<![CDATA[<body bgcolor="#70E8FF" topmargin="0" leftmargin="0">
<h1 align="center"><font color="#184858">Ragin Wenk-Wolff - Professional
Violinist</font></h1>
<h2 align="center"><font color="#184858">raginww.com</font></h2>
<p><i>"She reaches out to the audience's heart ... There are no other
musicians who can mesmerize an audience like she does."<br>
<b>Hi-Fi Review, Hong Kong</b><br>
<br>
"Assertive command and sensitive playing."<br>
<b>The New York Times</b><br>
<br>
"There was a strong personality behind her playing ... Sweetness of touch
and command of form..."<br>
<b>The Times, London</b><br>
<br>
"An accomplished virtuoso and a musician of unfailing taste."<br>
<b>Hauts de Seine, Paris</b><br>
<br>
"The sumptuously virtuoso performance naturally demanded several encores. A
dazzling experience."<br>
<b>Aftenposten, Oslo</b><br>
<br>
"Extremely talented violinist who possesses wonderful temperament and
unfailing musical sense."<br>
<b>Nathan Milstein</b></i></p>
<hr width="75%" color="#184858">
<p><font size="1"><a href="biography_about_ragin.html">Ragin</a> (RAH-gheen)
Wenk-Wolff enjoys an extraordinary career. She began playing the violin at age
11, and started studies with her first professional teacher at age 13. Only one
year later, at the age of 14, she performed Mozart's G Major Violin Concerto
with her own cadenzas, and since then she has regularly been a soloist with all
the Norwegian symphony orchestras, including the Oslo Philharmonic, the Bergen
Symphony Orchestra, and the Norwegian Broadcast Orchestra. She received much
acclaim for her performance with orchestra of the Vieuxtemps "Ballade &
Polonaise" which was broadcast on Norwegian Television and BBC Radio 3 in
England.<br>
<br>
Her remarkable playing and mature and moving interpretation of works such as
Mozart's haunting Sinfonia Concertante instantly brought her to the forefront
among Norwegian artists. At 17, she made her official debut in Oslo, which
caused a sensation, and for which she won the Norwegian Debut Prize. In October
1984 she had her very successful London debut at the Purcell Room (South Bank)
and the same month gave a recital in Paris in conjunction with an exhibition of
her own drawings.<br>
<br>
Having soloed with such orchestras as Het Gelders Orchestra in Holland and the
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra in Denmark, Ragin was in 1986 invited to record with
the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. She has recorded for Centaur
Records, Aurora, Phillips, Varese International, NOPA, and NKF, and she
broadcasts regularly on television and radio in Scandinavia and has been
featured on WQXR-New York and WFMT-Chicago. Her busy international commitments
have included regular solo appearances at prestigious music festivals such as
Bergen, Elverum and Janacek, as well as concerto performances and recitals in
England, France, Holland, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, the Czech
Republic, and all over the United States. Among the conductors Ragin has worked
with are Karsten Andersen, Moshe Atzmon, Dennis Burkh, Per Dreier, Leo Driehuys,
Oivin Fjeldstad, Dmitri Kitayenko, Ole Schmidt, Bryden Thomson, Harold Weller
and Thomas Wellin. She gives master classes at major universities whenever time
permits.<br>
<br>
Her captivating music-making inspired eminent Norwegian composer <a href="music_ragin.html">Johan
Kvandal </a>to compose and dedicate his violin concerto and solo sonata to her,
and <a href="music_ragin.html">Ragnar Soderlind</a> to write his violin concerto
in collaboration with her and dedicate it to her. She has premiered numerous
other works dedicated to her by composers including Knut Nystedt, Reidar
Thommessen, Christian Schneider and Robert Ronnes.<br>
<br>
<a href="biography_about_ragin.html">Ragin's</a> latest recordings include
violin concertos by <a href="music_ragin.html">Johan Kvandal </a> and <a href="music_ragin.html">Ragnar
Soderlind</a> with the Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra and a recital program
entitled "<a href="music_nuit_exotique.html">Nuit Exotique</a>," both
on the Centaur label (CRC 2336 and CRC 2392). Currently in the works are the
complete Violin Concertos of Hungarian composer Jeno Hubay.</font></p>
<p><font size="1"><a href="biography_about_ragin.html">Ragin</a>, who has also
performed as a pianist, began her studies in Oslo with Leif Jorgensen, continued
them in New York with Aaron Rosand, Lillian Fuchs and Artur Balsam, in Paris
with Ivry Gitlis, and then went to London to study with Nathan Milstein at his
invitation.<br>
<br>
<a href="biography_about_ragin.html">Ragin</a> plays a Stradivarius dated 1689.
