Biography
Specializing in Baroque repertory on period instruments, violinist Boris Begelman performs on a Louis Moitessier violin built in the 1790s and leads his own ensemble, Arsenale Sonoro.
Moscow-born on September 29, 1983, he began violin studies at age seven and earned his diploma from the Moscow Conservatory in 2007, where Mikhail Gotsdiner instructed him in modern technique and Dmitry Sinkovsky guided his work on Baroque violin. Such historically informed approaches remained uncommon in Russia during those years. He then pursued a Baroque violin degree at Palermo’s Bellini Conservatory, graduating magna cum laude after working with Enrico Onofri on violin and Riccardo Minasi in chamber music.
Throughout the opening two decades of the twenty-first century, Begelman performed with leading historical-instrument ensembles including Accademia Bizantina, Il Pomo d’Oro, and Il Complesso Barocco, frequently directing from the violin. He later assumed the role of concertmaster with Concerto Italiano under Rinaldo Alessandrini, joining the ensemble for tours across Europe and the United States. In 2014 he founded Arsenale Sonoro. He has presented solo recitals and directed ensembles supporting soprano Simone Kermes and countertenor Max Emanuel Cencic, the latter collaboration occurring with Il Pomo d’Oro at the Opéra de Lausanne. His Canadian debut followed in 2018, when he appeared both as soloist and guest conductor with the Arion Baroque Orchestra in Montreal.
Begelman recorded two albums of violin works—by Telemann and by Bach (the six solo sonatas)—for Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. He served as concertmaster on Simone Kermes’ Mio Caro Händel, issued in 2018 with Amici Veneziani. In 2020 he released an album of Domenico Scarlatti violin sonatas with Arsenale Sonoro, and in 2021 he returned on Naïve’s Vivaldi Edition series, performing concertos with Alessandrini and Concerto Italiano.
Moscow-born on September 29, 1983, he began violin studies at age seven and earned his diploma from the Moscow Conservatory in 2007, where Mikhail Gotsdiner instructed him in modern technique and Dmitry Sinkovsky guided his work on Baroque violin. Such historically informed approaches remained uncommon in Russia during those years. He then pursued a Baroque violin degree at Palermo’s Bellini Conservatory, graduating magna cum laude after working with Enrico Onofri on violin and Riccardo Minasi in chamber music.
Throughout the opening two decades of the twenty-first century, Begelman performed with leading historical-instrument ensembles including Accademia Bizantina, Il Pomo d’Oro, and Il Complesso Barocco, frequently directing from the violin. He later assumed the role of concertmaster with Concerto Italiano under Rinaldo Alessandrini, joining the ensemble for tours across Europe and the United States. In 2014 he founded Arsenale Sonoro. He has presented solo recitals and directed ensembles supporting soprano Simone Kermes and countertenor Max Emanuel Cencic, the latter collaboration occurring with Il Pomo d’Oro at the Opéra de Lausanne. His Canadian debut followed in 2018, when he appeared both as soloist and guest conductor with the Arion Baroque Orchestra in Montreal.
Begelman recorded two albums of violin works—by Telemann and by Bach (the six solo sonatas)—for Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. He served as concertmaster on Simone Kermes’ Mio Caro Händel, issued in 2018 with Amici Veneziani. In 2020 he released an album of Domenico Scarlatti violin sonatas with Arsenale Sonoro, and in 2021 he returned on Naïve’s Vivaldi Edition series, performing concertos with Alessandrini and Concerto Italiano.
Albums
