YURI'S HIGHLIGHTS:

Yuri has grown up alongside Coffee Time News, developing from one of our youngest student journalists into an experienced interviewer who has participated in conversations with accomplished musicians from around the world. His strong command of English allows him to communicate naturally with our international guests, while his curiosity and outgoing personality have helped him form genuine connections with many of the artists he has interviewed.

Music, and particularly drumming, has become an increasingly important part of Yuri's journey. Through Coffee Time News, he has had opportunities not only to interview professional drummers, but also to learn from them. At JazzAscona in Switzerland, he interviewed Bennett Ireland and received an impromptu drum lesson, while his relationship with Paul Garisto developed from an interview into regular drum lessons. Encounters with musicians including Adonis Rose and Andrew D. McNeill have also influenced the way Yuri thinks about music and his own development as a drummer.

Yuri has also represented Coffee Time News internationally, meeting and interviewing musicians at jazz festivals in Switzerland and Italy. What began as an opportunity to practice English with interesting people has developed into something much more meaningful: a way for him to explore music, discover other cultures and build relationships with people whose experiences continue to influence him long after the interviews are over.

Yuri and Constança promote their Andrew D. McNeill interview. Andrew is another drummer who has encouraged Yuri's growing passion for the instrument and his desire to continue developing as a musician.