Yuri Yankelevich


Yuri Isayevich Yankelevich was a Soviet violin pedagogue who taught many internationally known virtuosos during his long tenure at the Moscow Conservatory.

Life and career

Yuri Yankelevich was born in Basel, Switzerland. His father, Isay Leontyevich Yankelevich, a prominent lawyer, was one of the founders of the Omsk Philharmonic Society. In Omsk, young Yuri studied with Leopold Auer's student, Anisim Berlin, a grandfather of Natalia Gutman. In 1923, he entered Leningrad Conservatory, the class of Hovhaness Nalbandian. On Yankelevich's graduation composer Alexander Glazunov commented: "a career of a virtuoso violinist would certainly be his calling". In 1932, he graduated from the Moscow Conservatory under professor Abram Yampolsky, and finished his doctorate degree in 1937. Between 1930 and 1937, he was an assistant concertmaster in the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, and afterwards concentrated primarily on pedagogical activities. Since 1934, he taught at the Moscow Conservatory School, the Moscow Conservatory College, and at the Moscow Conservatory senior division. He was also devoted to the theory of violin playing, creating a series of methodological publications. Yankelevich died in Moscow.

Notable students