Through his virtuosity, strength of personality and high intelligence, Yuri Bashmet has given the viola a new prominence in musical life. Considered to be the world best viola player of the modern age, he has motivated the leading composers of our time such Shostakovich and Schnittke to write music specifically for him. Yuri Bashmet and Moscow Soloists celebration their 20th anniversary this year and will be performing in Toronto on May 3, 2012 as part of the North American Tour. 

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Q3ObkqrBjc 

Russia’s famous violist and conductor Yuri Bashmet has announced the creation of the All-Russia Junior Orchestra which will play at the opening of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia’s Black Sea resort city of Sochi. Prior to that, the orchestra will give some performances as part of the Olympics cultural program this autumn. 

The project has started already in the Russian Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk where Yuri Bashmet is holding his international musical festival (April 4-13). On the sidelines of the festival, Bashmet has been auditioning young musicians residing in the region aged 9-22 to choose the best of them for the future orchestra.

As a child, Bashmet was a frequent contest participant himself. He recollects many funny situations related with those times. This is how his very first contest took place…

"I was the only violist who arrived at the contest. The jury then decided to cancel the event due to the lack of participants, but my teacher Nina Vishnevskaya persuaded the jury to revise their decision, telling them that I had been rehearsing so much for the contest. It was decided that I would compete together with violinists. When it turned out that I got the highest mark, outstanding violinist Oleg Krysa, who was in the jury, said: “It is nonsense! Violist can`t win a violin competition!” So, they did not award anybody, and only gave presents to all six finalists." 

While working with young musicians, Bashmet tells them many funny episodes from his career, which cools down tension which is so common during contest. This is how it happened in Khabarovsk, when Bashmet was rehearsing with young musicians. “We decided to start our project in the Khabarovsk region because it is home to many gifted musicians, and I am sure that some of them will join my new orchestra.” Bashmet will be travelling across all Russian regions until October, looking for gifted musicians. His new orchestra’s debut is scheduled for November, in Moscow and Sochi. 

The International musical festival currently held by Yuri Bashmet in Khabarovsk attracts much public attention, which the conductor finds very inspiring. “I am concerned about the status of classical music in the regions. Flying from Moscow to Khabarovsk across seven time zones was not in vain. Our first forum in Khabarovsk last year lasted only for three days but the audience liked it so much that we decided to hold each every year. This time we will spend nine days there to give performances in two cities. I am very anxious about this trip, I like this region. When you fly from Moscow to Khabarovsk, you can`t stop thinking how large Russia is! One can hardly find a more responsive and cordial audience. Every musician will agree with me”, Bashmet said.