Shostakovich on Cuts to the Fourth Symphony: “Let Them Eat it All!”

DSCH Journal, January 2020 Letters to the Editor: As a first violinist in the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra from 1965 to 1973, Victor Yampolsky had the opportunity to see Dmitri Shostakovich when the orchestra, under conductor Kirill Kondrashin, was rehearsing a Shostakovich symphony or concerto. “He was frequently present at rehearsals,” says Mr. Yampolsky, who has […]

Viola Lesson

Evanston RoundTable, March 23, 2017 “Hi, come in, nice to finally meet you,” Karen said at the door. “Let me take your coat.” I was excited about my new viola lessons. Karen had taught in New York before moving to Chicago with her cellist husband, who was taking a position in a local orchestra. She […]

Northwestern’s Victor Yampolsky: A Life As Exciting As the Music

Evanston RoundTable, March 1, 2012 The conductor gives a sharp downbeat, and the orchestra of 60 responds as one, flooding the practice room at Northwestern’s Pick-Staiger Hall with a richness and depth of music (Dvorak) that is breath-taking. The conductor is both calm and furiously busy. His eyes dart across the room, watching for precise […]