Yuri Abramovich Bashmet |

Yuri Bashmet

Among the incredible number of creative achievements of Yuri Bashmet, one certainly requires italics: it was Maestro Bashmet who turned the modest viola into a brilliant solo instrument.

He performed on the viola everything that was possible, and what seemed impossible. Moreover, his work has expanded the composer’s horizons: more than 50 viola concertos and other works have been written or dedicated to him by modern composers especially for Yuri Bashmet.

For the first time in world performing practice, Yuri Bashmet gave solo viola concerts in such halls as Carnegie Hall (New York), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Barbican (London), Berlin Philharmonic, La Scala Theater (Milan) , Theater on the Champs Elysees (Paris), Konzerthaus (Berlin), Hercules (Munich), Boston Symphony Hall, Suntory Hall (Tokyo), Osaka Symphony Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall”, “Gulbenkian Center” (Lisbon), the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and the Great Hall of the Leningrad Philharmonic.

He has collaborated with many outstanding conductors such as Rafael Kubelik, Mstislav Rostropovich, Seiji Ozawa, Valery Gergiev, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Sir Colin Davis, John Elliot Gardiner, Yehudi Menuhin, Charles Duthoit, Nevil Marriner, Paul Sacher, Michael Tilson Thomas, Kurt Mazur, Bernard Haitink, Kent Nagano, Sir Simon Rattle, Yuri Temirkanov, Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

In 1985, starting his career as a conductor, Yuri Bashmet remained true to himself in this area of ​​musical creativity, confirming the reputation of a bold, sharp and very modern artist. Since 1992, the musician has been directing the chamber ensemble “Moscow Soloists” organized by him. Yuri Bashmet is the artistic director and chief conductor of the New Russia State Symphony Orchestra.

Yuri Bashmet is the founder and chairman of the jury of Russia’s first and only International Viola Competition in Moscow.

As a soloist and conductor, Yuri Bashmet performs with the best symphony orchestras in the world, such as the Berlin, Vienna and New York Philharmonic Orchestras; Berlin, Chicago and Boston Symphony Orchestras, San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, French Radio Orchestra and Orchestra de Paris.

The art of Yuri Bashmet is constantly in the center of attention of the world musical community. His work has been marked by numerous awards at home and abroad. He was awarded the following honorary titles: Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1983), People’s Artist of the USSR (1991), laureate of the USSR State Prize (1986), State Prizes of Russia (1994, 1996, 2001), Award-1993 (Best Musician- instrumentalist of the year). In the field of music, this title is akin to the cinematic “Oscar”. Yuri Bashmet – Honorary Academician of the London Academy of Arts.

In 1995, he was awarded one of the most prestigious Sonnings Musikfond awards in the world, awarded in Copenhagen. Earlier this prize was awarded to Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Benjamin Britten, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, Arthur Rubinstein, Dmitri Shostakovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, Svyatoslav Richter, Gidon Kremer.

In 1999, by decree of the Minister of Culture of the French Republic, Yuri Bashmet was awarded the title of “Officer of Arts and Literature.” In the same year he was awarded the highest order of the Republic of Lithuania, in 2000 the President of Italy awarded him the Order of Merit for the Italian Republic (commander degree), and in 2002 Russian President Vladimir Putin presented him with the Order of Merit for the Fatherland III degree. In 3, Yuri Bashmet was awarded the title of Commander of the Legion of Honor of France.

The Yuri Bashmet International Charitable Foundation established the unique Dmitri Shostakovich International Prize. Among its laureates are Valery Gergiev, Viktor Tretyakov, Evgeny Kissin, Maxim Vengerov, Thomas Quasthoff, Olga Borodina, Yefim Bronfman, Denis Matsuev.

Since 1978, Yuri Bashmet has been teaching at the Moscow Conservatory: at first he held the position of associate professor, and now he is a professor and head of the department of the Moscow Conservatory.

According to the press service of the Russian Concert Agency Photo: Oleg Nachinkin (yuribashmet.com)