6 July 2010

Indisputably the world's greatest living violist, YURI BASHMET has one simple ambition, to continue producing world class performances on the concert platform and in the record studio. His commitment to music and musicians is phenomenal, not only as a soloist, but also as a chamber player, as a conductor of one of his two orchestras, and as a teacher in Moscow, Siena and at the Kronberg International Academy. In some sense the viola achieved solo status in the 20th century and Bashmet has championed the concerto works of Bartуk, Walton and Hindemith, as well as solo works such as Shostakovich's last composition, his Viola Sonata.

Bashmet has inspired a number of contemporary works which have laid the foundation of the solo viola repertoire for the new millennium, by composers such as Alfred Schnittke, Sofia Gubaidulina, Giya Kancheli, Alexander Raskatov. In addition to his solo work, Bashmet has toured the world with his own chamber orchestra, the MOSCOW SOLOISTS.

This orchestra has a very specific sound, with a unique colour. As in the zeal with which Bashmet encourages a new repertoire for viola in his solo career, he is keen to expand the repertoire for string orchestra, not only with new music, but also by rediscovering old works. The orchestra enjoys a rewarding collaboration with record label Onyx - their first disc featuring music by Shostakovich, Sviridov and Vainberg was greeted with acclaim.

Their second disc with music by Stravinsky and Prokofiev won Grammi Award 2008. The orchestra maintains an extremely busy concert and touring schedule all over the world. KSENIA BASHMET graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory where she studied with professor Lev Naumov, than she continued with postgraduate studies there, studying chamber music and accompaniment. She was awarded the 3rd prize on the First Taneyev International Chamber Music Competition, Kaluga, 2002 and 2nd prize in the International Chamber Music Competition, Caltanissetta 2003.

Ksenia is a laureate of a youth award Triumph, 2004 and she has also taken part in the following international festivals: Verbier, Switzerland 1999, Tanglewood, USA 1999, Elba Island, Italy 1997-2003, December Evenings, Moscow 1999, Ars Longa, Moscow, 2002-2004. She has performed as a soloist throughout Europe, the USA, Japan, Israel, at venues such as New Tokyo Opera City Hall, the Vienna - Musikverein, Beethoven Halle and the Great Hall of Moscow State Conservatory.

KRISTÓF BARÁTI spent a large part of his childhood in Venezuela. Later he studied at the Liszt Music Academy in Budapest. Ida Handel, Yehudi Menuhin, Salvatore Accardo, Ruggiero Ricci were among his professors. He is prize-winner of the competitions Queen Elisabeth, Brussels - 3rd prize and audience prize (1997), Jacques Thibaud, Paris - 2nd prize1996, Rodolfo Lipizer, Gorizia - 1st prize, 1995.

He took part in the festivals Gstaad Sommets Musicaux, Elba Musical Festival (Best performer award), Berliner Festspiele, Santander Music Festival. He has performed under the baton of Vladimir Spivakov, Yuri Bashmet, Kurt Masur, Zoltán Kocsis, Iván Fischer, Yuri Temirkanoff, with the orchestras Berlin Rundfunkorchester, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, NDR Philharmonic Orchestra, Hannover, Russian National Orchestra, New Moscow Orchestra and all Hungarian orchestras in venues such as Concertgebouw - Amsterdam, Berliner Philharmonie, Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, Berlin Konzerthaus, Suntory Hall - Tokyo.