Kharkiv Philharmonic Society
Encyclopedia
Kharkiv Philharmonic, Ukraine (Kharkov Philharmonic, Ukraine)
The House of the Philharmonic (formerly the Opera House) is connected with the oldest concert organization in Ukraine and is a well-known landmark and cultural centre. It has seen performances by Henryk WieniawskiHenryk Wieniawski
Henryk Wieniawski was a Polish violinist and composer.-Biography:Henryk Wieniawski was born in Lublin, Congress Poland, Russian Empire. His father, Tobiasz Pietruszka, had converted to Catholicism. His talent for playing the violin was recognized early, and in 1843 he entered the Paris...
, Pablo Sarasate, Mattia Battistini
Mattia Battistini
Mattia Battistini was an Italian operatic baritone. He became internationally famous due to the beauty of his voice and the virtuosity of his singing technique, and he earned the sobriquet "King of Baritones".-Early life:...
, Titta Ruffo
Titta Ruffo
Titta Ruffo , born as Ruffo Titta Cafiero, was an Italian opera star who had a major international singing career. Known as the "Voce del leone" , he was greatly admired, even by rival baritones, such as Giuseppe De Luca, who said of Ruffo: "His was not a voice, it was a miracle" Titta Ruffo (9...
, Feodor Chaliapin
Feodor Chaliapin
Feodor Ivanovich Chaliapin was a Russian opera singer. The possessor of a large and expressive bass voice, he enjoyed an important international career at major opera houses and is often credited with establishing the tradition of naturalistic acting in his chosen art form.During the first phase...
, Piotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninov, Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
, Aram Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian
Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was a prominent Soviet composer. Khachaturian's works were often influenced by classical Russian music and Armenian folk music...
, Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
, Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
, Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki , born November 23, 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish composer and conductor. His 1960 avant-garde Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for string orchestra brought him to international attention, and this success was followed by acclaim for his choral St. Luke Passion. Both these...
and many other outstanding composers and musicians.
It was in this place that the celebrated photographer Fedetsky held the first cinema performance in Ukraine in 1896. It was also from here that the Ukrainian Broadcasting Station transmitted its first radio signal.
The leading group active in the Philharmonic is the Academic Symphony Orchestra. It has 100 musicians of a high professional level, many of whom are prize-winners in International and National competitions.
The Kharkiv Philharmonic is one of the leading organizations of its kind in Ukraine, and is an active promoter of the best examples of classical music, contemporary music, and of Ukrainian folk and classical music. It devotes a great deal of attention to young people, and makes a significant contribution to the cultural life of Ukraine.
Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Kharkiv Philharmonic
The orchestra has more than one hundred years of history behind it. In October 1929 it became a leading group within Ukrainian Broadcasting Committee, and after the founding of the Kharkiv Philharmonic Society it was granted official status as a Philharmonic. The first decade of the orchestra's existence was marked by the collaboration with famous conductors Kurt SanderlingKurt Sanderling
Kurt Sanderling, CBE was a German conductor.-Biography:Kurt Sanderling was born in Arys, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire to Jewish parents. After early work at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, he left for the Soviet Union in 1936, where he worked with the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra...
and Guido Adler
Guido Adler
Guido Adler was a Bohemian-Austrian musicologist and writer.His father Joachim, a physician, died of typhoid fever in 1857...
, Fritz Stiedry
Fritz Stiedry
Fritz Stiedry was an Austrian conductor and composer.-Biography:While studying law at the University of Vienna, Stiedry's musical abilities were noticed by Gustav Mahler who appointed him his assistant at the Vienna Court Opera in 1907...
, Eugen Szenkar (Hungary). Natan Rakhlin
Natan Rakhlin
Natan Grigoryevich Rakhlin was a Ukrainian conductor....
and David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
started their career with this orchestra.
Throughout the orchestra’s history, brilliant musicians have performed with it, including Anton Rubinstein
Anton Rubinstein
Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein was a Russian-Jewish pianist, composer and conductor. As a pianist he was regarded as a rival of Franz Liszt, and he ranks amongst the great keyboard virtuosos...
