Herman Makarenko

Herman Makarenko
Background information
Native name Герман Макаренко
Born 29 June 1961
Lviv, Ukraine
Genres Opera, ballet, symphonic, chamber
Occupation(s) Conductor
Associated acts National Opera of Ukraine, Kyiv Classic Orchestra
Website www.kyivclassic.com

Herman Makarenko (born 29 June 1961, Ukraine) is the conductor of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of Ukraine named after Taras Shevchenko, the chief conductor and artistic director of the orchestra «Kyiv-Classic», Honored Artist of Ukraine, PhD, Doctor of Arts, Professor, Ambassador of the Ukrainian culture.

The author of the annual exclusive projects – «Concert Premier», «New Year Strauss Concert», «Declaration of Love».

He has toured all over the world - USA, Canada, France, Italy, Russia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Macedonia, Belgium, Serbia, and others. Performed in prestigious concert halls of Europe: UNESCO Headquarters Hall, the Madeleine Church Hall in Paris, Bedřich Smetana Hall in Prague, Cercle Royal Gaulois in Brussels, etc.

Has recorded more than 10 CDs with works of Western European, Russian, Ukrainian composers (including full music for Tchaikovsky's ballet «Swan Lake», «Nutcracker» and others).

Author of monographs – «Music and Philosophy: Schopenhauer, Wagner, Nietzsche», «The Conductor's Creative Work: the Dimensions of Aesthetics and Art History» and a manual for students in higher education.

Biography

Among connoisseurs of classical music Herman Makarenko is well known as the Ukrainian conductor - philosopher, who gave a new lease of classical music from different eras due to his tireless work.

Herman Makarenko was born on 29 June 1961 in the city of Lviv in the family of musical theater artists.

Beginning his study at the Kiev music specialized school named after Mykola Lysenko (the part of the National Music Academy of Ukraine) in 1976 (in those days - State Conservatory), Herman graduated from the piano faculty of this Academy in 1986. In 1985, during his study, he became a student of conducting faculty of the Department of opera and symphony conducting.

Among the mentors who had a great influence on the formation and fate of a young musician were national actors of Ukraine Roman Kofman and Oleg Ryabov, and principal conductor of the National Opera of Ukraine - Stephen Turchak. It was he who in 1987 invited, then a young intern at the Opera House, where Herman, as well as all new conductors, went through all the stages of formation - from assistant-trainee to the lead conductor.

He has toured with various symphony orchestras and opera theaters around the world, including USA, Canada, France, Italy, Belgium, Serbia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovakia, Russia and others.

Headed by Herman Makarenko "Kyiv-Classic" Orchestra has been widely recognized in Ukraine as well as abroad. High professional status of the collective in many aspects supported by his exclusive music projects, including "Concert premiere", "New Year’s Strauss Concert", "Declaration of love".

The program of the orchestra includes a large number of works by composers of different eras and nations. The musical compositions by Ukrainian composers such as S. Gulak-Artemovsky, N. Lysenko, V. Gubarenko, M. Skoryk, E. Stankovich, M.Chemberdzhi, I. Shcherbakov, Y. Shevchenko etc. take a special attention in the creative portfolio of "Kyiv-Classic" Orchestra.

Maestro Makarenko efficiently combines an active conductor’s practice activities with the theoretical comprehension of philosophical and aesthetic essence of musical art form, the phenomenon of the complex and multifaceted problem of creativity and, in particular, the creativity of opera and symphony conductor.

The writing of his PhD thesis " The Irrational Aesthetics of the 19th Century: The Musical Point" became the consequence of symbiosis of theory and practice, the defense of which was held at the Philosophical Faculty of Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University (May 2000), and Doctoral thesis - "Creativity in the context of a conductor’s integrative approach ", the defense of which was held at the National Music Academy of Ukraine (June, 2006). Professor Makarenko has been efficiently transmitting his experience to rising generation of young conductors during the last 20 years.

Awards

External links