Valentina Ponomaryova (singer)
Encyclopedia
Valentina Dmitriyevna Ponomaryova (born 10 July 1939, Moscow
), often also spelled Ponomareva, is a Russia
n singer, performer of romances
and a jazz
vocalist.
n pianist Irina Lukashova. Valentina was born when her parents were students of the Moscow Conservatory
and lived in a student dormitory
. Valentina was growing among classical European and Gypsy music.
Her parents travelled a lot so Valentina studied at many schools. After she finished her school she entered the Khabarovsk Arts Institute. She studied both vocal and piano
. As a student she learnt about jazz
and took a great interest in it.
Valentina took external degrees and was invited to a theater to act the part of a Gypsy singer in a dramatic play "The Living Corpse
" (by Lev Tolstoy). Her role included several songs and was a great success with the audience.
In 1967 Valentina took part in the International Jazz Festival in Tallinn
. There she was noticed and invited to join Anatoliy Krol's jazz-band, which was quite famous in the USSR.
In 1971 the singer left the band and became an actress in the Gypsy "Romen" theatre in Moscow. In 1973, trio "Romen" performed on stage, with Valentina as a singer. In 1973 the trio was the laureate of the USSR Variety Performers Contest.
In 1983 Valentina left trio "Romen" and worked alone. Soon, she was invited to record songs of the main female hero in the film "Cruel Romance". These songs were radio hits for many years.
In 1988 she voiced the Woman in the cult animated feature film The Cat Who Walked by Herself
. http://www.jazz.ru/mag/43/novok.htm.
Her complete recordings with the legendary Trio Romen is being re-released (2008) by Jon Larsen
's Hot Club Records
.
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
), often also spelled Ponomareva, is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n singer, performer of romances
Romance (music)
The term romance has a centuries-long history. Applied to narrative ballads in Spain, it came to be used by the 18th century for simple lyrical pieces not only for voice, but also for instruments alone. During the 18th and 19th centuries Russian composers developed the French variety of the...
and a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
vocalist.
Biography
Valentina's father is a Gypsy violinist Dmitriy Ponomaryov, her mother is a RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n pianist Irina Lukashova. Valentina was born when her parents were students of 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...
and lived in a student dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
. Valentina was growing among classical European and Gypsy music.
Her parents travelled a lot so Valentina studied at many schools. After she finished her school she entered the Khabarovsk Arts Institute. She studied both vocal and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. As a student she learnt about jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and took a great interest in it.
Valentina took external degrees and was invited to a theater to act the part of a Gypsy singer in a dramatic play "The Living Corpse
The Living Corpse
The Living Corpse is a Russian play by Leo Tolstoy. Although written around 1900, it was only published shortly after his death—Tolstoy had never considered the work finished...
" (by Lev Tolstoy). Her role included several songs and was a great success with the audience.
In 1967 Valentina took part in the International Jazz Festival in Tallinn
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
. There she was noticed and invited to join Anatoliy Krol's jazz-band, which was quite famous in the USSR.
In 1971 the singer left the band and became an actress in the Gypsy "Romen" theatre in Moscow. In 1973, trio "Romen" performed on stage, with Valentina as a singer. In 1973 the trio was the laureate of the USSR Variety Performers Contest.
In 1983 Valentina left trio "Romen" and worked alone. Soon, she was invited to record songs of the main female hero in the film "Cruel Romance". These songs were radio hits for many years.
In 1988 she voiced the Woman in the cult animated feature film The Cat Who Walked by Herself
The Cat Who Walked by Herself
The Cat Who Walked by Herself is a 1988 Soviet animated feature film directed by Ideya Garanina and made at the Soyuzmultfilm studio. It is based on Rudyard Kipling's short story, The Cat that Walked by Himself...
. http://www.jazz.ru/mag/43/novok.htm.
Her complete recordings with the legendary Trio Romen is being re-released (2008) by Jon Larsen
Jon Larsen
Jon Larsen is an autodidact guitarist, composer, surrealistic painter, and record producer with heavy influence on the revival of Gypsy jazz worldwide...
's Hot Club Records
Hot Club Records
Hot Club Records is a Record company established 1982, by guitar player Jon Larsen. More than 350 released CDs, DVDs and books, mostly jazz related.Some artists on Hot Club Records: Chet Baker, Philip Catherine, Warne Marsh, and the poet Jan Erik Vold....
.