Violinist Anton Polezhayev won “Grand Prix” and gold medal at the “International Violin Competition of Pierre Lantier” in Paris France, 1997. He was one of the finalists at the “Paganini International Violin Competition” in Genoa, Italy 1998, placing 5th, and was also a finalist at the San Francisco International String Competition of E.M. Klein in 1994. He has won numerous other competitions, awards, and scholarships. Anton was a member of the New York Philharmonic from 2002 to 2004. Prior to the Philharmonic, he was a member of New Jersey Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2002. Anton was also an associate concertmaster of the New York Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra from 2004 to 2008. In 2006 he performed as Associate Concertmaster with the Mariinsky (Kirov) Orchestra, St. Petersburg, Russia. In 2007 Anton held a position of Associate Concertmaster with Orchestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazil. As a soloist and recitalist Mr. Polezhayev was featured on the cover of Part 2 of on October 21, 1992 and New York Times January 18, 2004 and has performed on radio and television. He has performed as soloist with numerous orchestras in the US and his native Russia. His credits also include performances at the International Concert Series at Hofstra University, the Tilles Center, Alice Tully Hall in New York City and numerous concert halls in Europe and Russia. Anton was educated at the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with Mitchell Stern (1991-92), Albert Markov (1993-1999) and Sheryl Staples (1999-2001). Anton was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1976, and began his violin studies at the Central Music School of Moscow State Conservatory. His first teachers were Anatoly Schwarzburg, Galina Turchaninova and Mikhail Bezverhny.