Yuli Turovsky, cellist and conductor

An unusual destiny, a story to be told.
The life and work of Yuli Turovsky are interconnected by exceptional events.

Born in Moscow, Yuli Turovsky’s musical awakening began early on. By the age of 7, he was seriously invested in the study of the ‘cello. He enters the celebrated Tchaikovsky Conservatory where he has the honour to study with the celebrated Galina Kozulupova and in 1969 receives First Prize in the USSR ‘Cello Competition. The following year he is among the laureates of the 22nd Prague Spring International Competition. His studies completed, he begins the first of many tours around the world as a member of the celebrated Moscow Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Rudolph Barchai.

After immigrating to Canada and establishing himself in Montreal, Yuli Turovsky carries on his brilliant musical career as a soloist, as a member of the Turovsky Duo with his wife Eleonora and as a founding member of the Borodine Trio. Created in 1977, he remains with his trio until 1993.

The quality of his performances have made him an audience favourite. The symphony orchestras of Detroit, Montreal, Chicago, Athens, Jerusalem and Stockholm welcome him as a soloist and he continues to be a recording artist with companies such as Melodya, CBS, SRC and Chandos counting 81 CDs and phonographs to date. In 1983, Yuli Turovsky creates I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble of 15 strings with a repertoire that extends from the baroque to the contemporary. With over 100 concerts per year locally and throughout the world I Musici quickly becomes one of the most important orchestras in all of Canada.

In spite of his formidable schedule, Yuli Turovsky continues to teach at the Faculté de musique of l’Université de Montréal where he has formed a generation of cellists. 2002 marked the 25th anniversary of musical life for Yuli Turovsky in Canada. A quarter of a century of remarkable creativity that constitutes a special heritage and a unique source of inspiration.

"Electrifying cellist" The Chicago Tribune
"Turovsky, a man of high passion" The Gazette, Montreal
"He could make me happy just by playing scales !" The San Antonio Star