Ilya Kaler, born on June 2, 1963 in Moscow, Russian Federation, is a violinist. He studied under Zinaida Gilels at the Central Music School for Especially Gifted Children of the Moscow Conservatory and won Gold Medals at the Paganini Competition (1981), Sibelius Competition (1985), and the International Tchaikovsky Competition (1986). From 1996 to 2001, he served as concertmaster of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Kaler has performed with numerous orchestras including the Leningrad, Moscow, and Dresden Philharmonic Orchestras, and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Notable recordings include Tchaikovsky: Concerto Pour Violon (2007) and Paganini: Concertos Pour Violon N° 1 & 2 (2007). Kaler has been a professor of violin at institutions such as the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University School of Music, DePaul University School of Music, and the Cleveland Institute of Music.
