Mark Kovnatskiy is a widely traveled and highly acclaimed violinist, composer, and expert in Yiddish dances. He is also the musical director of the international "Yiddish Festival Moscow" (RU). He received the nickname "Stempenyuk" (from "Stempenyu" (Yossele Druker), a klezmer violinist who lived in Ukraine in the mid-19th century) from Steven Greenman (USA), one of the world’s greatest klezmer violinists.

Mark has performed and taught at many music festivals around the world from North America to the former Soviet Union. In addition to his projects such as the "European World Music Ensemble", "Semer Label Project", "Queen Esther Klezmer Trio", "Fialke" and "Hamburg Klezmer Band", Mark has performed as a guest musician with “Aaron Alexander's Midrash Mish Mosh" ( USA), "Painted Bird" (Germany), and "Forshpil" (LAT), among others. He teaches Yiddish music and dance internationally, and in 2009 he served as musical director of the Hamburg "KlezmerFest". His own klezmer compositions are played by many different groups around the world.
Photo: Melnikova

Press:
"He is a virtuoso violinist devil and a master of the old Yiddish fiddle style!"
MONIKA FILE (Fialke, Fir)
“The violin speaks!", exclaims listener Andrea Stellfeldt of young violinist Mark Kovnatskiy’s music. : WESTDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG (http://www.wz-newsline.de)

Recordings:
„What Does The Motherland Start With“ (Psoy Korolenko and  “All Stars Klezmer Band”, Label “Bad Taste”, 2005)
“KlezFest. 5 years together” (2005)
“The Upward Flight” (2005 project by Michael Alpert and Stuart Brotman)
“The Intimate Hopes & Terrors” (“Merlin Shepherd Kapelye”, Label “Oriente Musik”, Deutschland, 2006)
„Sol Sajn“ (Musiksamlung, Label „Bear Family Records“, Germany, 2009)
„In the beginning“ (“Hamburg Klezmer Band”, Germany, 2009)
„ABC des Windes" (Jurassic Blues, 2010)
"Nakhtike Muzik" (Stella & Ma Piroschka, 2011)

Projects:
European World Music Ensemble (GER)
Semer Label Project (GER/USA/LAT)
Queen Esther’s Klezmer Trio (UK/GER)
Franziska Seehausen and friends (GER)

www.youtube.com/user/Kovnatskiy
www.facebook.com/mark.kovnatskiy