Vladimir Davidovich Ashkenazy (born July 6, 1937)'s a Russian conductor and virtuoso pianist. He's been a citizen of Iceland, the home of his wife Þórunn, since 1972 and currently lives with his family in Switzerland. Early life Ashkenazy was born in Gorky, Russia to an Ashkenazi Jewish father and an ethnic Russian mother. He began playing piano at the age of six and, showing prodigious talent, was accepted at the Central Music School at age eight. A graduate of the Moscow Conservat… (More on Ashkenazy)