Oleh Krysa
Encyclopedia
Oleh Krysa is a Ukrainian American violinist, Merited Artist of Ukraine
.
in the Lublin Voivodeship
, Poland
, into a family of Ukrainian aristocrats. In 1945, as a result of the so-called Operation Vistula, Oleh's family found itself in Lviv
, where he grew up and spent his school years.
Although none of the family had any professional music background, his mother, who was often heard singing, wanted young Oleh to play violin, although his father preferred that he learned to play piano. Thus, at the age of six, Oleh started learning to play the violin. His first teacher was Konstantin Mikhailov [who, himself, was a pupil of Sergey Korguyev (known in the West as Serge P. Korgueff, a pupil and assistant of Leopold Auer
]. After graduating from the Lviv Specialized Music School in 1960, Oleh Krysa entered the Moscow Conservatory
. From 1960 to 1967 he studied there under David Oistrakh
, who said of him: "Oleh has brilliant natural gifts, unusual musicality, vivid artistry, and great charm."
, Oleh Krysa performed as a soloist at the Kiev Philharmonic
, at the same time teaching at the Kiev Conservatory
. Six years later, he again headed for Moscow, where he joined the renowned Beethoven Quartet
as the first violinist. He played with the ensemble until it dissolved in 1987. Since the 1960s, Oleh Krysa has continued to perform as a soloist with leading orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the world.
As an advocate of modern music, Mr. Krysa has been privileged to premier works of such composers as Alfred Schnittke
, Valentin Silvestrov
, Myroslav Skoryk
, Virko Baley
and Vyacheslav Artyomov
.
Oleh Krysa regularly holds master classes at the following locations:
, Triton (Discordia), Lydian, PolyGram
-Polska, Troppe Note/Cambria, Russian Disk (USA).
Merited Artist of Ukraine
Merited [Performing] Artist of Ukraine is a state honorary title of decoration awarded by the Ukrainian SSR and later Ukraine for outstanding achievement in the performing arts...
.
Early life
Oleh Krysa was born in Uchanie, now Gmina UchanieGmina Uchanie
Gmina Uchanie is a rural gmina in Hrubieszów County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. Its seat is the village of Uchanie, which lies approximately north-west of Hrubieszów and south-east of the regional capital Lublin....
in the Lublin Voivodeship
Lublin Voivodeship
- Administrative division :Lublin Voivodeship is divided into 24 counties : 4 city counties and 20 land counties. These are further divided into 213 gminas....
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, into a family of Ukrainian aristocrats. In 1945, as a result of the so-called Operation Vistula, Oleh's family found itself in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, where he grew up and spent his school years.
Although none of the family had any professional music background, his mother, who was often heard singing, wanted young Oleh to play violin, although his father preferred that he learned to play piano. Thus, at the age of six, Oleh started learning to play the violin. His first teacher was Konstantin Mikhailov [who, himself, was a pupil of Sergey Korguyev (known in the West as Serge P. Korgueff, a pupil and assistant of Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer
Leopold Auer was a Hungarian violinist, teacher, conductor and composer.-Early life and career:...
]. After graduating from the Lviv Specialized Music School in 1960, Oleh Krysa entered the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
. From 1960 to 1967 he studied there under David Oistrakh
David Oistrakh
David Fyodorovich Oistrakh , , David Fiodorović Ojstrakh, ; – October 24, 1974, was a Soviet violinist....
, who said of him: "Oleh has brilliant natural gifts, unusual musicality, vivid artistry, and great charm."
Performing
After graduating from the Moscow ConservatoryMoscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
, Oleh Krysa performed as a soloist at the Kiev Philharmonic
National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine
The National Philharmonic Society of Ukraine , often referred to as Kiev Philharmonic and National Philharmonic, is a concert hall in Kiev, Ukraine....
, at the same time teaching at the Kiev Conservatory
Kiev Conservatory
The Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music education. Its courses include postgraduate education.-History:...
. Six years later, he again headed for Moscow, where he joined the renowned Beethoven Quartet
Beethoven Quartet
The Beethoven Quartet was founded between 1922 and 1923 by graduates of the Moscow Conservatory: violinists Dmitri Tsyganov and Vasily Shirinsky, violist Vadim Borisovsky and cellist Sergei Shirinsky...
as the first violinist. He played with the ensemble until it dissolved in 1987. Since the 1960s, Oleh Krysa has continued to perform as a soloist with leading orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout the world.
As an advocate of modern music, Mr. Krysa has been privileged to premier works of such composers as 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...
