Yuri Bashmet is a famous violist, an outstanding Russian art worker. He is called the Russian Paganini or "the devil with the viola."
Childhood
Yuri Bashmet was born on January 24, 1953 in the city of Rostov-on-Don. His father, Abram Bashmet, was an engineer, and his mother, Maya Krichever, worked as a philologist. Yuri Bashmet had an older brother, who later also became a musician.
At the age of five, Yura moved with his family to Lviv, the cultural capital of Ukraine. Mom took little Bashmet to a music school, and Yura realized early enough that music would take most of his life. Although the guy was constantly attracted by football and yard games, he played the violin with pleasure.
Education
In the fourth grade, Yuri Bashmet, as a talented boy, was transferred to the Lviv ten-year music school. But there were already enough violinists at school, so Bashmet was admitted to the viola class. This is how the future great violinist became a violist.
In 1971, Yuri Bashmet entered the Moscow Conservatory, graduated brilliantly, and also trained for two more years with Professor Druzhinin.
guitar player
In addition to the viola, Yuri Bashmet was very interested in the guitar. He mastered this instrument at a high enough level, which allowed him to become a favorite of all youth parties. Bashmet played the guitar in a rock band, which his parents did not like very much, especially his father. But later this work helped Yuri a lot in his professional activities.
Yuri Bashmet and his instrument
Bashmet bought his first violin at the age of five. It was the cheapest violin, costing about ten rubles.
As he grew up, Yuri had several different instruments until, in his first year at the Conservatory, he got the viola of the Italian master Paolo Testore. This instrument was worth fabulous money at the time, about a third of the cost of a car. His father and grandfather helped Bashmet to buy such an expensive thing, but nevertheless he saved the main amount from the money that he earned in a rock group.
Creation
After graduating from the Conservatory, Yuri Bashmet is actively involved in concert activities. The entire alto repertoire in his talented hands sounds great. Bashmet was a soloist of the Moscow Philharmonic, performed in the best concert halls in the world, for the first time among violists he played a recital at La Scala.
Yuri Bashmet has been teaching since 1976, and in 2002 he created and still directs the New Russia Symphony Orchestra.
Personal life
Yuri Bashmet is married. He met his wife in his first year at the conservatory and for a long time sought her favor. His wife's name is Natalya, she is from Ukraine. Yuri's parents warmly welcomed his young wife and played a luxurious wedding according to Jewish customs. However, there was also a wedding according to Ukrainian customs - in Natalia's homeland in the city of Sumy. In the marriage, the Bashmetov couple had two children - daughter Ksenia, who also became a musician, and son Alexander, who chose a profession not related to music.
