Julia Igonina Violin   

Julia Igonina was born in Belarus, and began her musical training at the age 6. In 1984 she entered the Glinka Music College in Minsk, studying violin with Professor Vyacheslav Khavkin - with whom she had been working with privately. In 1997, she moved to Moscow and entered the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where she studied with Professor Eduard Grach - who is likewise featured here at the Classical Archives. Beyond her work at the Conservatory, Julia has attended Master Classes with such esteemed violinists as Shlomo Mintz.

Among the many awards won by Julia thus far include 1st Prize at the Sion-Valais International Violin Competition (Switzerland, 2002); 1st Prize at the Novosibirsk International Violin Competition "Zakhar Bron" (1998); 1st Prize at the Yampolsky International Violin Competition (Russia, 1999); and awards at the Aleksandr Tansman International Competition (Lodz, Poland, 2000) and the Valsesia Musica International Violin Competition (Varallo, Italy, 2005)

Her career as a soloist began at age 14 with the Belarus State Symphony Orchestra, and has continued with such outstanding ensembles as the State Academy Symphony Orchestra of Russia, the Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra, the Novosibirsk Symphony Orchestra, the Ukraine National Orchestra, the Slovenia Symphony Orchestra, the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, the Moscovia Chamber Orchestra, the RTV Symphony Orchestra, the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, the Joensuu Symphony Orchestra, the Shenzhen Symphony and the Presidential Orchestra of Belarus. She has likewise performed in collaboration with such great musicians as Edward Grach, Shlomo Mintz, Yoel Levy, Arnold Katz, Adrienne Krausz, Oleg Soldatov, Vladimir Ponkin, Antonio Pirolli and Liu Xinui.

Julia has given concerts in some of the most prestigious venues in the world, including the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire, the Grand Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Society, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Lisinsky Hall in Zagreb, and Big Hall in Beijing; she has likewise taken part in numerous musical festivals, such as Semains musicales de Tur in France, Sion-Valais and Semains Musicales de Crans-Montana in Switzerland, Efes Classic Music Festival in Turkey, Stars of the Planet in Ukraine, Russian Winter in Moscow and Days of Russian Culture in China, Vietnam, Macedonia, Horvatia, Yugoslavia and Cyprus. In 2004, she was invited to perform in a New Year's concert for the President of the People's Republic of China, Jiang Zemin.

Julia shows great promise for an outstanding career, and we are pleased to feature her here at the Classical Archives.

Reviews

"A romantic impulse, beauty of sound, freedom of performance, and with high professionalism - all these qualities distinguish the playing of this young violinist who has deservedly obtained the recognition and enthusiastic applause from the public..."

Le Nouvelliste, Sion (Switzerland)