Kharkiv Philharmonic Society
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 Wieniawski, Pablo Sarasate, Mattia Battistini, Titta Ruffo, Feodor Chaliapin, Piotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninov, Alexander Scriabin, Aram Khachaturian, Mstislav Rostropovich, Dmitri Shostakovich, Krzysztof Penderecki 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. The Ukrainian Broadcasting Station transmitted its first radio signal here.
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 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 collaborations with famous conductors Kurt Sanderling and Guido Adler, Fritz Stiedry, and Eugen Szenkar (Hungary). Natan Rakhlin and David Oistrakh started their career with this orchestra.
Throughout the orchestra's history, brilliant musicians have performed with it, including Anton Rubinstein, Henrih Neigauz, Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels, Aram Khachaturian, Mstislav Rostropovich, Rudolf Kehrer, Vladimir Krainev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Vakhtang Jordania, Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Spivakov, Dimitri Bashkirov, Daniel Kramer, Sergey Stadler, Alexander Kniazev, Alain Daboncourt, James Oliverio, Sayaka Shoji, Ernest Hoetzl, Anton Sorokow, Alexander Gavrylyuk, Krzysztof Penderecki 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 Young Pianists Competition”, “The International Young Pianists Competition” in the town of Kitzingen (Germany), and “The International Vakhtang Jordania 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 the 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
Born in Kharkiv, Yanko completed the first part of his musical studies in his native town at Special Music School (1980). He then attended Kharkiv University of Arts (1985) and Kyiv National Conservatory (1991), studying operatic & symphonic conducting with Turchak, Dushchenko, Vakhtang Jordania.
Yanko has been Conductor of the Academic Philharmonic Orchestra in Zaporizhzhya (1991–1994), and Music Director and Conductor of the Kharkiv Special Music School Chamber Orchestra (1999–2004). Since 1994, he has conducted at the Kharkiv Opera House, where he has staged many opera and ballet performances.
Since 2001 Yanko has worked as Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Academic Symphony Orchestra of Kharkiv Philharmonic, and in 2004 he was appointed Director of the Kharkiv Philharmonic (which involves several different musical collectives, including the orchestra).
Yanko has received Kharkiv Regional Government Diplomas (2002, 2006), and 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 the 21st century”, 2010.
Well-known musicians of the present – Dmitri Bashkirov, Bogodar Kotorovitch, Vladimir Krainev, Daniel Kramer, Yuriy Loyevsky, Nikolai Arnoldovich Petrov, Sergey Stadler, Naum Shtarkman, Alexander Kniazev, and many others – appreciate Yanko’s conducting mastery.
He has conducted in many countries: Austria, the Netherlands, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Czech, Poland, Bulgaria, Russia, USA, France, and Switzerland.
In the past few years he has guest conducted at the Musikverein Vienna, Rome SymphonicOorchestra, Berlin Symphonic Orchestra, Budapest Symphonic Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfonica Nacional de Mexico, Praha Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kammerphilarmonie Muenchen, Kaertner Symfony Klagenfurt, North Check Philarmonic Orchestra, and Nuenberger Symphoniker.
RECORDINGS: Shostakovich concerts № 6, № 2 are recorded Moravian Philharmonic in the Czech Radio studios in Olomouc.
Singers: Sergey Stilmashenko (Grand Opera)
Instrumentalists - Anton Sorokov (piano), Vadim Repin(violin), Daniil Kramer (piano), Alexander Knyazev (cello), Dmitry Bashkirov (piano), Nikolay Petrov (piano), Vladimir Kraynev (piano), Victor Pikayzen (violin), and Sergey Stadler (violin).
He has received the order of merits for the republic of Ukraine from the president of Ukraine.
Musicians' words about the 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 Gilels/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/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/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/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/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/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.
The 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, and the USA, being appreciated by music community 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 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, T. Kravtsov, Mykola Leontovych, Mykola Lysenko, Yevhen Stankovych, Kyrylo Stetsenko, M. Stetsiun; Russian composers V. Gavrylin, Mikhail Glinka, Sergei Rachmaninov, Sergei Taneyev, Alfred Schnittke; west-European composers I. S. Bach, Hector Berlioz, Carl Maria von Weber, O. Lasso, W. A. Mozart, F. Schubert, K. Gorskiy, Krzysztof Penderecki, etc.
In November 2008 the choir received the status of Academic and was named after Vyacheslav Palkin. 2011- Academic Choir won Grand Prix at the International Festival "Hajnowskie Dni Muzyki Cerkiewnej" in Hajnówka, Poland. 2012- Viacheslaff Palkin Academic Choir took 4th place at the Béla Bartók 25th International Choir Competition and Folklore Festival in Debrecen, Hungary. This contest included 24 participants from 14 countries of the world.
Choir Discography
- “Petite messe sollennelle” Gioachino Rossini, religious and folk music (2000)
- “Spochatku bulo slovo” – exclusive double CD with music by Duke Ellington with jazz musicians from St. Petersburg (Russia) - Vladimir Feiertag and David Goloschekin (2000).
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kharkiv Philharmonic. |