, Henrih Neigauz, Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was a Soviet pianist well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique, and vast repertoire. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Childhood:...
, Emil Gilels
Emil Gilels
Emil Grigoryevich Gilels was a Soviet pianist, widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.His last name is sometimes transliterated Hilels.-Biography:...
, Aram Khachaturian
Aram Khachaturian
Aram Ilyich Khachaturian was a prominent Soviet composer. Khachaturian's works were often influenced by classical Russian music and Armenian folk music...
, Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
, Rudolf Kehrer
Rudolf Kehrer
Rudolf Kehrer is a much-recorded German classical pianist.Kehrer was born in Tiflis, Georgia to a family of piano-makers who had emigrated from Swabia, Germany....
, Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev was a Russian pianist and professor of piano, People's Artist of the USSR.-Biography:...
, Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
, Vakhtang Jordania
Vakhtang Jordania
Vakhtang Jordania was a Georgian conductor.-Biography:Born in the Republic of Georgia on Dec. 9, 1943, Maestro Jordania studied piano from the age of five. After graduating from the Tbilisi Conservatory, he studied symphonic and operatic conducting at the Leningrad Conservatory, graduating with...
, Mikhail Pletnev
Mikhail Pletnev
Mikhail Vasilievich Pletnev is a Russian pianist, conductor, and composer.-Life and career:Pletnev was born into a very musical family in Arkhangelsk, then part of the Soviet Union; his father played and taught the bayan, and his mother the piano...
, Vladimir Spivakov
Vladimir Spivakov
Vladimir Teodorovich Spivakov is a leading Russian conductor and violinist best known for his work with the chamber orchestra....
, Dimitri Bashkirov, Daniel Kramer, Sergey Stadler, Alexander Kniazev
Alexander Kniazev
Alexander Kniazev is a Russian cellist and organist. He studied cello with Alexander Fedorchenko beginning at age six, and graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1986. He studied organ with Galina Kozlova, graduating from Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory in 1991.-External links:* Productions...
, Alain Daboncourt, James Oliverio, Sayaka Shoji
Sayaka Shoji
is a Japanese classical violinist. She is the first Japanese and youngest winner at the Paganini Competition in Genoa in 1999.She was born into an artistic family and spent her childhood in Siena, Italy. She studied at Hochschule für Musik Köln under Zakhar Bron and graduated in 2004...
, Ernest Hoetzl, Anton Sorokow, Alexander Gavrylyuk
Alexander Gavrylyuk
Alexander Gavrylyuk is a Ukrainian pianist, and a naturalised Australian citizen. He won the 1999 Vladimir Horowitz Competition, the 2000 Hamamatsu Competition and, most notably, the 2005 Arthur Rubinstein Competition...
, Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki , born November 23, 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish composer and conductor. His 1960 avant-garde Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for string orchestra brought him to international attention, and this success was followed by acclaim for his choral St. Luke Passion. Both these...
and many others.
At the present time the first violinist of the orchestra is Igor Shapovalov, who has the title of /People’s Artist of Ukraine/.
In 2001 Yuriy Yanko, holder of the title "Honoured Worker of the Arts of Ukraine", and a prize-winner in The International Vakhtang Jordania Conducting Competition, was appointed music director and principal conductor of the Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra. His clear gestures, his emotionality, his artistry, and his exactingness with the orchestra mark him as one of the best Ukrainian conductors.
The Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra participates regularly in international forums of classical music such as the “Kyiv Music-Fest”, the “Kharkiv Assembly”, “Music – Our Common Home”, “Sergey Rakhmaninov and Ukrainian Culture”, “The International Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev was a Russian pianist and professor of piano, People's Artist of the USSR.-Biography:...
Young Pianists Competition”, “The International Young Pianists Competition” in the town of Kitzingen (Germany), “The International Vakhtang Jordania
Vakhtang Jordania
Vakhtang Jordania was a Georgian conductor.-Biography:Born in the Republic of Georgia on Dec. 9, 1943, Maestro Jordania studied piano from the age of five. After graduating from the Tbilisi Conservatory, he studied symphonic and operatic conducting at the Leningrad Conservatory, graduating with...
