As the world's leading viola player (technically 'violist'), Yuri Bashmet has, over the last 25 years, performed as a soloist with all the major orchestras.  He has appeared with the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Boston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras. In the UK he has performed with all the major London orchestras and made several appearances at the BBC Proms.

Whilst he is a frequent performer throught Europe - Paris, Vienna, Salzburg, Berlin, Milan, Brussels and Madrid - he also travels frequently to Japan, America and Australia. Recent visits to the Far East included appearances as both soloist and conductor with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.

Bashmet has a particular collaboration with Anne-Sophie Mutter. He has appeared with Mutter in her complete Mozart Violin Concerto project, joining her for the sublime Sinfonia concertante in E flat K364 with such orchestras as the London Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic and Camerata Salzburg. He praises her ability to create so many colours in her playing and together they have performed the work throughout Europe. Their recording for this work has been released on CD by Deutsche Grammophon, with a DVD in the pipeline. Other starry collaborators include the likes of Igor Oistrakh, Isaac Stern and Gidon Kremer (at the recent Mozart celebrations in Salzburg).