Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy (sometimes transliterated Ashkenazi) (Russian: Влади́мир А́шкенази) (born July 6, 1937), is a conductor and pianist. He was born in Gorky, Russia.
A graduate of the Moscow Conservatory, he won second prize in the prestigious Chopin competition in Warsaw in 1955 and shared first prize in the 1962 Tchaikovsky International Competition. He often recorded with the London Philharmonic Orchestra; two of these recordings were of the "Emperor" Concerto by Beethoven, and a number of Rachmaninoff pieces (including his Second Concerto).
In 1998, Ashkenazy became principal conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.
Vladimir Ashkenazy is currently President of the Rachmaninoff Society (http://www.rachmaninoff.org/)
