Khandoshkin was thought to be the finest Russian violinist living during the eighteenth century. He studied under Tito Porta, was a musician at the court of Russia, and taught violin at the Academy in St Petersburg. Khandoshkin was asked by Potyomkin to head the music academy at Yekaterinoslav which Potyomkin was trying to establish; it failed and Khandoshkin returned to St. Petersburg. He was a performer par excellence, playing until his death. The majority of his compositions were supposedly modeled after the violin sonatas of Bach, and other works were variations based on Russian folk melodies. He was a virtuoso performer. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi