Yuli Turovsky

Yuli Turovsky

Yuli Turovsky,. Cellist, conductor, teacher, born Moscow 7 Jun 1939, died Montreal 15 Jan 2013; naturalized Canadian 1980; diploma (Moscow Conservatory) 1962, Doctorate (Moscow Conservatory) 1969.

Background

He began studying cello at the age of seven. He first attended the Moscow Central Music 1946-57, then pursued his studies at the Moscow Conservatory with Galina Kozolupova 1957-69. In 1969 he won the USSR Cello Competition and the following year was awarded 2nd prize at the 22nd International 'Spring of Prague' Competition. During this period he was principal cello of the Moscow Chamber Orchestra under Rudolf Barshai and participated in many recordings for Melodya records. He taught at the Central Music School and was Galina Kozolupova's assistant at the Moscow Conservatory. He also conducted a chamber orchestra at the Gnesin College of Music in Moscow. He left the Soviet Union in 1976 and and settled in Montreal the next year.

Chamber Musician, Soloist, and Conductor

In 1976 he formed the Borodin Trio with Rotislav Dubinsky (violin), and Luba Edlina (piano) with whom he frequently toured in Europe, Canada and the USA, including performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and at Avery Fisher Hall in New York and at many festivals. He made numerous recordings for the Chandos label, and later for Analekta. In 1983 he founded I Musici de Montréal of which he was director until 2011. As a soloist, he played with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre métropolitain and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. With his wife, Eleonora, he was part of the Turovsky Duo which toured Europe. He taught at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal 1977-85 and at the University of Montreal beginning in 1981.

In 2011, Turovsky retired from the helm of I Musici de Montréal, passing the reigns to Jean-Marie Zeitouni. He continued to coach a new chamber orchestra, Nouvelle Génération, associated with the Université de Montréal. Turovsky was named a Knight in the ordre nationale du Québec in 2010, and Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011.

A Family of Musicians

Eleonora Turovsky (b Leonova), violinist, violist and teacher (born Moscow 23 Sep 1939, died Montréal 2 Mar 2012, naturalized Canadian 1980), also studied at the Central Music School of Moscow 1956-8 and subsequently at the Moscow Conservatory where she obtained a diploma in 1963 and a doctorate in 1966. She taught at the Ippolitov-Ivanov College of Music 1964-76 where she became head of the string dept in 1968. She was a member of the Moscow Conservatory Trio and of the Radio Chamber Orchestra. She was a member of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra 1978-90 and was principal violin of I Musici de Montréal from its founding until 2011. She occasionally performed with the Borodin Trio. She taught at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal and at Concordia University.

Their daughter Natasha, an artist and violinist, was a founding member of the I Musici orchestra.