Nikolaj Znaider is a Danish-Israeli classical violinist and conductor. In June 1992 at the age of 16 he won the first prize of the 4th International Carl Nielsen Violin Competition, and in 1997 he received one of the most respected and recognized prizes in the violin world: the Queen Elizabeth Competition in Brussels. He went on to study with the pedagogue Dorothy Delay at Juilliard School of Music.
Znaider has also taken up conducting - in October 2010 he began his tenure as conductor of the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra - and has also recorded chamber music with such musicians as Daniel Barenboim and cellist Kyril Zlotnikov.
Znaider is passionate about the education of musical talent and is Founder and Artistic Director of the Nordic Music Academy, an annual summer school whose vision is to create conscious and focused musical development based on quality and commitment.
