Vanessa May personal biography. Vanessa May, short biography, violins, interesting facts, discography, special albums, singles, filmography

Mae Vanessa Mae Career: Musician
Birth: 27.10.1978
The English violinist of Singaporean origin has been performing on stage since 1990, i.e. from the age of 12, and released seven albums during this time. She is the winner of the EMI prize for the best-selling classical artist. However, Vanessa Mae's fame was brought not by the classics themselves, but by the techno-arrangements of classic hits, such as "The Thunderstorm" from Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons", performed on a spectacular-looking electric violin. At the same time, Vanessa also plays the “classical” violin at concerts - and on a violin made in 1761 by the master Guadagini. This instrument once belonged to the first violin superstar, Niccolo Paganini, with whom Vanessa Mae was also born on the same day.

Vanessa Mae (Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson) was born on October 27, 1978, the same day as the great violinist Paganeni, only 196 years later. According to the Chinese calendar, she was born on the day of the horse - this is a good sign for the Chinese. It symbolizes agility and loyalty, which is expressed in good development in career and business, as well as in personal and family satisfaction.

Vanesa May was born in Singapore to a Thai father and a Chinese mother. Her mother Pamela divorced when Vanessa was 4 years old and took her to London, where she got married to British lawyer Grahm Nicholson. Pamela Nicholson is quite professional in order to notice Vanessa’s melodic genius, Pamela herself is a semi-professional pianist. She played a huge role in her daughter's musical career. The violin is not Vanessa's starting instrument. She first studied piano at a children's school in Singapore with Ruth Nye, at the time she was 3 years old. Her adoptive dad Grahm Nicholson played the violin and forced Vanessa to grab the violin and compose for him.

Vanessa's first performance was at the age of nine. She played with the Philharmonie Orchestra when she was ten. Under Professor Felix Andrievsky, Vanessa was the youngest student at the Royal College of Music. In October 1991, Vanessa May recorded her debut disc "Violin" and released it in March 1991 for UK charities and the NSPCC, at the time she was only 11 years old. In 1992 she took up her Zeta electric violin for the first time. In 1994 she teamed up with EMI to record her first pop album, as Vanessa described it as a "techno-acoustic fusion". Rating Her new album "The Violin Player" soared into the worldwide charts in more than 20 countries immediately following its release. In 1996, she was nominated for "Best Female Artist" in the BRIT Awards competition held in the UK. She is a fundamental musician and a strict musician, the one who was nominated for that same competition, and was awarded the award with an overwhelming number of votes, thanks to her popularity.

Then she released some other albums. After her pop album "The violin Player" she dropped a classic record, "Classical Album 1". In 1997, Hong Kong honored Vanessa with an invitation to perform in Hong Kong at the Chinese Reunification Ceremony, she was the only non-local performer. This also resulted in the release of another album, "China Girl", as a continued reflection on her Chinese roots since her grandfather passed away. when she was fifteen. Almost immediately after this, she released her second techno-acoustic album - “Storm”, where she also sings. Then she recorded the third, following “The violin Player”, the strict album The Original Four Seasons. In 2001 it was released Her only pop album is “Sebject To Change”. She currently lives in Kensington, London. Not long ago she visited Moscow, where she gave her concert.

In most classical works, Vanessa Mae uses an acoustic violin - "Guadagnini". It was made in 1761. Bought it for Vanessa at auction for £150,000. And already at such an early age, the girl left the children's violins with her dolls and switched to a freshly baked, mature order. "I was conscious of what I was doing. I may have said goodbye to my childhood a few years before my friends, but I don't regret it. Because, in fact, I got a lot more." Seven years later, in January 1995, "Guadagnini" was stolen, but in March of that year the police carefully returned it to its owner. But the story with the tool does not end there! Somehow Vanessa Mae managed to fall off the stage a few hours before the performance and break her "Gaudagnini" into pieces. It took weeks to repair and was soon returned in better condition. Vanessa, having gone through such trials, fell in love with this violin with all her heart and, moreover, gave it a name - “Gizmo”. "Gizmo" accompanies May all the way to concerts. Now the instrument is valued at 458 thousand dollars. ss

Vanessa is also recognized by her white electric violin "Zeta Jazz Model" of US origin. Although there are other nice power tools. This (also white) violin has the stars and stripes of the American flag diagonally imprinted across the lower third. So (for those interested) we summarize: Vanessa Mae has three permanent violins (remember how twice is two). The rest, which she buys from time to time, Vanessa "fuses" at charity auctions. (In general, the electric violin was created a few decades ago, but only recently began to become popular (everyone said in unison, thanks to whom). It was invented by jazzman Jean-Luc Ponte. The electric violin was used from time to time for background music in rock, for example, you can smell the electric violin in U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday".

