Yuri Bashmet

In March 2014 he signed a letter in support of the position of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin on Russia's military intervention in Ukraine.

According to a statement from the Lviv National Music Academy (LNMA) on 12 March 2014, Yuri Bashmet has been stripped of his title as honorary professor at the LNMA in response to his signing of an open letter in support of Russia's military intervention in Crimea, Ukraine, the country where he grew up.

Numerous modern composers have composed works especially for Yuri Bashmet or dedicated to him, including 50 viola concertos and other works: A. Schnittke – "Concerto", "Monologue"; S. Gubaidullina – "Concerto", E. Denisov -"Concerto", D. Tavener – "The Myth Bearer"; M. Pletnev – "Concerto", A. Golovin – "Sonata-breve". A. Raskatov – "Sonata"; V. Sharafyan - "Surgite Gloriae" viola concerto with duduk, descant, baritone and orchestra, G. Kancheli – "Liturgy " and "Styx"; A. Tchaikovsky – two "Concertos"; Barkauskas – "Concert", A. Eshpay – "Concert"; P. Ruders – "Concerto". A. Schnittke – "Concerto for three" (dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich, Yuri Bashmet, Gidon Kremer), and many others. Yuri Bashmet has transcribed the "String Trio" by A. Schnittke for string orchestra; this work was issued by "Sikorsky" (Vienna) under the name "Trio – Sonata". Particular works for which Bashmet is known include the Chaconne by J.S. Bach, Arpeggione Sonata by F. Schubert, Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola by W. A. Mozart, Viola Sonata by D. Shostakovich, and the Concerto for viola and orchestra by A. Schnittke.

Since 2006 Yuri Bashmet together with famous Belarusian pianist Rostislav Krimer has held the annual Yuri Bashmet International Music Festival in Minsk (Belarus), which has become one of the most prominent events in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

In 2000, the Russian Biographic Society granted Yuri Bashmet the honorary title "The Man of the Year", in 2001 – "Zealot of the Enlightenment". In 2003, Bashmet became the laureate of the "Olympus" National Award.

In 1999, by the Act of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of France, Yuri Bashmet was granted the rank of the Officer of Arts and Literature. In the same time the Prime Minister of Lithuania marked his invaluable impact to the Art by granting Bashmet the highest honor of the Republic of Lithuania. In 2000 the President of Italy granted him an honor "For Contribution to Motherland", and in 2002, the president of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin presented him the honor "For Contribution to Motherland", 3rd grade. In 2003, Yuri Bashmet was granted the rank of Commander of the French Légion d'honneur.

In 1995, he was awarded one of the most prestigious awards in the world, of the "Sonnings Musikfond" in Copenhagen. Previous recipients include Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Benjamin Britten, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, Arthur Rubinstein, Dmitri Shostakovich, Mstislav Rostropovich, Sviatoslav Richter, and Gidon Kremer.

In 1992, Bashmet reconstituted the orchestra featuring some of the most talented young musicians of Russia who are graduates and postgraduate students of the Moscow Conservatory. This orchestra performs in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and has toured extensively abroad. Its performances have been recorded for broadcast by major radio companies, including the BBC, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Radio France, and Radio Luxembourg. The orchestra has recorded several CDs, among these a recording of the Alfred Schnittke Triple Concerto (EMI Records), soloists: Gidon Kremer, Yuri Bashmet and Mstislav Rostropovich. Another CD, of the Thirteenth String Quartet by Shostakovich and the quintet by Brahms (Sony Classics), was acclaimed "Best Album of 1998" by The Strad magazine, and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In 1986, Yuri Bashmet founded the Moscow Soloists chamber orchestra. In 1991, when the orchestra was on tour in France, Bashmet, as Art Director, signed a temporary contract with the administration of the city of Montpellier. Afterwards the musicians of the orchestra decided to stay in France, a decision untenable for Bashmet himself, who was committed contractually to return to Russia. He consequently resigned his position with the orchestra, while inviting the musicians to return to Russia with him. Soon after that the orchestra disbanded, and its members have joined other ensembles abroad.

He started his conducting activity in 1985, consistent with his reputation as a bold contemporary artist not afraid of taking risks.

His artistry has won recognition in various awards and regalia in Russia and abroad. He has been granted the high titles of the Honorary Artist of RSFSR (1983), Honorary Artist of the USSR (1991), State Award of the USSR (1986), State Awards of the Russian Federation (1994 and 1996), Аward-1993 "Best Musical Instrument Performer of the Year" (a title comparable to the "Oscar" in cinema). Yuri Bashmet is an Honorary Academician of the London Academy of Arts.

Since 1978, Yuri Bashmet has taught students of the Moscow Conservatoire. In 1988 he attained the position of docent, and in 1996 he was made a professor. Since 1980, Bashmet has conducted master classes in Japan, Europe, USA, and Hong Kong. He teaches summer courses at the Accademia Chigiana (Siena, Italy) and at the academy of Tours (France). His students have won many of the international contests and now are performing in orchestras worldwide. In 1996, he created and headed the "Experimental Chair of Viola", where in addition to the works of solo viola repertoire, the curriculum includes extended studies of the viola parts in the chamber, operatic and symphonic music, as well as advanced study of the performance styles of the past and the present. Yuri Bashmet leads national education projects, as a presenter and art director of the TV programs The Station of Dream and Music in the Museums of the World.

When he was a student, Bashmet was granted the Second Award at the International Contest of Violists in Budapest (1975) and Grand Prix at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich (1976), attaining worldwide recognition.

In 1972, Bashmet purchased a 1758 viola made by Milanese luthier Paolo Testore, which he uses for his performances to date. In the late 1970s through to the early 1980s, Bashmet developed his career as a solo performer. He began his active concert activities in 1976, with a tour of Germany with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra founded by R. Barshay. He has performed in leading concert halls the world over: in Europe, USA, Canada, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. He was the first violist to perform a solo recital in such halls as the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, the Barbican in London, the Berlin Philharmonic, La Scala of Milan, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire, and the Great Hall of the Leningrad Philharmonic.

In 1971, he graduated from the Lviv secondary special music school. From 1971 till 1976, he studied at the Moscow Conservatory. His first viola teacher was Professor Vadim Borisovsky; after whose death in 1972 was succeeded by Professor Fyodor Druzhinin. Druzhinin was also the tutor of Yuri Bashmet for the probation period and for his postgraduate study at the Moscow Conservatory (1976–78).

Yuri Abramovich Bashmet (Russian: Юрий Абрамович Башмет ; born 24 January 1953) is a Russian conductor, violinist, and violist.

Yuri Bashmet was born on 24 January 1953 in Rostov-on-Don in the family of Abram Borisovich Bashmet and Maya Zinovyeva Bashmet (née Krichever). His paternal grandmother, Tsilya Efimovna, studied singing at the conservatory for two years in her youth. His maternal grandmother, Darya Axentyevna, interpreted native Hutsul songs.