Sakharova Julia

About

Julia Sakharova, a violinist of Moldovan origin, born in Zheleznovodsk, Russia, began her exceptional career as a child prodigy, debuting at the age of eight with the Moldova Philharmonic Orchestra. Internationally recognized for her impressive technique and strong musical personality, she has won major awards, including first prize at the International Competition for Music of Eastern and Central Europe, the main prize at the Olga Koussevitzky Competition for Strings, a top prize at Jeunesses Musicales Montreal, and first place at the Coleman Chamber Ensemble Competition in 2001. She graduated from the Central Special Music School in Moscow, then Oberlin College, Juilliard School, and Manhattan School of Music, studying with masters such as Milan Vitek, Donald Weilerstein, and Glenn Dicterow. As a versatile artist, Julia Sakharova has performed as a soloist, orchestral musician, and chamber ensemble member on prestigious stages such as Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Library of Congress, participating in renowned festivals like the Verbier Festival, Festival International de Colmar, and Music Academy of the West. Between 2012 and 2024, she was a member of the Arianna String Quartet, in residence at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she taught as an associate professor of violin. Previously, she was Assistant Concertmaster at the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Albany Symphony. Recently appointed Concertmaster of Orchestra Iowa, she has recorded albums such as Rachmaninoff’s Elegiaque Piano Trios and the Beethoven cycle of string quartets on labels like Centaur and Delos, as well as film scores for movies like The Brave One. On a personal level, Julia Sakharova comes from a family of musicians, her mother also being an artist, and she is married to cellist Clay McKinney, with whom she has collaborated in academic presentations and recitals. As a dedicated educator, she teaches masterclasses at universities such as the University of Iowa, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and St. Olaf College, and has received awards including MoASTA Artist Teacher of the Year in 2017 and the University of Missouri Chancellor Award in 2022. She plays an 1819 Gagliano violin, continuing to inspire through tours and radio appearances on stations like WQXR New York and WFMT Chicago.