Mischa Mischakoff was an outstanding violinist and concertmaster for 70 years, from the age of ten until the age of eighty.

Mischakoff was born in Proskurov, Ukraine, as Mischa Fischberg. In 1921, he escaped from Russia with, among others, his friend and colleague, cellist Gregor Piatigorsky

Gregor Piatigorsky

Gregor Piatigorsky was a Russian-born American cellist.-Early life:...

, with whom he had played in the Bolshoi Theater. Mischakoff emigrated to the United States later that year, becoming a naturalized citizen in 1927.

He led the string sections of the St. Petersburg Conservatory Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra

St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra

The Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra was formed in 1882 and is Russia's oldest symphony orchestra.It was initially known as the "Imperial Music Choir" and performed privately for the court of Alexander III of Russia. By the 1900s it had started to give public performances at the...

, Bolshoi Theater, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra

Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra

The Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra , one of Poland's premier musical institutions, was established in 1901 on the initiative of an assembly of Polish aristocrats and financiers, as well as musicians...

, New York Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra

Philadelphia Orchestra

The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...

, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1891, the Symphony makes its home at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival...

, NBC Symphony Orchestra

NBC Symphony Orchestra

The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra established by David Sarnoff of the National Broadcasting Company especially for conductor Arturo Toscanini...

, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra

Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra

The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra, the resident summer orchestra of the Chautauqua Institution in western New York State. Founded in 1929, the ensemble plays concerts on most Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights throughout the Institution's nine-week season. The CSO...

, Detroit Symphony Orchestra

Detroit Symphony Orchestra

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...

, and, in retirement, the Baltimore Orchestra and Scandinavian Symphony Orchestra of Detroit - William Savola (Youtube.com/user/williamsavola), Conductor) in Southfield, Michigan. At the conclusion of the Sibelius 2nd Symphony and in recognition of their professional collaboration, Mischa Mischakoff and his wife Hortense honored Conductor Savola by presenting to him a baton once used by Arturo Toscanini. The baton was last held in the hand of Toscanini.

He also led the Mischakoff String Quartet in the various cities where he lived and taught at the Juilliard School in New York between 1940 and 1952. One of his notable pupils was Canadian violinist Albert Pratz

Albert Pratz

Albert Pratz was a Canadian violinist, conductor, composer, and music educator. He was awarded the Canadian Centennial Medal in 1967. His compositional output was modest and consists of only instrumental works...

. Mischakoff died in Petoskey, MI.

He owned four Stradivari violins, on which he appeared as soloist and recitalist.