Aleksey Koptev, viola

Born in 1973, Aleksey Koptev studied in the Rimsky-Korsakov Music School in St. Petersburg, Russia. When he was 16, he was winner of the Poltava Young Artists Competition, in the Ukraine. The following year he began his studies in the St. Petersburg State Conservatory, where he studied with Vladimir Stopichev. While a student, Mr. Koptev was a soloist with the St. Petersburg Conservatory Orchestra, performing the concerts of Bartók, Martinu, and Handel.

Also during this time, he joined the Kirov Orchestra, under the baton of Valery Gergiev. As a member of this orchestra, he recorded Shostakovich Symphony No.8, as well as numerous operas for the Phillips Classical Record label. He also toured many countries including Italy, Belgium, Holland, USA, Denmark, France, Germany, and Japan.

In 1995, Mr. Koptev was awarded a full scholarship through the International Music Program to study at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Here he studied with Sally Peck and was the first prize winner of the American String Teachers Association competition in North Carolina. Mr. Koptev was granted a faculty assistantship and was invited to be principal violist and soloist of the NC School of the Arts Festival Orchestra for their European tour. In 1996 and 1997, he performed the Walton Concerto and the Mozart Symphonie Concertante as soloist in France, Germany, and Spain.

In 1998, Aleksey Koptev was awarded a scholarship to study at Indiana University School of Music. He was accepted into the Artist Diploma program and studied with the former violist of the Cleveland Quartet, Atar Arad.

His interests are theatre (his mother was an actress), soccer, and swimming in lakes.