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YASHA KOFMAN
Specialties Classical and Spanish Classical Guitar.
Education Mannes College of Music, Gnesinich School of Music in Moscow, studies with Konstantin Smaga, Mario Escudero, Sabicas and Jorge Morel.
Teaching Experience On staff of AIG since 1979. |
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Performances Columbia Artists Management Concert Hall (CAMI), Merkin Hall, NBC’s Today Show, International guitar festivals, live performances on WQXR and public radio, host of Classical Guitar Night at AIG.
Mr. Kofman’s recordings include GuitarMasters Volumes 1 and 2 on AIG Records.
Additional Biographical Information Yasha Kofman was born in Kiev, the heart of the Russian instrumental tradition. At the age of eleven he began playing the guitar and soon developed sufficient skill to attract the attention of the renowned Konstantin Smaga, who became his mentor. In his late teens he was given the special privilege of attending the prestigious Gnessin School of Music, which boasted the Soviet Union’s finest guitar department. After graduating with honors, Kofman became a concert guitarist, touring widely throughout the Soviet Union with performances in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and other major cities. Kofman has said of these years, “not only did these early performances allow me to express the best of the Western guitar tradition, but also to bring to my music the powerful sounds and spirits of the great Russian people.” In 1978, Mr. Kofman emigrated to the U.S. with his wife, Yelena. Upon coming to New York, he soon became a teacher at the American Institute of Guitar, where he developed a friendship with many of the world’s leading guitarists, including such giants as Mario Escudero, Sabicas, and Jorge Morel. As a result, Kofman broadened his repertoire to include the vibrant flamenco tradition as well as his own potent interpretation of the classical Spanish composers. Jorge Morel has said of Yasha: “He has the rare ability to find and express the essence of a composer’s intention, calling attention to the music itself rather than the evident gift of the performer. In the world of the guitar, this is especially welcome.” The New York Times described his New York debut performance as “grace and fluidity, dramatic tension and convincing music.” He is the senior member of the Classical Guitar Department at the AIG.
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