Boris Garlitsky

“Boris Garlitsky is an extremely lively musician of high intelligence and flexibility, with a wonderfully round tone and solid reliable technique … Concert Master of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Mr. Garlitsky measures up to every Concert Master of the world’s top orchestras, such as New York, Vienna, Berlin etc., and can play an outstanding role in all leading international orchestras.”

These are the words of Kurt Masur, one of the greatest conductors of the 20^th century, with whom Boris Garlitsky worked together throughout many years. And still, Mr. Masur’s words grasp but a part of Boris Garlitsky’s musical richness.

In 1982, Boris Garlitsky won the Italian Paganini Competition and began his career as a soloist. Since then, he has played, among others, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Radio Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia (with Ignat Solzhenitsyn conducting) as well as the Milan based Giuseppe Verdi Orchestra and the British Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. His interpretations of Shostakovich’s violin concerto with the Orchestre National de Lyon were praised in the press. “Il fout tout l’art de Boris Garlitsky, digne du créateur de l’oeuvre, David Oistrakh, pour l’imposer intensité et une force de persuasion irrésistible“, the Lyon Figaro commented.

Mr. Garlitsky is an active participator in several international music festivals. He regularly takes part in the Pablo Casals Festival in France, Mostly Mozart in New York, the London Proms, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival and Gidon Kremer’s Chamber Music Festival at Lockenhaus in Austria. Also, Mr Garlitsky performs for the BBC, Radio France as well as a number of radio stations in Italy, Russia and the United States. He has recorded for RCA, Naxos, Chandos and Polymnie.

“Boris Garlitsky was a worthy partner of Anne-Sophie Mutter in Bach’s double concerto, performed together with the London Philharmonic… Let us concentrate on the gigantic chaconne from the partita in d minor for violin solo: Mr. Garlitsky’s interpretation as such made this a concert of outstanding class. Highly differentiated and uniquely colourful in play, Mr. Garlitsky’s brilliant intellectual understanding of the piece and expressive characterisation of the individual variations reflected the authenticity and individual depth of the artist’s Bach interpretation” (Dr. Karl Georg Berg).

Garlitsky is an outstanding chamber musician and member of the Hermitage String Trio (Boris Garlitsky, Alexander Zemtsov and Leonid Gorokhov), praised right and left in critical reviews: “… undoubtedly one of finest of its type, with discipline and musicianship second to none”(www.classicalsource.com); “true brilliance! This ensemble will do much to put more string trio repertoire on the musical map” (Strad); “with virtuosic elegance and, above all, affection” (Hexham and District Music Society); “Sous les trios archets est née cette douce exaltation de la musique de chambre qui ignore les emportements monumentaux de la musique symphonique mais exprime des choses intimes et profondes qui vous vont doit au coeur et vous portent au réve. Jusqu’alors l’Hermitage était connu comme hotel ou comme musée. En tant que trio, il appartient aussi à la catégorie luxe”. (Nice Matin).

Mr. Garlitsky’s repertoire is amazingly rich. Among his partners are Pinchas Zuckerman, Gidon Kremer, Marta Argerich, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Vadim Repin, Truls Mork, Maria-Joao Pires. Last but not least, Mr. Garlitsky is so popular among his colleagues due to his amiable character.  “Le charisma de Bois Garlitsky est flagrant, patent. Et il peut l’étre! Un premier violon d’une telle présence et prestance est une bénédiction pour n’importe qeulle formation ”. (La Montagne).

Born in Russia, Mr. Garlitsky received his first music lessons from his father, the author of the standard textbook for young violinists Step by Step. He studied with Profesor Yankelevich at the Moscow Conservatory, and afterwards worked as the Concertmaster for the Moscow Virtuosi and the London Symphony Orchestra, the Covent Garden Opera, the Vienna ORF Orchestra, the Hamburg Philharmonic and many more.

Today, Mr. Garlitsky devotes a large amount of his time to education. He holds a chair at two outstanding music Institutes, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris and the Hamburg Hochschule. In addition, Mr. Garlitsky offers master classes on a yearly basis. In February 2012, Mr. Garlitsky will be giving classes at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and the Peabody in Baltimore.

“He is also very successful as a teacher and his instruction would be an enrichment for any musical institution, be it orchestra or music academy. His knowledge, his energy, his honesty and his ability to connect with people and create harmony are in my opinion the quintessence of why he can serve as a role model and ‘leading light’ for the young generation.” (Kurt Masur)