Yuri Zhislin

Described by The Strad as a “virtuoso with a truly Romantic temperament”, equally at home on both violin and viola, London–based Zhislin enjoys an active and illustrious career as soloist and chamber musician. His performances have taken him to over 60 countries around the globe.

The orchestras that Yuri performed with as a soloist include the Oxford Philharmonic, BBC Concert Orchestra (with regular live broadcasts and recordings on BBC Radio 2), London Mozart Players, Lithuanian Chamber and State Symphony Orchestras, Queensland Symphony, Yerevan Philharmonic, Belgrade Philharmonic, Russian State Chamber Orchestra, Novosibirsk Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, Madeira Classical Orchestra, Santiago de Chile Symphony and Altay Philharmonic, to name a few.

Born in Moscow in 1974 into a family of a renowned Russian violinist Grigori Zhislin, Yuri began playing the violin at the age of six. From his early years, Yuri took part in concerts, both in Russia and abroad, performing as a soloist with orchestras, recorded for Moscow Radio and appeared on national radio and television.

In 1989, won the Balis Dvarionas International Competition for Young Musicians in Lithuania. A major prize-winner in the 1991 Sarasate International Violin Competition in Spain, Yuri entered the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied with his father, Grigory Zhislin and subsequently with Dr. Felix Andrievsky.

Zhislin won major college prizes, including the prize for Outstanding String Player of the Year, and gained his ARCM Diploma with Honours. He has represented the College in several European cities, including Madrid, Helsinki, Oslo and Brussels. In 1993, Yuri won the BBC Radio 2 Young Musician of the Year.

He appeared as a soloist and director of the Russian Virtuosi of Europe at major concert venues around the globe, including Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Kings Place in London, Salle Gaveau in Paris, Stadtscasino in Basel, Kolarac in Belgrade, The Grand and Chamber halls of the Moscow Conservatoire, Moscow Philharmonic Chamber Hall, St Petersburg’s President Library, Novosibirsk Arnold Kats Symphony Hall, Vladivostok Philharmonic hall, Brisbane’s QPAC and Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires among many others.

Yuri’s discography includes a debut recital CD released in 2005 for the SOMM label with an outstanding Greek pianist George Lazaridis to great critical acclaim, a violin/viola Duos CD for the Naxos label with Natalia Lomeiko on violin, which received rave reviews in the media, and a string trio CD for the Nymbus Alliance label featuring an arrangement of the J.S. Bach’s 15 Sinfonias and Goldberg Variations, with Dmitry Sitkovetsky on violin and Luigi Piovano on cello.

A keen chamber musician, Yuri is regularly invited to participate in international music festivals throughout the world. He is a frequent guest at the March Music Days in Rousse, Bulgaria, Night Serenades Festival in Batumi, Georgia and Burton and Bradstock International Music Festival in England. Yuri took part in Lincoln International Music Festival, Pharos Foundation Festival in Cyprus, Bath International Music Festival, Seattle International Music Festival, Dubrovnik Chamber Music Festival, Cadaques Festival and Asturias Festivities (Spain), Southwark and Canterbury Festivals, Cheltenham Festival, Chichester Festivities and IMS Prussia Cove, among other.

Yuri has worked with such artists as Maria-Joao Pires, Barry Douglas, Natalie Clein, Sergei Nakariakov, Liana Isakadze and Ivan Monighetti among many other renowned musicians.

In August 2000, Yuri co- founded and became the Artistic Director of the Evaristo Valle International Chamber Music Festival in Gijon (Spain). In 2004, Yuri formed the Russian Virtuosi of Europe, an ensemble comprising musicians with an enviable list of international awards and prizes including the Paganini, Michael Hill, Brahms, Lipitzer and Queen Elisabeth International Violin competitions. The ensemble recently completed successful tours to both South America and Russia.

Yuri’s interests include non-classical music and collaboration with various pop-music artists. He has performed at the Nick Cave’s Meltdown Festival and recorded with such distinguished jazz musicians as Guy Barker, Clark Tracey and Tommy Smith. Yuri is a professor of violin and viola at Royal College of Music in London and is in high demand as a visiting professor at Narni Mozart Academy in Italy, Leon Clases Magistrales in Spain and Gijon Summer Academy. He also gave master classes in Russia, Bulgaria, Sweden, Madeira, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.