Mr Ilya Isakovich
Head of Strings

 

Born in Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, Ilya Isakovich embarked on his musical journey by picking up the violin at the age of six in the city school of music. His early talent was evident when, in 1991, he graduated by performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Dnepropetrovsk Symphony Orchestra.

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Upon immigrating to Israel in 1991, Ilya further honed his skills at the Jerusalem Conservatory of Music under the guidance of Professor Moshe Girshovitch. He completed his studies in 1995 and then served in the IDF Chamber Orchestra during his military service. In 1997, Ilya commenced his studies with Professor Gennady Kogan.

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Between 1994 and 2000, Ilya played a pivotal role in the Young Israel Philharmonic, ultimately assuming the position of concertmaster in 1996. His musical journey took an international turn in 1999 and 2000 when he served as the concertmaster of the West-Eastern Divan Workshop Orchestra in Weimar, conducted by Daniel Barenboim.

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During the 1999 season, Ilya assumed the concertmaster position in the Israeli Kibbutz Chamber Orchestra, and by 2000, he became a part of the first violin section of the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, where he contributed until 2004. In 2004, Ilya began a new chapter in his musical career with the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) in Sydney.

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The Australian leg of Ilya's career with the ACO commenced in 2004, where he has showcased his talents on a 1590 Brothers Amati violin, generously on loan from the ACO Instrument Fund. In this capacity, he has participated in performances featuring works by composers Johann Sebastian Bach and Johannes Brahms, alongside pieces by Israeli composers Marc Lavry, Paul Ben-Haim, and Moroccan-Israeli composer Shimon Buskila.