Yuri Bashmet and the Moscow Soloists

We don't really feature instrumentalists as often as we should, but this one looks like an interesting thing to check out. Yuri Bashmet is one of the top star volists in the world (really one of the few violists who has attained the star-status that is more often granted to their violinist colleagues...). Accompanying him is his very own Moscow Soloists chamber orchestra, an ensemble that he has founded. Check out their accompanying press release:





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LEGENDARY VIOLIST YURI BASHMET TO PERFORM IN SINGAPORE WITH CELEBRATED MOSCOW SOLOISTS

Eminent Russian conductor and violist Yuri Bashmet will return to Singapore for a one-night performance at the Esplanade Concert Hall on Friday, 25th May, together with his award winning-ensemble, the Moscow Soloists.

The charismatic maestro will perform classics from Mozart, Paganini, Rossini, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. Audiences can expect an exquisite performance by Bashmet, who has been hailed as “the greatest viola player of the modern times” by The New York Times and “the world’s best living musician” by the British Times.

Bashmet has inspired many to write music for him, including famous Russian composers Alfred Schnittke and Sofia Gubaidulina. Other concertos composed for him include works by Poul Ruders, Alexander Tchaikovsky and Alexander Raskatov.

In 1992, he founded the Moscow Soloists, an ensemble he has performed with and directed on several world tours since inception. This celebrated chamber orchestra has been warmly received in Moscow, Amsterdam, Paris, Tokyo, New York, and the BBC Proms in London. As the only Russian Chamber Orchestra to have ever won a Grammy Award, the Moscow Soloists, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, will provide the perfect accompaniment to Bashmet’s showcase in Singapore.

The concert is part of a cultural exchange programme sponsored by Gazprom, the world’s largest gas company by asset base. The Asian tour includes performances in Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo. Proceeds from the Singapore performance will be donated to the Singapore Repertory Theatre’s (SRT) Student Education Fund, which will be channelled to offering children from underprivileged families the opportunity to attend SRT’s theatre productions, exposing them to cultural arts experiences that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to enjoy.

Tickets are now available from Sistic and are priced at $50, $80, $110, $115 and $200
(VIP box).

Date: Friday, 25th May 2012
Time: 1930 to 2120 hrs
Venue: The Esplanade Concert Hall

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Here's a video of Maestro Bashmet and orchestra in action. You can also check out this interesting interview that Bashmet has done with one Bruce Duffie. Also do visit bashmetinsingapore.com for more information on their Singapore concert. More ticketing information at the Events Page.

Yuri Bashmet and the Moscow Soloists' concert is sponsored by global energy company, Gazprom, and for more information, please visit http://bashmetinsingapore.com.