Ilya Hoffman – Viola
Photo: Marco Borggreve
Winner of the Solti Foundation Award (UK, 2005) Winner of the Vienna International Music Competition (Austria, 2005) Winner of the Gaetano Zinetti International Chamber Music Competition (Italy, 2004) Laureate of the Yuri Bashmet International Viola Competition (Russia, 2000) Born in Moscow in 1977, Ilya Hoffman started his studies at the Special Gnessin School of Music in the class of Elena Ozol. Later, he was accepted into the class of Yuri Bashmet at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky State Conservatory. Mr Hoffman graduated from the Conservatory on completion of a post-graduate course that marked the end of his formal instrumental education.
Both as a performer and composer, Ilya Hoffman has participated in such festivals as Germany’s World Viola Festival in Kronberg, Britain’s Music at Plush Festival, Italy’s Mozartiana in Emilia Romagna, Estonia’s Eesti Barokkmuusika Festival in Tallinn, France’s Automne Musical in Nimes, and Canada’s Banff Music Festival among many others.
Mr Hoffman has collaborated and performed with renowned musicians including Alexei Lubimov, Natalia Gutman, Kolya Blaher, Edward Brunner, Charles Neidich, Mikhail Muntian, Alexander Trostiansky, Alexander Rudin, Alexei Utkin and Adrian Brendel. Parallel to his busy schedule as a soloist, conductor and composer, Mr Hoffman is a much sought-after chamber music player.
Mr Hoffman is a frequent performer of world premieres. Significant works that he has debuted include Sofia Gubaidulina’s Two Paths for two violas and symphony orchestra (Russian premiere), Valentin Silvestrov’s Lachrymose for solo viola (world premiere), Sergey Berinsky’s Symphony for solo viola, piano and symphony orchestra (world premiere), and Alban Berg / Leonid Hoffman’s Sonata op.1 for viola and String Orchestra (world premiere).