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Vanessa Mae, whose biography will be discussed in our article, has become one of the most popular musicians of our time playing classical instruments. Unfortunately, in recent times only true classical music lovers can appreciate good violin playing. This instrument is most often used in modern arrangements to give compositions some zest and charm. It is worth recognizing that the “instrument” of the great Paganini is unfairly forgotten today, and only a few of the crowd of recognized musicians are trying to popularize it among the broad masses by playing modern music on the violin. Vanessa Mae, whose biography attracted the interest of listeners all over the world after the release of her composition “Storm,” became one of them.

Listening to her works, it becomes clear that this performer is not only gifted with impeccable hearing. From the first notes it is clear that the girl is truly in love with her instrument.

Start

Vanessa May, whose brief biography is described below, was born in October 1978 in Singapore. She owes her exotic appearance to her parents: her mother is from China, and her father was born in Thailand. The talent of the future violinist manifested itself quite early; she began studying music at the age of 5, and she played both the violin and the piano.

There is information that Vanessa Mae, whose biography is discussed in this article, first sat down at the piano at the age of only three years. And her stepfather, Graham Nicholson, instilled in her an interest in playing the violin a little later. He replaced her father when the girl was 5 years old. It was then that her parents divorced, and her mother moved little Vanessa from Singapore to London.

First victories and musical education

The biography of violinist Vanessa Mae as a performer began quite early. She performed for the first time before the general public at the age of nine at an international music festival held in Germany. And a year later, when she turned 10, the girl was already performing on the same stage with the legendary London Orchestra. The violinist’s subsequent achievements include the fact that she became the youngest student of music at the King’s College in London.

Debut in front of a wide audience

When she was 12 years old, May made her debut with her first album called Violine, which she recorded together with the same London orchestra.

At the age of 13, she was already independently playing and recording concerts of such difficult composers as Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. Thanks to this, Vanessa Mae (whose biography is truly amazing at how early the girl achieved recognition in the music world) was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest performer in history to record concerts of these composers.

In 1995, Vanessa received recognition not only from lovers of classical, but also popular music. In a creative union with Michael Butt, she records and releases her second album entitled The Violin Player.

During its recording, May used not only a classical, but also an electric violin, which she mastered playing in 1992. The music sounded in this album was completely unusual for that time: there were various directions, including techno-acoustics. It was this highlight that attracted attention to the performer discussed in our article. The album took top places in the top charts in more than 20 countries around the world. Over the entire period, almost 8 million copies of this disc were sold.

Sad separation from mother

Vanessa Mae has the image of a sexy Asian woman with an exotic appearance. It would seem that such a girl cannot have problems with fans. But in reality, everything is not so simple. She went on her first date only at the age of 20, and the reason for this was her mother, Pamela, who was her manager and was overprotective of her daughter. The woman always tried to control Vanessa’s personal life and limited it in many ways. It all ended with Vanessa firing her mother as a manager in 1999. After this incident, relatives completely stopped their communication. Her mother still has not been able to forgive Vanessa for making such a decision.

Vanessa Mae: biography, personal life

Vanessa herself, in the same 1999, managed to completely change her personal life. She met a man with whom she is still in a relationship to this day. It turned out to be Lionel Catalan, the owner of a wine trading business. He is 10 years older than Vanessa and tries to look after and protect her in everything.

At the same time, May herself states that it was with Lionel that she felt grown up and independent, because at one time her mother, being overly protective of her, did not even allow the girl to cut fruit on her own (she was constantly afraid that her daughter might accidentally injure her brilliant hands). Her lover often accompanies Vanessa on tour and supports her in every possible way. And the girl, in turn, does not insist on official marriage, because she believes that this is not the key to a long and strong relationship.

Chinese on mother's side, Thai on father's side. When Vanessa was 4 years old, her parents divorced and her mother took her to live in the UK. After the move, her mother married an English lawyer, Graham Nicholson.

She began studying music at the age of three, but then her main instrument was the piano. Later, her stepfather forced her to pick up the violin and accompany him.

Vanessa's first performance was at the age of nine. She played with the Philharmonic Orchestra when she was ten. Vanessa was the youngest student at the Royal College of Music. In October 1991, Vanessa Mae recorded her debut disc, Violin.

