Joseph Bykov, violin

Since his emigration from the Soviet Union in 1976, Joseph Bykov has established his presence as a leading violinist in the United States. Bykov began his career as a soloist at the age of fifteen, and toured Russia, Poland, and Bulgaria. Recognized as a brilliant musician, he was engaged as concertmaster of the Kiev Opera and Ballet Theater, the Chamber Orchestra of the Ukrainian Concert Union, and the Lvov Opera and Ballet Theater. Bykov performed frequently as a soloist with various orchestras in the Soviet Union. Currently, Joseph Bykov serves as Assistant Concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared as a soloist with that orchestra. He has appeared in tours of Germany and Mexico with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and Greece with the American Symphony Orchestra.

Joseph Bykov's early training begain in Kiev at the Special School of Music, and continued at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music in Kiev. Bykov was a pupil of Victor Goldfeld, whose teachers had included Cesar Thompson and the legendary Russion violinist and pedagogue Leopold Auer. Other students of Leopold Auer include Jascha Heifetz and Mischa Elman. Mr. Bykov also regularly studied with the famed David Oistrakh.

April 20, 1986