Volodymyr Kozhukhar | |
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Володимир Кожухар | |
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| Born | Volodymyr Markovych Kozhukhar (1941-03-16)16 March 1941 Vinnytsia, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 3 December 2022(2022-12-03) (aged 81) |
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Volodymyr Markovych Kozhukhar (Ukrainian:Володимир Маркович Кожухар; 16 March 1941 – 3 December 2022) was a Soviet and Ukrainian conductor and academic teacher who focused on opera. Most notably, he conducted and taught in Kyiv and Moscow, among other places.
His first post was chief conductor of theSymphony Orchestra of the Ukrainian SSR, producing several recordings. In Moscow, he was chief conductor of theStanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre from 1977 and professor of orchestral conducting at theGnesin Music and Pedagogy Institute from 1978. In Kyiv, he directed theNational Opera of Ukraine from 1989 to 2011, and taught at theKyiv Conservatory from 1993. He conducted both internal operatic repertoire and stage works by Ukrainian composers, and took the opera company on tours throughout Europe, Canada, and Japan.
Kozhukhar received theOrder of Merit of Ukraine, 1st class in 2016.
Kozhukhar was born inVinnytsia. According to a 2011 interview, Kozhukhar was drawn to conducting at the age of 18, when he was enrolled at theKyiv Conservatory as an instrumentalist who also composed music as a hobby. He also spent much time studying orchestral scores, which caught the attention of fellow students and, later, school administrative staff. Despite being invited to study conducting, Kozhukhar initially declined the offer. His teachers persuaded him to reconsider, telling him that "a single orchestral instrument [was] not enough" for him.[1]
He proceeded to study conducting with Mikhail Kanerstein[2] at theKyiv Conservatory and graduated from there in 1963.[3] Kozhukhar also continued post-graduate studies in conducting withGennady Rozhdestvensky at theMoscow Conservatory.[2]
Kozhukhar began conducting professionally in 1964.[4] He became conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Ukrainian SSR (laterState Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine),[3] and in 1967 their chief conductor.[4]
Kozhukhar conducted at theKyiv Opera and Ballet Theatre from 1973 to 1977.[3] From 1977 to 1988, he was chief conductor of theStanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre in Moscow.[3][2] In 1989, he became chief conductor of theNational Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv, where he led classical repertoire, and also works by Ukrainian composers including Lysenko'sTaras Bulba, Lyatoshynsky'sThe Golden Hoop, andYevhen Stankovych's 2001 balletVikings.[4] He conducted Rodion Shchedrin'sCarmen Suite, written in 1967 for Shchedrin's wife, the ballerinaMaya Plisetskaya, and scored for string orchestra with percussion; the choreography was byAlberto Alonso. A reviewer noted that he conducted with all qualities necessary for the "charged, erotic, dramatic score".[5] In 2019, Kozhukhar programed the work with Rimsky-Korsakov'sScheherazade,[5] wherein the choreography byMichel Fokine was revived.[5] Kozhukhar took part in a gala concert, Masterpieces of World Music. The company toured Europe, Canada, Lebanon, and Japan. Performances that he led on tours included Tchaikovsky'sMazeppa in Paris in 1992, Verdi'sNabucco at theStrasbourg Music Festival of 1993, and Shostakovich'sKaterina Izmailova inNaples.[4] He held the post until 2011.[3]
Kozhukhar taught opera and orchestral conducting at theKyiv Conservatory from 1965 to 1977, orchestral conducting at theGnesin Music and Pedagogy Institute in Moscow from 1978 to 1988, and was a professor at the Kyiv Conservatory from 1993.[3]
Kozhukhar had acquired the nickname "TheTracker" from violinistOleh Krysa because, according to him, a soloist could not get away from him." Later he was also known as "The Computer", a nickname which Kozhukhar said he enjoyed:
Keeping in mind that a conductor has got to think faster than everyone else sitting before him, I am not offended [by the name]. Fooling me is impossible. I hear everything. I tell performers that the only times I make no comments [during rehearsal] are: if they are brilliant or if they are hopeless.[1]
Kozhukhar died on 3 December 2022, at age 81.[4]
Kozhukhar recorded works by Ukrainian composers such asBorys Lyatoshynsky,Andriy Shtoharenko,Lev Kolodub,Vitaliy Hubarenko, andMyroslav Skoryk.[3] In 1970, he recordedHeorhiy Maiboroda’s Symphony No. 2 (1952, revised 1966) with the Ukrainian SSR State Symphony Orchestra.[6]: 37 He recorded two symphonies byLevko Revutsky: the Symphony No. 1 in A major, Op. 3 (1916–21, rev. 1957), combined with the Maiboroday symphony in 1970, and the Symphony No. 2 in E major, Op. 12 (1926-7, rev. 1940 and 1970) in 1973.[6]: 69 He recorded Serdar Mukhatov's Symphony No. 2 in 1981.[6]: 53
Kozhukhar was awarded theOrder of Merit of Ukraine of the first degree in 2016.[4]
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