In 1992, she picked up her Zeta electric violin for the first time. In 1994 she recorded her first pop album. The Violin Player album's ratings soared on the worldwide charts in more than 20 countries immediately after its release.

In 1996, she was nominated for the BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She is the first musician and classical musician to be nominated for this competition and was awarded the award by an overwhelming number of votes due to her popularity.

In 1997, Hong Kong honored Vanessa with an invitation to perform in Hong Kong at the Chinese Reunification Ceremony, she was the only non-local performer. As a finale to this performance, she releases the album China Girl, in honor of her Chinese roots.

In the next album Storm, she sings the same way.

In most of her performances she uses a Guadagnini violin, made in 1761 and bought at auction by her parents for £150,000.

In January 1995, Guadagnini was stolen, but in March of that year the police returned it to its owner.

Once the artist fell with her violin on the eve of one of her performances and broke it. After several weeks of painstaking work, the instrument was restored. Now the instrument is valued at 458 thousand dollars.

No less famous is her white Zeta Jazz Model electric violin, made in the USA. This instrument has almost a twin brother, with decorative elements depicting the stripes and stars of the American flag.

She periodically buys the remaining violins and later sells them at charity auctions.

Vanessa Mae (real name Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson (born October 27, 1978, Singapore) is a world-famous violinist and composer. Known mainly for her techno adaptations of classical compositions. Performance style : "violin techno-acoustic fusion" (techno-acoustic fusion). Brief biography Chinese on her mother and Thai on her father. When Vanessa was 4 years old, her parents divorced and her mother took her to live in the UK. After the move, her mother married an English man lawyer Graham Nicholson. She began studying music at the age of three, but then her main instrument was the piano. Later, her stepfather forced her to pick up the violin and accompany him. Vanessa's first performance was at the age of nine. She played with the Philharmonic Orchestra when she was ten. Vanessa was the youngest student...

The famous British violinist, talented composer, actress and athlete Vanessa May was born in the fall of 1978 in Singapore. Little Vanessa was only 4 years old when her mother Pamela Tan, a native of China, divorced the girl’s natural father, Thai Varaprong Vanakorn, and moved with her daughter to England, where she married London lawyer Graham Nicholson.

The childhood and youth of the famous violinist can hardly be called rosy and carefree. Vanessa Mae's musical biography began very early. The baby first sat down at the piano at the age of 3. At 5, her stepfather introduced her to the violin, but the piano remained a more important instrument for the girl for a long time.

The mother, obsessed with the desire to make her daughter famous and dreamed of Vanessa getting into the Guinness Book of Records, forced the girl to study music 4 hours a day. The only exception was her birthday. The woman never tired of reminding the little girl that her love for her was proportional to the success that her daughter achieved in music.

Later, the artist admitted in one of her interviews that it was quite cruel, but, nevertheless, the mother achieved her goal - to make her daughter famous throughout the world.

Starting at the age of 8, Vanessa Mae spent half the day at school and the other half rehearsing. At this age she became a laureate of the British Young Pianists Competition, and at 10 she was already giving concerts accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The girl turned out to be the youngest student at the Royal College of Music: she was barely 11 years old. But she stayed at the famous educational institution for only six months: May was no longer interested in learning playing techniques - she wanted to create herself.

Even then, the musician experimented with all her might with genres, trends and styles, boldly mixing academic performance with modern arrangements.

Music

At the age of 12, Vanessa Mae toured continuously. She hardly showed up at school. This suited my mother quite well: she demanded that her daughter devote herself entirely to music. At my mother’s insistence, communication with peers stopped. Pamela Tan controlled Vanessa's every step, not allowing her to do anything that would distract the young violinist from her work.

Pamela assigned a bodyguard to her daughter, who relentlessly followed her everywhere. The mother chose the girl's clothes and carefully controlled her bank accounts. There was no talk of any entertainment.

The 12-year-old artist recorded her debut disc in 1990, and 4 years later her first album, “The Violin Player,” was released, which brought the violinist incredible fame. It consists of adaptations of works by German composers.

The composition “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach, adapted by the young talent, was a particular success. The audience was shocked by Vanessa Mae's playing style, her specific vision of classical works and her amazing ability to combine acoustic sound with electric. Vanessa Mae herself called this experiment “techno-acoustic fusion.”

In 1996, the girl received a BRIT Awards nomination. She was named the best British performer.

The second album, entitled "China Girl", was released in 1997. Vanessa May dedicated it to Chinese classical music, paying tribute to her Eastern roots.

A year later, the violinist went on her first world tour, called “Storm On”.

