Yuri Bashmet on second classical tour in Seychelles |24 December 2011

Although the Seychelles audience was his first ever stage test, the Mozart, Brahms, Paganini, Bruch and Tchaikovsky pieces he performed on his viola made his concert one to be remembered, creating his ‘niche of fans’. Performing his last pieces that night, Yuri Bashmet said he “was happy and would be back in Seychelles.”

Upholding his promises, Bashmet and his 34-member chamber orchestra arrived earlier this week and were greeted at the Pointe Larue International Airport by Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vincent Meriton, Minister Bernard Shamlaye who is responsible for social development and culture, Seychelles Tourism Board chief executive Alain St Ange and Russian Ambassador to Seychelles Mikhail Kalinin.

Prior to his arrival in Seychelles, Bashmet was in London for a grand concert.
Described as someone who had given the viola “a new prominence in musical life”, Bashmet will be giving three concerts in Seychelles.

After giving a first concert on Thursday night at Le Méridien Barbarons hotel, Bashmet and his orchestra moved to the town centre yesterday where they performed at the International Conference Centre.

They will give a last concert today in the gardens of the sublime and majestic building of State House which is not only one of Seychelles’ national monuments but also the offices of President James Michel. The last concert will be especially significant because it will be his first ever open-air concert in the wake of activities to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the State House building this year.

Last year, the Yuri Bashmet concert brought forth a great momentum. It is hoped that the three concerts will further contribute towards positioning Seychelles as a ‘cultural tourism’ niche market.