National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine) |

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

The Ukrainian State Orchestra was created in 1937 on the basis of the symphony orchestra of the Kyiv Regional Radio Committee (organized in 1929 under the direction of M. M. Kanershtein).

In 1937-62 (with a break in 1941-46) the artistic director and chief conductor was N. G. Rakhlin, People’s Artist of the USSR. During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45 the orchestra worked in Dushanbe, then in Ordzhonikidze. The repertoire includes classical works by Russian and Western European authors, works by Soviet composers; the orchestra performed for the first time many works by Ukrainian composers (including the 3rd-6th symphonies of B. N. Lyatoshinsky).

Conductors L. M. Braginsky, M. M. Kanershtein, A. I. Klimov, K. A. Simeonov, E. G. Shabaltina worked with the orchestra, the largest Soviet and foreign performers repeatedly performed, including conductors – A V. Gauk, K. K. Ivanov, E. A. Mravinsky, K. I. Eliasberg, G. Abendrot, J. Georgescu, K. Sanderling, N. Malko, L. Stokowski, G. Unger, B. Ferrero , O. Fried, K. Zecchi and others; pianists — E. G. Gilels, R. R. Kerer, G. G. Neuhaus, L. N. Oborin, C. T. Richter, C. Arrau, X. Iturbi, V. Cliburn, A. Fischer, S. François, G. Czerny-Stephanska; violinists – L. B. Kogan, D. F. Oistrakh, I. Menuhin, I. Stern; cellist G. Casado and others.

In 1968-1973, the orchestra was headed by Vladimir Kozhukhar, Honored Art Worker of the Ukrainian SSR, who since 1964 was the second conductor of the orchestra. In 1973, the People’s Artist of Ukraine Stepan Turchak returned to the State Symphony Orchestra of the Ukrainian SSR. Under his leadership, the team actively toured in Ukraine and abroad, took part in the Days of Literature and Art of Ukraine in Estonia (1974), Belarus (1976), and repeatedly gave creative reports in Moscow and Leningrad. In 1976, by order of the USSR Ministry of Culture, the State Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine was awarded the honorary title of an academic team.

In 1978, the orchestra was headed by the People’s Artist of the Ukrainian SSR Fyodor Glushchenko. The orchestra took part in music festivals in Moscow (1983), Brno and Bratislava (Czechoslovakia, 1986), was on tour in Bulgaria, Latvia, Azerbaijan (1979), Armenia, Poland (1980), Georgia (1982).

In 1988, People’s Artist of Ukraine Igor Blazhkov became the artistic director and chief conductor of the orchestra, who updated the repertoire and significantly increased the professional level of the orchestra. The team is invited to festivals in Germany (1989), Spain, Russia (1991), France (1992). The best concert programs were recorded on CDs by Analgeta (Canada) and Claudio Records (Great Britain).

By the Decree of the President of Ukraine dated June 3, 1994, the State Honored Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine was given the status of the National Honored Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine.

In 1994, an American of Ukrainian origin, conductor Teodor Kuchar, was appointed to the position of general director and artistic director of the ensemble. Under his leadership, the orchestra became the most frequently recorded ensemble in the former Soviet Union. Over the course of eight years, the orchestra has recorded more than 45 CDs for Naxos and Marco Polo, including all symphonies by V. Kalinnikov, B. Lyatoshinsky, B. Martin and S. Prokofiev, a number of works by W. Mozart, A. Dvorak, P. Tchaikovsky, A. Glazunov, D. Shostakovich, R. Shchedrin, E. Stankovich. The disc with B. Lyatoshinsky’s Second and Third Symphonies was recognized by ABC as the “Best World Record of 1994”. The orchestra gave concerts for the first time in Australia, Hong Kong, Great Britain.

At the end of 1997, People’s Artist of Ukraine Ivan Gamkalo was appointed artistic director of the National Symphony Orchestra. In 1999, the Honored Artist of Ukraine, laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize Vladimir Sirenko became the chief conductor, and since 2000 the artistic director of the orchestra.

Photo from the orchestra’s official website