Described as ”a splendid, elegant cellist, with a gorgeous sound”(MundoClasico), Dr. Atapine has been hailed as a performer with “brilliant technical chops” (Gramophone), whose playing is “highly impressive throughout” (The Strad).

A cello professor and member of the Argenta Trio at the University of Nevada Reno, Dr. Atapine is an avid soloist and recitalist, and has appeared on some of the world's most coveted stages including Zankel and Weill Halls at Carnegie Hall, National Auditorium of Spain, Juan March Foundation (Madrid), Prince Philip Auditorium (Asturias), among many others.

Dr. Atapine has performed as a soloist with the Asturias Symphony Orchestra, the Leon Symphony Orchestra, the Gijon Chamber Orchestra, the 'Arche' Chamber Orchestra, the Yale Philharmonia Orchestra, as well as with Michigan State University Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras.

Dr. Atapine's multiple prizes and awards include the Second Prize at the Vittorio Gui Chamber Music Competition (with pianist Adela H. Park), Top Prize and Yamaha Special Prize at the Florian Ocampo Spanish National Cello Competition, First and Second Prizes at the 2008 New England International Chamber Competition, the Grand Prize at the 2007 Plowman Competition as founding member of the Alianza String Quartet, the 2005 Presser Foundation Award, the First Prize and Asturias Symphony Special Prize at the 2003 Llanes International String Competition (Spain), the Yale Woolsey Hall Competition, and the First Prize at the Sahagun International Music Competition at age 13.

Since 2007 Mr. Atapine is the Artistic Director of the International Music Festival of Ribadesella (Spain) and his other multiple festival appearances as both soloist and chamber musician include such prestigious names as Banff (Canada), Great Mountains Music Festival (South Korea), Miguel Bernal Jimenez Festival (Mexico), the French Academy in Rome (Italy), Aldeburgh (England), Aix-en-Provence (France), Pacific Music Festival (Japan), Cactus Pear Music Festival (Texas), or Music@Menlo Chamber Music Festival (California). His performances have been broadcast on radio and TV in the USA, Spain, Mexico, and South Korea.

He collaborated with such eminent artists as the Tokyo String Quartet, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Wu Han, Ani and Ida Kavafian, David Shifrin, Peter Wiley, and Robert Vernon, among many others. Dr. Atapine's keen interest in contemporary music produced fruitful collaborations with several of the most eminent composers of our time, among them Ezra Laderman, Jennifer Higdon, Martin Bresnick, Michael Jarrel, and Jerome Combier. In collaboration with pianist Hyeyeon Park, he has recently released to great critical acclaim a world-premiere recording of complete works for cello and piano by Lowell Liebermann. Other recordings can be found on Naxos, Albany, Urtext Digital, and Music@Menlo LIVE labels.

Born into a family of musicians, Mr. Atapine began his musical education with his parents at the age of five and soon thereafter entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory School of Music. Since 1992 Mr. Atapine is a resident of Spain, where he graduated with honors from the Asturias Conservatory under Alexander Fedortchenko. After receiving in 2002 and 2003 respectively his bachelor's and master's degrees with high honors from Michigan State University under the tutelage of Suren Bagratuni, Mr. Atapine continued his studies with the legendary cellist Aldo Parisot at Yale University School of Music, where he completed the Master of Musical Arts degree in 2005, obtained the Artist Diploma in 2006, and since 2010 holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree.

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