Youth Symphony Orchestra of Russia

The Youth Symphony Orchestra of Russia was established in 2012. From the beginning, the orchestra included 90 young musicians from 10 to 22 years old from 40 Russian cities. The orchestra was created through an all-Russian competition of classical music performers, unique in its idea and scale, without analogy in Russian history. Thus far, the Orchestra has produced a huge number of professional musicians who constantly renew and preserve the cultural traditions of Russia. In February 2014, the Orchestra enjoyed the great honour of being the only symphonic orchestra to perform at the Fisht Olympic Stadium for all four ceremonies of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi. http://ysor.ru/

---

Yuri Bashmet

Conductor

Described by The Times as ‘without doubt, one of the world’s greatest living musicians’, Yuri Bashmet brings an enquiring and perceptive mind to life beyond classical music. A pre-eminent viola player of the modern age, he has motivated the leading composers of our time to expand the repertoire with significant new music. He is Artistic Director of the December Nights Festival, Moscow, Principal Conductor of the Novaya Rossiya State Symphony Orchestra, and is the founder/director of Moscow Soloists. He also appears throughout the world in the dual role of conductor/soloist. http://www.bashmet-festival.com/

---

Tatiana Samouil

Soloist, Violin

Tatiana Samouil is in constant demand as a soloist, recording artist, chamber musician and pedagogue. She has won prizes at seven of the most prestigious international violin competitions, most notably the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow (2002), the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels (2001), the Michael Hill International Competition in New Zealand (2001) and the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in Helsinki (2000). She has also released nearly 20 CDs. Her recording of works by Eugène Ysaÿe with the Liège Philharmonic under the baton of Jean-Jacques Kantorow was accorded the Diapason d'Or, the highest award of the French Music Magazine Diapason. http://www.tatianasamouil.com/

---

Chloe Chua

Soloist, Violin

Chloe Chua, an 11-year-old violinist from Singapore is a shining star especially after her winning of the 1st Prize in the Junior Division of the Menuhin Competition held in Geneva in 2018. She was selected through audition and admitted into the Gifted Young Violinists course at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), School of Young Talents (SYT) when she was 4 years old. Since 2012, she has been under the tutelage of SYT String Programme Leader Mr Yin Ke. With her talents and hard work, she was awarded opportunities to participate in masterclasses and music festivals such as the New Virtuosi Queenswoods Mastercourse held in UK, and also Singapore Violin Festivals. She has also achieved outstanding results in other competitions, both locally and internationally. These awards mainly include: Singapore Biennial National Piano and Violin Competition Junior Category 3rd Prize (2015), Thailand 4th International Strings Competition, Junior Category Grand Winner (2016) and the Junior Category 1st Prize in the 24th Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition, held in Italy 2017, 2nd Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians Violin Group A 3rd Prize (2017), Singapore Biennial National Piano and Violin Competition Junior Category 1st Prize (2017). Chloe aims to be a soloist performing on the international stage in the future.