, Valentin Silvestrov
Valentin Silvestrov
Valentyn Vasylyovych Sylvestrov is a Ukrainian pianist and composer of contemporary classical music.-Education:Sylvestrov began private music lessons at age 15...
, Myroslav Skoryk
Myroslav Skoryk
Myroslav Skoryk is a famous Ukrainian composer of diverse and impressive compositions. His music is contemporary in style and contains stylistic traits from two disparate folk traditions: Ukrainian and American.- Early life :...
, Virko Baley
Virko Baley
Virko Baley is a renowned Ukrainian-American composer, conductor, and pianist. He was born in Radekhiv, Union of Soviet Socialist Republic , the only child of Petro and Lydia Baley. Before he had celebrated his first birthday, Hitler's army had invaded Poland and World War II had begun...
and Vyacheslav Artyomov
Vyacheslav Artyomov
Vyacheslav Petrovich Artyomov also Artemov is a Russian and Soviet composer.-Biography:Artyomov first studied physics at the Moscow University, then later studied music. He graduated from the Moscow Conservatory in 1968 where studied composition with Nikolai Sidelnikov. He became a member of the...
.
Teaching
- 1969—1973 — first Chairman of Violin Department at Kiev ConservatoryKiev ConservatoryThe Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music education. Its courses include postgraduate education.-History:...
- since 1971 — professor at Kiev ConservatoryKiev ConservatoryThe Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music education. Its courses include postgraduate education.-History:...
- since 1973 — professor at Gnessin State Musical CollegeGnessin State Musical CollegeThe Gnessin State Musical College and Gnessin Russian Academy of Music is a prominent music school in Moscow, Russia...
, Moscow - 1974 — professor at Moscow ConservatoryMoscow ConservatoryThe Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
- since 1989 — teacher, professor at Eastman School of MusicEastman School of MusicThe Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
, Rochester, New YorkRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Oleh Krysa regularly holds master classes at the following locations:
- Canada: TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... - China: ShenyangShenyangShenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
- Germany: HanoverHanoverHanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, Freiburg, HitzackerHitzackerHitzacker is a town in the Lüchow-Dannenberg district of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the river Elbe, approx. 8 km north of Dannenberg, and 45 km east of Lüneburg. The 2007 population of Hitzacker was 4,982, and its postal code is 29456. The mayor is Karl Guhl...
, WeimarWeimarWeimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899... - Japan: TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Hamamatsu - Korea: SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
- Poland: WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Łańcut - U.S.A.: New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, OberlinOberlinOberlin may refer to:Places in the United States* Oberlin, Kansas* Oberlin, Louisiana* Oberlin, Ohio** Oberlin College** Oberlin ConservatoryPeople*Oberlin...
, Philadelphia
Family
- Wife: Tatiana Chekina — pianist
- Children: Peter — violinist; Taras — violinist and conductor
- Siblings: Bogdan Krysa — violinist, pedagogue Kiev Academy of MusicKiev ConservatoryThe Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music is a Ukrainian state institution of higher music education. Its courses include postgraduate education.-History:...
; Roman Krysa — electronics engineer, graduate of Lviv PolytechnicLviv PolytechnicLviv Polytechnic National University is the largest scientific university in Lviv. Since its foundation in 1844, it was one of the most important centres of science and technological development in Central Europe. In the interbellum period, the Polytechnic was one of the most important technical...
Recordings
Oleh Krysa has recorded about 40 albums for the following labels: Melodya, BIS RecordsBIS Records
BIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. It is located in Åkersberga, Sweden.BIS focuses on classical music, both contemporary and early, especially works that are not already well represented by existing recordings....
, Triton (Discordia), Lydian, PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
-Polska, Troppe Note/Cambria, Russian Disk (USA).
Partial discography
- Schnittke: Works for Violin and Cello (BIS, 2004)
- Schnittke: Violin Sonatas Nos.3 & 4. (BIS, 2004)
- Prelude in Memoriam Shostakovich (BIS, 2004)
- Ravel/Martinu/Honegger/Schulhoff (BIS, 1998)
- Bloch: Concerto For Violin And Orchestra/Poems Of The Sea/Suite Symphonique (BIS, 1995)
- The Leontovych String Quartet • Shostakovitch/Tchajkovsky (Greystone Records, ASIN: B000FEU70Y)
- Ludwig van Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas, Triton (DML Classics), 1999
- Collaboration with Mykola SukMykola Suk-Biography:Born in Kiev, Ukraine , into a musical family, Mykola studied at Kiev Specialized Music School and made his first public appearance at the age of eight. He later studied at Moscow Conservatory.-Pianist:...
- Collaboration with Mykola Suk