Mark Kovnatskiy is not only a highly talented and sought-after violinist but also a composer, Yiddish dance expert, and musical director of the international Yiddish Fest Moscow festival.
Mark plays and teaches at many festivals all over the world from North America to the former Soviet Union states.
His regular projects include the European World Music Ensemble, Semer Laber Project, Queen Esther Klezmer Trio, Fialka, and the Hamburg Klezmer Band. He has also appeared as a guest with The Joel Rubin Ensemble (USA), Socalled (Canada), Aaron Alexander’s Midrash Mish Mosh (USA), Daniel Kahn and the Painted Bird (Germany/USA), Forspil (Latvia), and has taught Yiddish music and dance at international festivals.
In 2009 Mark was musical director of the "KlezmerFest" festival in Hamburg. His original compositions are played by ensembles throughout the world.
Photo: Nikita Smirnov
Press:
“Kovnatskiy has been described as one of the leading performers of traditional Jewish music.” (RTR St. Petersburg, Russian TV channel)
"He is a virtuoso devil’s fiddler and a master of old Jewish Fidl style"
(MONIKA FILE, Fialke, Fir)
“The violin speaks!", exclaims listener Andrea Stellfeldt of young violinist Mark Kovnatskiy. : 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)
Current 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