Most often at her concert performances, Vanessa Mae uses the Guadagnini “Gizmo” violin, created by the famous master in 1761. In 1995, the instrument was stolen, but the police managed to return it to its owner. One day, on the eve of a concert, May smashed her famous violin to pieces. The restorers had to work for several weeks, and as a result, the rarity was restored. Amazingly, the violinist claims that after restoration the instrument sounds the same.

May also often uses a Zeta Jazz Model electric violin made in the USA. The instrument of this particular brand became the star’s first electric violin. Vanessa Mae often sells her instruments at auctions after concerts, donating the proceeds to charity.

In 1998, Vanessa decides to try her hand at a new role: she becomes an actress. May starred in several films and TV series, but unlike music, they did not bring her worldwide fame.

1999 was the year for Vanessa Mae of getting rid of too close maternal care. The girl decided to put an end to Pamela’s interference in her personal life and career: her daughter fired her mother from the position of her manager. Pamela Tan took this gesture extremely painfully. Since then, mother and daughter have not communicated.

Vanessa Mae’s relationship with her own father also did not work out. They met 10 years after their parents' divorce. As it turned out, dad reappeared in his daughter’s life only to ask for money.

In 2006, the artist topped the list of the wealthiest British musicians under 30 years old. Her net worth is estimated at approximately $70 million. Asteroid number 10313 is named after the famous violinist.

In total, the star gave her fans 17 discs, the last of which was released in 2007. It's called "Platinum Collection".

Russian fans of Vanessa May were incredibly happy when they heard about her concert, which will take place in Moscow in February 2017. It is known that the concert will take place in Crocus City Hall, one of the best halls in the capital.

Sport

A few years ago, Vanessa May moved from London to Switzerland. She chose this country because of her passion for skiing, in which she achieved some success.

In 2014, the world was pleasantly surprised by the news that Vanessa Mae would take part in the Sochi Olympics as a skier. Since the athlete had dual citizenship - Britain and Thailand - she could not compete for either of these countries. Britain fielded strong athletes, and Thailand demanded Vanessa May renounce her English citizenship. But at the last moment, as an exception, the country's authorities allowed the skier to participate in the Olympics.

Vanessa Mae performed at the Winter Games in Sochi under her father's last name - Vanakorn. She made a successful debut in the giant slalom discipline. She showed a rather weak result and was only able to finish 67th. But if we take into account that many participants, due to the difficult route, were not able to reach the finish line at all, then this result turned out to be acceptable.

Personal life

The girl was able to go on a date for the first time when she turned 20 years old. Previously, this was out of the question, because behind the daughter’s back the figures of the mother and the guard were constantly looming. Maybe that’s why Vanessa Mae’s personal life is still unsettled today. The artist herself says that she developed distrust in the institution of marriage due to her parental experience. After all, my mother also divorced her second husband, Briton Graham Nicholson.

It is noteworthy that it was with her stepfather and grandmother that Vanessa Mae developed a warm family relationship. The violinist still calls Nicholson dad today. She claims that he not only paid for her music lessons as a child, but also loved her and never interfered with her career.

The fact that a young man appeared next to the girl became known at the very end of the 1990s. The star met Lionel Catalan at a French ski resort. Lionel is the son of the mayor of Val d'Isere. At first, the guy didn’t even realize that the cute girl with an oriental appearance was the same Vanessa Mae. The couple lived in London for a long time. Lionel Catalan has a small business:

The Frenchman is engaged in winemaking.

Vanessa Mae claims that before meeting Lionel she was “terribly dependent.” Her mother protected her from the outside world, so the girl could not even buy a carton of milk. But her beloved man helped her adapt and overcome many difficulties.

We haven't heard anything about Vanessa Mae's marriage yet. In one of the interviews, she admitted that she did not seek an official relationship, because the stamp in her passport could not save her parents’ family. Therefore, Lionel is the common-law husband of the violinist. They do not have children, but the artist says that they may appear. And the main thing that she will not allow herself to do is put pressure on them and control their lives, as her mother used to do.

It is known that the star loves animals. Favorite dog breed is Shar Pei. She once dedicated her first work to a puppy of this breed named “Pasha”.

Three Tibetan terriers, a sharpei Gaspar and parrots live in the artist’s house.

Discography

1991 - My Favorite Things: Kids" Classics

19911992 - Tchaikovsky&Beethoven Violin Concertos

1994 - The Violin Player

1995 - The Violin Player: Japanese Releases

1996 - The Alternative Record from Vanessa-Mae

2000 - The Classical Collection: Part 1