She currently lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband, Jules B.
Putterman and their three children - <a href="victoria_elena_biography.html">Victoria
Elena</a>, Laurence, and Jared.</font></p>
<hr width="75%" color="#184858">
<p><font size="1"><a href="victoria_elena_biography.html">Victoria Elena
Putterman</a></font></p>
<p><font size="1">Victoria was named after the heroine in Nobel Prize winning
author Knut Hamsun's novel of the same name. She was born August 28, 1992 in New
York.<br>
<br>
When she was two years old she demanded a violin, "a real one - one that
makes music like mommy's!" She finally received one for her third birthday,
but wasn't allowed to start playing until the ripe old age of five.<br>
<br>
A few months later she performed in a Master Class held by the highly esteemed
Louise Behrend. She has since performed in Master Classes with members of the
New York Philharmonic, and was immediately invited to perform at Caramoor in New
York in a Master Class with the Miro Quartet.<br>
<br>
Victoria has been performing frequently both as a soloist and with her piano
trio. In May of 2002 she went on a highly successful joint recital tour of
Southern Norway with her mother, where she received excellent reviews and
extensive media coverage, and was instantly invited back for 2003.<br>
<br>
<a href="victoria_elena_biography.html">Victoria Elena</a> studies with Zakhar
Bron, who taught world famous violinists Maxim Vengerov and Vadim Repin, and
with <a href="biography_about_ragin.html">Ragin Wenk-Wolff</a>. She started her
studies with Anca Nicolau at the Hoff-Barthelson Music School, where her trio
coach was Frances Magnes. Victoria also studies the piano.<br>
<br>
While living in London in 2002-2003 she was invited to play with the National
Childrens Orchestra, and studied acting at the Central School for Speech and
Drama. <a href="victoria_elena_biography.html">Victoria Elena </a>has been
offered a role in the upcoming film "Frank and Suzanne".</font><br>
</p>
<hr width="75%" color="#184858">
<h3>Please use the links below to navigate the Ragin Wenk-Wolff website:</h3>
<h4><b><a href="index.html">Main</a><a href="index.html"> Page</a></b></h4>
<h4><u>BIOGRAPHY</u></h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="biography_about_ragin.html">About Ragin Wenk-Wolff</a></li>
<li><a href="biography_program_bio.html">Ragin's Program Bio</a></li>
<li><a href="biography_reviews.html">Ragin Wenk-Wolff Reviews From Around The
World</a></li>
</ul>
<h4><u>MUSIC</u></h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="music_ragin.html">Kvandal & Soderlind</a></li>
<li><a href="music_nuit_exotique.html">Nuit Exotique</a></li>
</ul>
<h4><u>PHOTO GALLERY</u></h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="photo_gallery_gallery_1.html">Ragin Photos 1</a></li>
<li><a href="photo_gallery_gallery_2.html">Ragin Photos 2</a></li>
<li><a href="photo_gallery_gallery_3.html">Ragin Photos 3</a></li>
</ul>
<h4><u>VICTORIA ELENA PUTTERMAN</u></h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="victoria_elena_biography.html">Victoria Elena's Biography</a></li>
<li><a href="victoria_elena_concert_schedule.html">Victoria Elena Putterman -
Concert Schedule</a></li>
<li><a href="victoria_elena_reviews.html">Victoria Elena Putterman Reviews</a></li>
<li><a href="victoria_elena_photos.html">Victoria Photos 1</a></li>
<li><a href="victoria_elena_photos_2.html">Victoria Photos 2</a></li>
<li><a href="victoria_elena_photos_3.html">Victoria Photos 3</a></li>
</ul>
<h4><a href="iw_scripts/guestbook.pl">Guestbook</a></h4>
<h4><a href="contact_ragin.html">Contact Ragin Wenk-Wolff</a></h4>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
</body>]]>