Conducting Competition”. In addition, the orchestra has made successful concert tours; while on a tour in Spain in 2003 it was recognized as "The Best Foreign Orchestra Of The Year".
In October 2006 Orchestra was granted "Academic" status. The Orchestra's audio recordings are kept in the National Radio reserves, its concerts are broadcast on radio and TV, and its reviews are published in the regional and national press.
Principal Conductor Yuriy Yanko
Outstanding masterly performance, intimate knowledge of musical styles and national schools inhere in Yuriy Yanko’s art. Clear gesture, emotionality, artistry, exactingness to the orchestra makes him one of the best Ukrainian conductors.Born in Kharkiv, Yuriy Yanko completed the first part of his musical studies in his native town at Special Music School (1980). He continued his education at Kharkiv University of Arts (1985) and Kyiv National Conservatory (1991), studying operatic & symphonic conducting with Turchak, Dushchenko, Vakhtang Jordania
Vakhtang Jordania
Vakhtang Jordania was a Georgian conductor.-Biography:Born in the Republic of Georgia on Dec. 9, 1943, Maestro Jordania studied piano from the age of five. After graduating from the Tbilisi Conservatory, he studied symphonic and operatic conducting at the Leningrad Conservatory, graduating with...
.
Yanko has worked as Conductor at Academic Philharmonic Orchestra in Zaporizhzhya (1991–1994), Music Director and Conductor of Kharkiv Special Music School Chamber Orchestra (1999–2004). Since 1994 – Kharkiv Opera House Conductor, where he has staged many opera and ballet performances.
Since 2001 Yuriy Yanko has worked as Music Director and Principal Conductor of Academic Symphony Orchestra of Kharkiv Philharmonic, and in 2004 he was appointed Director of Kharkiv Philharmonic (involves several different musical collectives, including the Orchestra).
Yuriy Yanko is at educational work, he has received The Kharkiv Regional Government Diplomas (2002, 2006), Kharkiv Mayor’s supreme award “For Zeal” (2004). He has been annual laureate of regional rate ”Kharkiver of year” for 6 years (2001–2006), and prize-winner of the “Public Recognition” prize (2004), laureate of regional rate ”Kharkiver of XXI century”, 2010.
Well-known musicians of the present – Dmitri Bashkirov, Bogodar Kotorovitch, Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev was a Russian pianist and professor of piano, People's Artist of the USSR.-Biography:...
, Daniel Kramer, Yuriy Loyevsky, Nikolai Arnoldovich Petrov, Sergey Stadler, Naum Shtarkman
Naum Shtarkman
Naum Lvovich Shtarkman was a Soviet and Russian classical pianist.He was a disciple of Konstantin Igumnov at the Moscow Conservatory. Shtarkman was awarded a 5th prize at the V Fryderyk Chopin Competition and, most notably, attained the Bronze Medal at the inaugural edition of the Tchaikovsky...
, Alexander Kniazev
Alexander Kniazev
Alexander Kniazev is a Russian cellist and organist. He studied cello with Alexander Fedorchenko beginning at age six, and graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1986. He studied organ with Galina Kozlova, graduating from Nizhny Novgorod Conservatory in 1991.-External links:* Productions...
, and many others – appreciate Yanko’s conducting mastery.
He has conducted in Musikverein Vienna (Golden Hall) and with National Symphonic Orchestras of Ukraine, Moldova, with numerous Russian and Ukrainian orchestras, his performing art is known to listeners of many countries: Austria, Holland, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Czech, Poland, Bulgaria, Russia, USA, France, Switzerland.
He has received the order of merits for the republic of Ukraine from the president of Ukraine.
Different musicians at different times about Orchestra and Maestro Yuriy Yanko
"Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra should be considered to be one of the most outstanding orchestra in our country (USSR, then). Each of my performances with the orchestra brings me genuine pleasure". (Emil GilelsEmil Gilels
Emil Grigoryevich Gilels was a Soviet pianist, widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.His last name is sometimes transliterated Hilels.-Biography:...
