Yuri Yankelevich

Yuri Yankelevich (Russian: Юрий Исаевич Янкелевич) (March 7, 1909 – September 22, 1973)^[1] was an eminent Soviet violin teacher who nurtured many generations of Russian virtuosos during his tenure at the Moscow Conservatory.

Life and career

Yuri Yankelevich was born in Basel, Switzerland. His father was the renown lawyer Isay Leontyevich Yankelevich, one of the founders of the Omsk Philharmonic Society. In Omsk, young Yuri studied with a student of Leopold Auer, Anisim Berlin,^[2] the grandfather of Natalia Gutman. In 1923 he entered the Leningrad Conservatory in the class of I. R. Nalbandian (he being too a student of Leopold Auer). Alexander Glazunov commented his graduation by saying that "a career as virtuoso violinist would certainly be his calling". In 1932 he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory under professor Yampolsky, and finished his doctorate degree in 1937. Between 1930 and 1937 he was assistant concertmaster violinist of the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra and afterwards concentrated primarily on pedagogical activities. Since 1934 he taught at the Moscow Conservatory Central Special Music School, the Moscow Conservatory Music College, and at the Conservatory itself (at first as Yampolsky's assistant, and later heading his own studio and becoming the head of the violin department). He also seriously concentrated on the theory of violin playing, creating a series of methodological publications. Professor Yankelevich died in Moscow.

Notable students