Ilya Kaler facts for kids

Ilya Kaler was born on June 2, 1963, in Moscow, Russia. He is a very famous violinist. He is the only person ever to win gold medals at three major violin contests: the International Tchaikovsky Competition, the Sibelius Competition, and the Paganini Competition. This is a huge achievement in classical music!

Early Life and Music Education

Ilya Kaler came from a family of musicians. He showed a special talent for music when he was very young. He went to a special music school in Moscow for gifted children. There, he learned to play the violin from a teacher named Zinaida Gilels.

He then went on to study at the Moscow Conservatory. He learned from famous violinists like Leonid Kogan and Viktor Tretiakov. He earned two advanced degrees from the Conservatory. He even graduated with a special Gold Medal Award. He also had private lessons with Abram Shtern.

Kaler's Music Career

Ilya Kaler has had a very busy and successful career. From 1996 to 2001, he was the main violinist, called a concertmaster, for the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

He has played as a solo musician with many famous orchestras. These include the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also played with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and many others around the world.

Kaler has traveled to many countries to perform. He has played in Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, England, Venezuela, and Japan. In Japan, he played with the New Japan Philharmonic and the Hiroshima Symphony Orchestra.

He also enjoys playing chamber music, which is music for a small group of instruments. He has performed at the Newport Music Festival for several summers. His solo concerts have taken him all over Europe, Scandinavia, East Asia, and the former Soviet Union.

Teaching and Judging

Besides performing, Ilya Kaler is also a respected music teacher. He used to be a Professor of Violin at the Eastman School of Music. He also taught at Indiana University and DePaul University. Since 2018, he has been a Professor of Violin at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

He has also been a judge for many violin competitions around the world. This includes the famous International Tchaikovsky Competition.

The Tempest Trio

Since 2007, Kaler has been part of a music group called the Tempest Trio. He plays the violin, Amit Peled plays the cello, and Alon Goldstein plays the piano. They perform concerts and make recordings together.

Music Recordings

Ilya Kaler has made many recordings of his music. These recordings feature works by famous composers like Bach, Brahms, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky. His solo CD, Ilya Kaler, violin, was even nominated for an award in 1995.

Selected Recordings

Here are some of the recordings Ilya Kaler has released:

• 1993: Paganini Violin Concertos No. 1 & No. 2
• 1993: Paganini 24 Caprices
• 1994: Schumann Violin Sonatas
• 1994: Glazunov Violin Concerto; Dvorak Violin Concerto
• 1997: Shostakovich Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
• 2004: Ysaÿe Solo Violin Sonatas
• 2007: Szymanowski Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
• 2007: Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
• 2008: Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
• 2012: Sibelius Violin Concerto; Dvorak Violin Concerto