Viktor Vilshau

Vilshau, Viktor (April 17 [29], 1870, Moscow – April 11, 1937, Tbilisi), violinist, teacher. He was ethnically German.

In 1886, he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory. He subsequently traveled to Germany for advanced mastery. He initially studied with H. Petri, and later with J. Joachim.

He worked as a teacher at Tambov Music School, and in 1898, at the First Tbilisi Music School. Here, he established a strong violin school. During his years of activity, the number of students learning violin at the school significantly increased. He sent the best violin players to the conservatories of Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

He also engaged in concert activities, performing as a member of string ensembles (quartets, quintets, trios). He actively participated in charity evenings organized by Georgian society.

In 1917, Tbilisi Conservatory was created on the basis of the music school; in the same year, the school's artistic council elected Vilshau as a professor of the Conservatory. Among his pupils was the first Georgian female violinist.

T. Dzneladze