Known for his exquisite musical interpretations and flawless technique, cellist Yegor Dyachkov makes every piece of music he touches sing. La Presse newspaper (Montreal), hails Yegor as “a cellist of great stature: the natural bowing, the rich, deep sound, the total concentration, the interpretive sense, he has it all.” His numerous accolades and international invitations speak to this artist’s sensitive artistry.
Born in Russia, Yegor was a “late bloomer,” by Russian musical standards, picking up the cello at age eight – normally musical training starts around age four. His parents, both musicians themselves, had previously tried to get him to play other instruments with no success. Young Yegor had his heart set on working at the zoo instead. His mother told him that all animals in the zoo, especially lions, love the cello, which is how his mother coaxed him into playing the instrument that would define his future. Before immigrating to Montreal in 1988, Yegor was accepted into the prestigious Moscow Conservatory where he studied for four years with Aleksandr Fedorchenko. He studied with Yuli Turovsky at the University of Montreal.
New musical compositions were written especially for Yegor and reserve a prominent place in his repertoire. He gave the premiere performance of several works that are dedicated to him, including Ironman for cello and orchestra, The Sonata by Jacques Hetu and a concerto written by the late Andre Prevost. He was invited by Yo-Yo Ma and Sony Music to take part in the Silk Road Project – a non-profit project bringing together arts, business and science.
In 2000, Yegor got his big break as he was proclaimed Artist of the Year by CBC and won the Young Canadian Musician Award. Known for his stage presence, depth of insight and nuance, Yegor has travelled internationally for chamber music and solo performances. He has performed in major international cities including Antwerp, Geneva, Montreal, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto and Vancouver. Yegor also shares his musical talents and knowledge by holding regular master classes and teaching at McGill University and l’Universite de Montreal.
Join the HPO on this Saturday, November 8 at FirstOntario Concert Hall (formerly Hamilton Place) 7:30pm for In Remembrance: Fanfare for the Common Man to hear Yegor play Shostakovich’s Concerto for Cello No.1.
To tide you over until then, here’s his calm and eloquent performance of Bach’s “Suite for Cello.”