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Mark Skazinetsky

Violin

A native of Odessa, Ukraine, Mark Skazinetsky was Associate Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from the 1988/89 season until 2021-2022. Upon completing his music education at the State Conservatory of Odessa, he was awarded a degree with honours in all four qualifications of performer, teacher, chamber instrumentalist, and orchestral player. At age 15, he won first prize in the Ukrainian Competition for Young Talents and subsequently performed the Bruch G Minor Violin Concerto with the Odessa State Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1979, he immigrated to Canada and was immediately appointed Assistant Concertmaster with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra and Stratford’s Chamber Ensemble. A year later, he joined the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Skazinetsky is a prominent chamber musician and can be heard frequently on CBC Radio and in recital halls throughout the country. He is a founding member of the Maple Trio and The Moveable Feast, the latter with which he has recorded a CD with flautist Susan Hoeppner. He was also among a group of musicians that Glenn Gould chose for his last recording and conducting début (Wagner: Siegfried Idyll; Sony Classical). More recent engagements have included performances in Italy, both in recital and as soloist with the Orchestra Sinfonica della Provincia di Bari. He is currently on staff at the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto, and as well with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

Mr. Skazinetsky is also actively pursuing a conducting career. Since his conducting début with a University of Toronto ensemble in Stravinsky’s L’histoire du soldat, Mark Skazinetsky has been appointed Music Director and Conductor of the Huronia Symphony Orchestra and has conducted orchestras such as the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Toronto Festive Orchestra, I Virtuosi di Toronto (at its inaugural concert), New Hamilton Orchestra for two consecutive seasons, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and at the Northern Lights Music Festival in Ajijic, Mexico.