/1948)
"With great pleasure I shall visit Kharkiv again (if you invite me?...) as I truly feel love for music both in orchestra and among the audience".(Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Richter
Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter was a Soviet pianist well known for the depth of his interpretations, virtuoso technique, and vast repertoire. He is widely considered one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century.-Childhood:...
/1949)
"I experienced great pleasure performing with Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra. There is an endless love for music that is felt in each artist of the Orchestra, which makes the whole Orchestra united and inspired. With great pleasure I will come again". (Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Rostropovich
Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE , known to close friends as Slava, was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of...
/1950)
"The Orchestra of Kharkiv Philharmonic is an excellent orchestra. It favorably distinguishes itself from the other orchestras with its high professionalism". (Aram Khachaturyan/1951)
"I shall always remember with tremendous joy my concerts with Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra where I performed in front of a wonderful audience. I heartily wish to all members of Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra great success for the glory of music culture". (Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century....
/1953)
"Kharkiv is a wonderful musical city. Assemblies, contests, concerts - all possible forms and approaches of expression of music ideas perfectly reflect the demand of audience. And what is important - a very professional Orchestra of Kharkiv Philharmonic".(Mikhail Pletnev
Mikhail Pletnev
Mikhail Vasilievich Pletnev is a Russian pianist, conductor, and composer.-Life and career:Pletnev was born into a very musical family in Arkhangelsk, then part of the Soviet Union; his father played and taught the bayan, and his mother the piano...
/2006)
"Yuriy Yanko - very talented musician, conductor with limitless technical and creative abilities, wonderful organizer and leader of Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra and Kharkiv Philharmonic. I am sure that with his help Philharmonic will be the best in the former USSR". (Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev
Vladimir Krainev was a Russian pianist and professor of piano, People's Artist of the USSR.-Biography:...
/2008)
Academic Choir of Kharkiv Philharmonic
Traditions of concert Choir singing in Kharkiv philharmonic were founded as long ago as the 1930s.From 1936 a chapel under the direction of a famous Ukrainian choir master O. Bryzchakha worked being attached to Kharkiv philharmonic. In 1938 it was headed by K. Hrechenko, in 1943 – by E. Konopliova, in 1944 -1945 – by H. Davydovs’kyi. In March 1956 the chapel was reorganized in the Chorus of Ukrainian song, which existed till 1962.
History of the group, which performs in Kharkiv philharmonic nowadays, begins in 1980. At that time the Chamber choir of a regional department of Ukrainian music society and regional culture administration was established on one of the most outstanding figures of the Vyacheslav Palkin National conductor-Choir school’s initiative. His performances became a considerable phenomenon in the music life of the city, beginning from his first concert (January, 1981). In 1980 years the Choir toured Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine, Moscow (Russia), Moldova, Latvia, Georgia, South Ossetia, Germany, USA being appreciated by music community in the best way everywhere. The choir managed to get a philharmonic status due to intensive concert activity, professional performers and great repertory.
In July, 1991 the choir for the first time performed as a chamber chorus of Kharkiv regional philharmonic.
The choir has taken part in many art events:
International and all-Ukrainian festivals and such like projects: The First all-Ukrainian choir assembly (Kyiv, 1993), creative project “Slobozchans’kyi Velykden” (Kyiv, 1996),2000 years of the Nativity and the Reformation Day celebration (Germany, 2000),The VI Choir-fest “Zolotoverkhyi Kyiv” (Kyiv, 2002), “Taras Shevchenko
Taras Shevchenko
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko -Life:Born into a serf family of Hryhoriy Ivanovych Shevchenko and Kateryna Yakymivna Shevchenko in the village of Moryntsi, of Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven...
prizewinners’ suzir’ya” (Kyiv, 2003), The all-Ukrainian choir assembly by 130-years from Oleksandr Koshytsia’s birth (Kyiv, 2005) – at experts of arts and artistic groups of Kharkiv region concerts under review (Kyiv – 1999, 2001, 2004); as a guest of honour – to The all-Ukrainian choir contest (Dnipropetrovs’k city, 2006) and to The International contest “Khainovs’ki dni tserkovnykh pisnespiviv” (Poland, 2006, 2009, 2011 Grand-prix of the Festival).
