Vladimir Spivakov is the art director and principal conductor of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Russia and the State Chamber Orchestra "Virtuosos of Moscow", and president of the Moscow International House of Music. He is the People's Artist of the USSR (1990), Winner of the USSR State Award  (1989) and the State Award of Russia (2012).

Vladimir Spivakov was born in the city of Chernikovsk of the Bashkir Soviet Socialist Republic on September 14, 1944. His mother was a pianist so it was in his early years that Vladimir felt the taste for music. At the age of six he started learning to play the violin. After the end of World War Two the boy and his family moved to Leningrad. There he attended music school under the conservatory. In the same period Vladimir practiced boxing and went to an art school.
He studied in the Moscow Conservatory from 1962 to 1967. In 1959 Vladimir Spivakov  won his first prize at an international contest, which took place in Canada. A year later he became the winner of Tchaikovsky Award.
Having passed two years of assistantship after graduation, Vladimir Spivakov was invited to play the violin in the Philharmonic Hall of Moscow. He successfully performed abroad as well. In 1978 he was awarded the title of the Honored Artist.
Later on Vladimir Spivakov played with the State Orchestra, and  from 1972 taught at the Musical Teacher Training Institute. As an acknowledged violinist, he toured across the USA. In 1979 he debuted as a conductor. Vladimir Spivakov's chamber orchestra "Virtuosos of Moscow" debuted in June, 1979. Its popularity increased more and more over time, especially in Europe and America. The number of concerts given by the orchestra reached five hundred in 1987 and a thousand in 1992.
In 1990 Vladimir Spivakov was awarded the title of the People's Artist of the USSR. In 1994 Vladimir Spivakov Foundation was established for charity. In 1999 he got the highest award – For Merits to the Fatherland. The same year he became the conductor of the Russian National Orchestra. The Moscow International Festival was founded on his initiative.
Vladimir Spivakov has been a success as a soloist with an orchestra, a soloist with the piano, and a conductor with an orchestra. Several CDs with his music are available. Vladimir Spivakov repeatedly was a jury member and headed the jury at international music competitions.
In 2003 he founded the National Philharmonic Orchestra and became the president of the Moscow International House of Music, which he had supported so much to be constructed.