The Swedish violinist Daniel Lozakovich, born on 1 April 2001 in Stockholm, made his concert debut at age nine under Vladimir Spivakov in Moscow. The son of a Belarusian father and a Kyrgyz mother, he started playing the violin at the age of six and signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon at the age of 15.
Daniel Lozakovich
He released four albums with that prestigious label. His debut album featured Bach’s Violin Concertos Nos. 1&2, and the Partita No. 2. This was followed by the recital album “None but the Lonely Heart,” devoted to Russian repertoire. Lozakovich followed up with a recording of the Beethoven Concerto and “Spirits,” a tribute album paying homage to legendary 20th-century violinists.
Daniel Lozakovich plays Bach: Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, “Allegro” (“ex-Baron Rothschild”)
From DG to Warner
In 2024, he signed with Warner Classics, and his debut recital programme featured music by Grieg, Franck, Shostakovich, and Shor/Pletnev, with Mikhail Pletnev at the piano. “Lost to the World” appeared on 6 March 2026 and presents a curated recital with pianist Hélène Mercier, featuring music that revolves around childhood memories, poetry, and the redemptive power of music.
Critics and audiences universally highlight the beauty of Daniel Lozakovich’s tone. Gramophone writes in 2026, “I very much enjoy Lozakovich’s golden tone, tinged with warm vibrato. It’s an old-fashioned, aristocratic sound in the best sense.” (Pullinger, Gramophone, 2026)
Gabriel Fauré: Après un rêve, Op. 7, No. 1 (arr. P. Casals for violin and piano) (Daniel Lozakovich, violin; Hélène Mercier, piano)
Critical Praise
Daniel Lozakovich © Lyodoh Kaneko
MusicWeb International wrote in 2022, “Lozakovich is amply supple with his tone… he is the first violinist of the current generation I have come across to effortlessly sound old-school and with the most aristocratic sound to match… marvellous purity and inner depth, and a rich, almost baritonal, resonance.” (Bridle, MusicWeb International, 2022)
Throughout his performing and recording career, Lozakovich’s tone is described as sweet, warm, golden, elegant, and voluminous when needed. A good many reviews remind us of the “old-school” quality, reminiscent of 20th-century violinists.
It bears observing, however, that Lozakovich used different violins for different labels. Three of his main DG studio albums were made with the 1713 “ex-Baron Rothschild” Stradivarius on loan from the Boston violin dealers Reuning & Son, and his mentor Eduard Wulfson.
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 – I. Allegro moderato (Daniel Lozakovich, violin; National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia; Vladimir Spivakov, cond.)
Two Stradivari Violins
1713 “ex-Baron Rothschild” Stradivarius
The instrument was crafted by Stradivari in Cremona in 1713, during what is commonly described as his “Golden Period.” As the name implies, it was owned until 1907 by Baron Nathaniel Rothschild and purchased by the collector Wilhelm Kux in 1908.
It passed through the hands of various collectors and was acquired by its current private owner in 2016. The instrument is noted for its elegant, warm, and refined tone, and as singing with beautiful evenness across the registers. This violin has a more collector-oriented history than the 1713 “ex-Sancy” Stradivarius that Lozakovich currently plays.
This instrument, also dating from the Stradivari workshop in Cremona, is prized for its powerful projection and “masculine” character. The violin takes its name from its early French owners, the Leloup de Sancy family from the Auvergne region in central France.
César Franck: Violin Sonata in A Major, M. 8 – I. Allegretto ben moderato (Daniel Lozakovich, violin; Mikhail Pletnev, piano)
Wilmotte to Gitlis
1713 “ex-Sancy” Stradivarius
In the 1870s, the instrument was owned by the Belgian violinist Charles Wilmotte, and after passing through the hands of various collectors, it was played by the Czech virtuoso Jan Kubelik between 1908 and 1911.
In 1956, it was purchased from Rembert Wurlitzer for the legendary violinist Ivry Gitlis. He performed on this instrument for over 60 years, as it became his signature instrument.
After Gitlis’ death, the violin changed hands again.
It was acquired by the French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) in 2021. The company maintains a collection of rare historic string instruments and loans them to outstanding virtuosos as part of its cultural philanthropy and advertising strategy.
Edward Elgar: Salut d’amour (Liebesgrüss), Op. 12 (version for violin and piano) (Daniel Lozakovich, violin; Stanislav Soloviev, piano)
Evolution of His Sound
Daniel Lozakovich © Lyodoh Kaneko
During his final years with DG, Lozakovich also played the 1727 “Le Reynier” Stradivarius, another instrument owned by the LVMH group. Like most elite violinists, Lozakovich rotates instruments depending on repertoire, and the “Le Reynier” provided an additional option during the later DG years.
Lozakovich’s distinctive tone has evolved naturally with the instruments he plays. While the lyrical evenness of the “ex-Baron Rothschild” defined his DG recordings, the greater power and projection of the “ex-Sancy” now shape his Warner Classics performances.
With the “Le Reynier” mixed in for occasional use, Lozakovich is well on his way to establishing himself as one of the leading young violinists of his generation.
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