27 February 2026 19:30 |
• Honoured Artist of Russia (2008)
Yuri Afonkin was born in Leningrad in 1978. In 2002 he graduated from the St Petersburg Conservatory (class of Vladimir Stopichev). From 1996 to 1999 he was Principal Viola with the St Petersburg Academic Glinka Capella Orchestra. Since 1999 he has been member of the Mariinsky Orchestra and since 2000 Principal Viola there.
In 2018–2020 he was guest soloist of the Munich Philharmonic and since 2003 has been member of the World Orchestra for Peace.
At the Mariinsky he plays recitals and chamber concerts, performs orchestra solos in the operas and ballets as well as in symphonic concerts, participating at the concert tours of the theatre.
He appeared as soloist with the Mariinsky Orchestra, Glinka Cappella Orchestra, Russian State Academic Symphony Orchestra “Evgeny Svetlanov”, Munich Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, collaborated with the conductors including Valery Gergiev, Christian Knapp, Nikolaj Znajder, Alexander Tchernushenko. He plays chamber music with Rudolph Buchbinder, Wilfried Strehle, Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici, Sofia Kiprskaya.
He played at the Carnegie Hall, Philharmonie Gasteig München, in France, Finland, Brazil, at the St Petersburg Philharmonia, Zaryadye Hall in Moscow and other concert venues. Among festivals he participated in: the Stars of the White Nights Festival (St Petersburg), Moscow Easter Festival, Russia. Music. Siberia and Trans-Siberian Art-Festival (Novosibirsk), Mikkeli Festival (Finland) and other.
His vaste repertoire embraces solo works from the 17th century to the contemporary music, including Hector Berlioz’s Harold en Italie. In 2017 Afonkin was the first to perform Rodion Shchedrin’s Concerto dolce in St Petersburg.
Yuri Afonkin gives master classes at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music (Moscow), Manhattan School of Music (New York) and other schools.
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