Russian-born and a naturalised Belgian since 1990, Boris Belkin is regarded as one of the great violinists of our times. He first came to international prominence after winning First Prize at the Soviet National Violinists’ Competition in 1973, and soon after established a major career in the West.
Belkin has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philharmonia Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestre National de France and Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich. He has collaborated with an exceptional range of conductors, among them Leonard Bernstein, Bernard Haitink, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Iván Fischer, while his artistic association with Isaac Stern marked an important influence on his career.
He has been featured in landmark televised performances, including Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, Ravel’s Tzigane with Bernstein and Orchestre National de France, and Paganini’s First Concerto with Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
His extensive discography for Decca and Denon includes acclaimed recordings of the major concerto repertoire, from Paganini, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius to Brahms, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.
Alongside his solo career, Belkin is a devoted chamber musician, having performed with artists such as Yuri Bashmet, Mischa Maisky and Michel Dalberto. He is also a highly respected pedagogue, having taught for many years at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena and at the Maastricht Academy of Music.