Concert programmes of the Chamber choir are composed of works by Ukrainian composers Lesia Dychko
Lesia Dychko
-Life:Lesia Dychko was born in Kiev and graduated from the M.V. Lysenko Secondary Musical School in 1959 with a degree in music theory. In 1964 she graduated from the Kiev National Musical Academy of Ukraine in composition, studying with Konstantyn Dankevych and Borys Lyatoshynsky...
, T. Kravtsov, Mykola Leontovych
Mykola Leontovych
Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych was a Ukrainian composer, choral conductor, priest, and teacher of international renown. His music was inspired by Mykola Lysenko and the Ukrainian nationalist music school, along with Kyrylo Stetsenko, Alexander Koshetz, and Yakiv Stepovy...
, Mykola Lysenko
Mykola Lysenko
Mykola Vitaliiovych Lysenko was a Ukrainian composer, pianist, conductor and ethnomusicologist.- Biography :Lysenko was born in Hrynky, Kremenchuk Povit, Poltava Governorate, the son of Vitaliy Romanovich Lysenko . From childhood he became very interested in the folksongs of Ukrainian peasants and...
, Yevhen Stankovych
Yevhen Stankovych
Yevhen Fedorovych Stankovych is a contemporary Ukrainian composer of stage, orchestral, chamber, and choral works. His works have been performed around the globe.- Biography :...
, Kyrylo Stetsenko
Kyrylo Stetsenko
Kyrylo Hryhorovych Stetsenko was a prolific Ukrainian composer, conductor, critic, and teacher. Late in his life he became an Ukrainian Orthodox Priest and head of the Music section of the Ministry of Education of the short-lived Ukrainian People's Republic.- Early life and Education :Kyrylo...
, M. Stetsiun; Russian composers V. Gavrylin, Mikhail Glinka
Mikhail Glinka
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka , was the first Russian composer to gain wide recognition within his own country, and is often regarded as the father of Russian classical music...
, Sergei Rachmaninov, Sergei Taneyev
Sergei Taneyev
Sergei Ivanovich Taneyev , was a Russian composer, pianist, teacher of composition, music theorist and author.-Life:...
, Alfred Schnittke
Alfred Schnittke
Alfred Schnittke ; November 24, 1934 – August 3, 1998) was a Russian and Soviet composer. Schnittke's early music shows the strong influence of Dmitri Shostakovich. He developed a polystylistic technique in works such as the epic First Symphony and First Concerto Grosso...
; west-european composers I. S. Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
, Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz
Hector Berlioz was a French Romantic composer, best known for his compositions Symphonie fantastique and Grande messe des morts . Berlioz made significant contributions to the modern orchestra with his Treatise on Instrumentation. He specified huge orchestral forces for some of his works; as a...
, Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
, O. Lasso, W. A. Mozart, F. Schubert, K. Gorskiy, Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki
Krzysztof Penderecki , born November 23, 1933 in Dębica) is a Polish composer and conductor. His 1960 avant-garde Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima for string orchestra brought him to international attention, and this success was followed by acclaim for his choral St. Luke Passion. Both these...
, etc.
In November 2008 the Choir received the status of Academic and named after Vyacheslav Palkin.
Choir Discography
- “Petite messe sollennelle” Gioachino Rossini, religious and folk music (2000)
- “Spochatku bulo slovo” – exclusive double CD with music by Duke EllingtonDuke EllingtonEdward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
with jazz musicians from St. Petersburg (Russia) - Vladimir Feiertag and David GoloschekinDavid GoloschekinDavid Goloschekin is a Russian jazz musician. A multi-instrumentalist, performing on the violin , saxophone, vibes, piano, bass, drums and flugelhorn.- References :...
(2000).