Graduated from the St. Petersburg Mussorgsky College of Music (class of Evgeny Mamontov) in 2006 and from St. Petersburg Conservatory (class of Alexander Shilo) in 2011, Yuri Gladkov perfected his mastership with Miloslav Jelínek at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno, participated in the master classes by Eugene Levinson, Rinat Ibragimov, Sergei Akopov, Thomas Martin, Catalin Rotaru, Eric Hansen, Christine Hook. He was awarded a diploma of the International Serge Koussevitzky Double Bass Competition in 2009.
As a student he played in the St. Petersburg State Capella orchestra, from 2010 in the Mikhailovsky Theatre orchestra and since 2013 has been member of the Mariinsky Orchestra. He also performs solo and ensemble music at the Mariinsky chamber halls, including Open Wednesday project in the Stravinsky Foyer. He plays music of the contemporary composers including Galina Ustvolskaya’s Grand Duet in his own transcription for double bass.