Yuri Bashmet and The All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra

The All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of maestro Yuri Bashmet, was founded in 2012. The orchestra initially included 79 young musicians aged 9 to 21 from 28 cities of Russia.
The orchestra was formed based on the unique by its idea and scale nationwide classical music competition and has no analogues in Russian history.
The qualifying rounds of the national classical music competition were held for seven months in all the federal districts of Russia. Yuri Bashmet participated personally in 8 of these regional qualifying rounds. For its entire existence, this competition has attracted over 500 pupils from children’s music schools, children’s art schools and music academies. The finalists received a unique opportunity to participate in master classes conducted by leading musicians and to perform with them at the debut concert of the orchestra.
The All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra held their first concerts on 28 and 29 November 2012 in Sochi. They were met with huge interest from both the public and the media.
The incredible success and attention to the first performance of the Orchestra prompted the idea and need to continue the project, which plays a huge role in drawing attention to children’s music education and cultural environment in our country, and the incredible need by both the children and their teachers to acquire new experience in the field of professional music education.
Selection of the second group of the orchestra was held in 2013. The contest began in the Far East in April, with a qualifying round in Khabarovsk, after which qualifying rounds and auditions were held for some months throughout Russia.
In late October, the orchestra gathered for a rehearsal session in Moscow and for the first time went for a concert tour with concerts in several cities of Russia. Concerts under the first Russian tour took place in Moscow at the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, in Nizhny Novgorod, Perm and in Yekaterinburg.
In February 2014, the All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra took part in the closing ceremony of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. It is necessary to note that the Orchestra became the only symphony orchestra to perform at the Fisht Olympic Stadium for all the 4 ceremonies of the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi.
The All-Russian Youth Symphony Orchestra went on their first international tour in June 2015. They held concerts in Brussels, Geneva, and their final concert at the legendary Berliner Philharmonie concert hall in Berlin.