Shlomo Mintz’s first performance on stage was at the age of six. At age eleven he played as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and when Itzhak Perlman had to cancel a performance of Paganini’s First Concerto two years later, the orchestra called on him at a week’s notice to replace him. He made his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of sixteen with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (conducted by William Steinberg) and soon afterward at the age of 18, he made an extensive tour through Europe.

Still in his early twenties he signed a long-term recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon - a fruitful relationship which started, naturally, with the Mendelssohn and Bruch Concertos. He went on to record virtually all the expected concertos and particularly fine readings of Bach’s set of solo Sonatas and Partitas, Paganini’s 24 solo Caprices and the Mendelssohn Sonatas.