Ruggiero Ricci

Violinist, born in San Francisco, California, USA. He made a sensational debut at age 10 and went on to an international solo career with an enormous repertoire, including advanced moderns.

Ruggiero Ricci (born July 24, 1918 San Bruno, California) is an Italian-American violin virtuoso.

Ricci has become famous in particular for his performances and recordings of Paganini.

The son of Italian immigrants, his father first taught him to play the violin.

Ricci gave his first public performance in 1928 at the age of 10 in San Francisco where he played works by Henryk Wieniawski and Henri Vieuxtemps. At age 11 he gave his first orchestral performance, playing the Mendelssohn concerto, and soon after he played his highly successful debut at Carnegie Hall.

In the 1930s Ricci studied in Berlin with Georg Kulenkampff, where he learned a "German style" of playing in the tradition of Adolf Busch.

After serving in the US Army from 1942 till 1945 where he served as an "Entertainment Specialist," Ricci made his first recording of the 24 Capriccios by Paganini in 1947 on the Shellac recording label.

Aside from a performing over 6000 concerts in 65 countries during his 70 year solo career, Ricci has also made over 500 recordings on every major label.

He currently teaches at the Mozarteum Akademie in Salzburg, Austria.

Ricci owned many precious instruments, including the Guarneri Del Gesù violin, known as the ex-Bronislaw Huberman, a fine Storioni, a Bellini, a Curtin &