Yuli Turovsky

Yuli Turovsky was a Russian-Canadian cellist and conductor known for his association with the <a href="spotify:artist:6zB5N5OhPV65PGkh4rPVHK">I Musici de Montreal Chamber Orchestra</a>. His massive legacy of recordings and educational tenure made him a very influential force in classical music.

Turovsky was born on June 7, 1939, in Moscow and began playing the cello when he was seven years old. His first musical instruction came from the Central Music School in Moscow. From 1957 to 1969, he studied with Galina Kozolupova at the Tchaikovsky Academic Music College of the Moscow State Conservatory, where he earned his doctorate, graduating with high honors. At this time, Turovsky was the principal cellist of the <a href="spotify:artist:5dcDOUxhKWkMWsHzQF4J41">Moscow Chamber Orchestra</a>, conducted by <a href="spotify:artist:5GvNmaT3HuZEZQyWqzTCgP">Rudolf Barshai</a>. He also won first place in the U.S.S.R. Cello Competition, and began teaching at both the Central Music School and the Tchaikovsky College. He performed and taught in this capacity until 1976, when he moved to Canada with his family.

By 1977, he had settled in Montreal, and Turovsky started teaching at the Montreal Conservatory. He also formed the Borodin Trio with <a href="spotify:artist:65Efb8gA0PeMGrVwVNF6T1">Luba Edlina</a> and Rostislav Dubinsky. He was granted Canadian citizenship in 1980 and started teaching at the University of Montreal in 1981. Two years later, he founded the <a href="spotify:artist:6zB5N5OhPV65PGkh4rPVHK">I Musici de Montreal Chamber Orchestra</a> and appointed his wife, Eleonora Turovsky as the concert master. They toured extensively throughout Canada and the United States and began recording with the <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Chandos%22">Chandos</a> label. Their recordings of <a href="spotify:artist:6s1pCNXcbdtQJlsnM1hRIA">Shostakovich</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3MKCzCnpzw3TjUYs2v7vDA">Tchaikovsky</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:5U827e4jbYz6EjtN0fIDt9">Schoenberg</a> were particularly successful. After collaborating on over 20 recordings with the Borodin Trio, Turovsky left the group in 1993 so he could focus more on performing and recording with <a href="spotify:artist:6zB5N5OhPV65PGkh4rPVHK">I Musici</a>. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, it developed the reputation as one of the most respected classical ensembles in Canada and recorded over 40 albums under Turovsky's leadership. However, by 2010 he began struggling with poor health, which led him to retire from the University of Montreal, and from the <a href="spotify:artist:6zB5N5OhPV65PGkh4rPVHK">I Musici</a> ensemble one year later. He passed away in 2013 in Montreal, from Parkinson's disease. ~ RJ Lambert, Rovi