Igor Sulyga – was Soloist and Principal violist of the world renowned “Moscow Virtuosi” chamber orchestra for over 20 years, and the violist of the Moscow String Quartet. Currently Mr. Sulyga is the violist of the Kopelman Quartet and professor of viola at the CSKG in Madrid, Spain.
Mr. Sulyga was born in Lviv, Ukraine; where he began his musical training. He later received his Bachelor Degree in Moscow’s famed Tchaikovsky Conservatory in class of Professor Fedor Druzhinine, violist of the famed Beethoven Quartet, and it is to whom Dmitri Schostakovich dedicated his Viola Sonata. In addition Mr. Sulyga holds Masters Diploma in quartet performance from the Gnessin Institute in Moscow guided by Valentin Berlinsky from the renowned Borodin Quartet.

Mr. Sulyga was a laureate of numerous international competitions such as: First Prizes in Belgrade International Quartet Competition in 1971; and in Bratislava International UNESCO Competition in 1972. As a member of the Moscow String Quartet he collaborated with composer Dmitri Schostakovich on his late string quartets. In addition, Mr. Sulyga, as a principal violist of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory orchestra, received a First Prize at the Herbert von Karajan International Competition in Berlin.
Mr. Sulyga has made numerous recordings. As a member of the Moscow String Quartet complete CD sets of string quartets of P. Tchaikovsky and complete chamber music of A. Borodin for Chant du Monde. As a member of Moscow Virtuosi he has extensively recorded for BMG/RCA. Mr. Sulyga was a violist of the famed Spivakov quartet, where over ten years performed and collaborated with distinguished violinist, soloist, and conductor – Vladimir Spivakov.

Currently Mr. Sulyga is a violist of the Kopelman Quartet. Kopelman Quartet performs in the most prestigious concert venues in the world and records on Nimbus records and BBC Wigmore Hall-New Series LIVE.
As member of the above ensembles Mr. Sulyga has appeared in: Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York, Library of Congress in Washington D.C., Theatre des Champ Elysees in Paris, Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall in London, Musikverein in Vienna, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory Great Hall, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Konzerthaus Berlin; to name only a few. In addition Mr. Sulyga has been honored on several occasions to perform on the Stradivarius set of instruments belonging to the Spanish Royal Court and family at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain.

As a chamber musician Mr. Sulyga has collaborated with such artists as: Evgeni Kissin, Elisabeth Leonskaya, Julian Rachlin, Misha Maisky, Yuri Bashmet, Maria Joao Pires, Vladimir Spivakov, Aurel Nicolet, Janine Jansen and many others.

Mr. Sulyga leads active pedagogic career as a professor of viola and chamber music. He is a viola professor at the International Music School of the Prince of Asturias Foundation in Spain and the CS Katarina Gurska in Madrid, Spain. His students are laureates at the prestigious international competitions and hold leading positions in world renowned orchestras. Among such laureates are following musicians: Konstantin Boyarsky – Bernard Shore International Viola competition and now is a Principal Violist of the Covent Garden Opera Orchestra. Alberto Molina –International Competition Pierre Lantier in Paris, Jose Ramon Rodriquez -competition Alessandro Rolla in Maastricht, Isabel Villanueva – International Competition Valsesia in Milan, and V Certamen National de Interpretacion Intercentros in Madrid, where she was the winner and selected as Young Musician of the Year among all instrument groups and all conservatories in Spain. Ms. Villanueva now is a professor of the Royal College of Music, London, UK.

Mr. Sulyga leads Masterclasses throughout the world. To name a few: Colmar International Music Festival in France; Academia Metropolitana in Lisbon – Portugal; Vienna Conservatory – Austria; Trinity College – London; Conservatorio Teresa Berganza in Madrid – Spain; Bilbao Conservatory – Spain; Course of Musical Perfection in Oviedo – Spain; Cordes et Pics in France; and Tulane University in New Orleans – USA; Eastman School of Music in Rochester, USA; University of Georgia at Athens, USA.