Charleston Academy of Music

Yuriy Bekker
Concertmaster of the Charleston Symphony, Yuriy Bekker, is a native of Minsk, Belarus, and now, a U.S. citizen. He has played with the Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera and Ballet Orchestras, and the Louisville Orchestra. He has collaborated with Herbert Greenberg, Claudio Bohorquez, Alexander Kerr, Sara Chang, and Gil Shaham in both chamber concerts and symphonic settings. Engagements at the Kennedy Center include performances with the Indiana String Quartet and with the Degas String Quartet for the Chicago Chamber Music Society. Recent appearances include recitals in New York City, Chicago, Miami, Florida, Asheville, North Carolina, Flagstaff, Arizona, and Graz, Austria as well as numerous engagements as a soloist with the Charleston Symphony. 
	
    His recent performance of the Korngold Violin Concerto led to critical acclaim: 
	"Bekker's sweet and singing tone never stopped soaring dreamily over his colleagues' lush palette of supporting sound. Bravo Bekker!" - Charleston City Paper
	
    Mr. Bekker performs regularly for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival at which his solo appearances have created a sensation:
	"This man [Bekker] was born to play the fiddle. Plump, smooth tone, uncanny control, stiletto sharp intonation, musicality and passion to burn. He's got it all, and then some." - Charleston City Paper
	"The 'dream team' of violinist Yuriy Bekker and pianist Andrew Armstrong wowed a full house at Sunday's Spotlight Concert Series." - The Post and Courier
	
    Most recently Mr. Bekker was the concertmaster and a faculty member at the AIMS Festival in Graz, Austria. He has played in music festivals worldwide including the European Music Festival Stuttgart (Germany), the Pacific Music Festival (Japan), Spoleto USA, and others in the Netherlands and Switzerland. In addition, he is on the faculties of the College of Charleston School of the Arts and Charleston Academy. He has been a frequent guest concertmaster and soloist with various orchestras in the New York City and Baltimore areas.
	
    He earned a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory where he was concertmaster of the Peabody Symphony under the tutelage of Herbert Greenberg. His Bachelors' and Masters' Degrees were acquired from Indiana University's School of Music. There he studied violin with Nelli Shkolnikova and Ilya Kaler, and chamber music with Atar Arad, Emile Naomoff, and Janos Starker.
	
    Along with his position as concertmaster, engagements for the 2008-2009 season include a solo appearance with the Charleston Symphony playing Piazzola's "Four Seasons of Buenos Aires" and chamber music collaborations with various ensembles in the U.S. and abroad.