccata & Fugue".
The Violin Player (Japanese and Asian versions were also
released) went multi-platinum with millions of sales
worldwide, all the more reason to work on a follow-up album.
In 1996, Vanessa's The Alternative Record From Vanessa-Mae
was released, along with The Classical Album, that same
year.
1997 saw the release of China Girl and Storm (on which she
sings), while The Original Four Seasons and The Devil's
Trill Sonata was released one year later.
Vanessa's critical and commercial success is not what marks
her as an artist in her own class; the awards and honors she
has received reflect her achievements. In 1996, Vanessa was
nominated for Best Female Artist at the BRIT Awards,
blurring the lines between musical genres as the first
instrumental and classical artist to receive this
nomination. She also received the BAMBI International
Classical Artist of the Year Award.
In 1997, Vanessa became a first again, as the first
non-native of Hong Kong to be invited to perform at the
China Re-Unification Ceremony. She even played to roaring
crowds at the "Sopot Festival", sharing the bill with Annie
Lennox, and further proving her ability to blend rock into
her music. Her performance at the World Series Playoff at
Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park have certainly helped boost
her recognition in the US.
Vanessa was last heard on the album The Classical Collection
-- Part 1.
Featured in magazines like Time and Newsweek, and the
subject of several documentaries, the talented musician has
taken the violin to new heights and dimensions. |
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Other
Information |
Voted onto FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World list in its
2001 poll.
Took up the piano at age 3, and the violin at age five.
Uses her stepfather's surname, Nicholson.
Born in Singapore to a Chinese father and a Thai mother. Has
lived in London, England since age three.
Moved to London, England, UK, at age 4 and is a British
citizen.
Her father was Thai and her mother was Chinese. They
separated when she was a little girl, and her mother,
Pamela, re-married to an Englishman named Graham Nicholson.
Studied in Beijing sometimes, when she was a child.
Is the youngest soloist to record the Tchaikovsky and
Beethoven concertos, both of which she accomplished at age
13.
Made her debut with the London Philharmonia aged 10 (1989) |
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