One of today's most vibrant young violinists, Anastasia Khitruk comes from a musical and artistic family. Her grandfather is the much-loved Russian animator Fydor Khitruk, and both her parents are pianists. When Anastasia was six her mother emigrated to the United States, taking her to New York along with her sister, grandmother and great grandmother. Once in America, she continued the violin studies she had begun at Moscow's Central Music School and studied with Dora Schwartzberg and Zenaida Gilels. Her talent was immediately recognized and when she made a commitment to a career as a solo performer at thirteen, she received a scholarship to attend The Juilliard School of Music as a student of violin star-maker Dorothy DeLay.
Ms. Khitruk's playing can be characterized by passion and intense musicality. At the age of twenty, she took the Paganini International Violin Competition by storm and was awarded the Special Jury Prize. Critic Massimo Pastorelli of Il Lavoro wrote: "Anastasia Khitruk literally dazzled the jury and was awarded a special prize for her exceptional musical gifts and originality".
Since then she has toured Europe and America, playing in London, Paris, Geneva and Moscow where Katerina Birukova of Vremya wrote: "She sparkles with brilliant violin playing". Her recent concert series in Bulgaria during the prestigeous Sofia Music Weeks was televised and greeted with great critical acclaim.
Few performers combine the fire and excitement of youth with maturity and perspective as well as Ms. Khitruk. She is dedicated to bringing to each audience the thrill of a unique musical moment that leaves few indifferent. Indeed, her recently-recorded CD for the Suoni e Colori label is dedicated to Paganini, and she shows off the pieces that enthrall and delight listeners through the unique capabilities of the violin when played by a virtuoso.