Helmut Zacharias

b. 27 January 1920, Berlin, Germany, d. 28 February 2002. This violinist, arranger, composer and band leader was raised in Berlin. At the age of three he was given a toy violin by his father, himself a professional violinist. The gift was soon replaced by the real thing, and at the age of six he was on the cabaret stage of the Faun on Berlin's Friedrichstrasse. At the age of 11 he played Mozart's Violin Concerto In G Major on radio, and was soon performing in concert throughout Germany. When Zacharias was 17, he bought himself a Hammig instrument with the proceeds of a Fritz K...