Yuri Bashmet teaches master class to young musicians in Tashkent 

October 21, 2013

Celebrated Russian violist and conductor Yuri Bashmet, described by music critics as “one of the world’s greatest living musicians”, taught a master class to a group of young musicians at Uspensky Music School in Tashkent. The musician, whose chamber ensemble, ‘The Moscow Soloists’, won a Grammy award, is set to play a concert on Tashkent as part of Style.Uz Art Week 2013 on October 23.
Bashmet’s master class with music school students helped them improve their skills in playing a music piece from a 1964 French musical, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg). The Russian conductor and viola virtuoso joked and laughed along with the students. Following the music master class, he was honored with presents: a golden-embroidered chapan and an Uzbek national cap, doppi. He also noted that he is planning to run collaborative projects with Uzbekistan.

Words of thanks and appreciation by teachers and the administration of Uspensky Music School followed the music master class. Then the orchestra played a valedictory music piece under the baton of prominent Uzbek conductor Botir Rasulov for Bashmet.
“This is the first time I have met Yuri Bashmet in person, and I can say this master class has been very very helpful, particularly for the young viola players, and has come as a great source of inspiration and encouragement for them to continue to hone their skills. We put a lot of effort into getting the orchestra ready for this event. There were many subtleties and the thorough preparations have ensured that the meeting with Mr.Bashmet go without a hitch and effortlessly,” an Uzbek conductor said.
“I see Yuri Bashmet for a second time. I first met him at a master class in Minsk. I would describe him as a charismatic individual with a radiant personality. Musicians are always thought of as people who are only interested in their vocation, but this is not always the case. And Mr Bashmet’s personality is testimony to that. He is such a multifaceted person that you could speak hours and hours with him,” gushed Nilufar Muhiddin, a music school student.

Yuri Bashmet is slated to perform a concert in Tashkent as part of Style.Uz Art Week. The string of this year’s Style.Uz concerts also includes two music projects – ‘The Lion King. The Return’ and Live Show ‘Kings of the Stage’ – by the recently established Lion King Music and Theater Studio.