OLEKSANDR SEMCHUK
Teacher at the Matera Conservatory and at the Florence Music Academy

Oleksandr Semchuk began studying violin at 4 years of age with Maestro I. Pylatiuk. When only eight years old he started the career performing his first concert as a soloist with an orchestra. Among his teachers are such world-renowned violinists as Bohodar Kotorovych, Yehudi Menuhin, Tibor Varga, Viktor Tretyakov, and Alberto Lysy.

At an early age, he won the prestigious and much coveted All-Soviet-Union Competition “Youth Assembly of Art” in Moscow, going on to win the Mykola Lysenko International Competition, Ukraine, City of Gubbio Award, Italy, and other international competitions.

Meanwhile, he embarked on a career that has brought him worldwide success, both as a soloist with orchestra and chamber music performer, collaborating with such internationally renowned musicians as B.Canino, R.Koelman, V.Sirenko, A.Lucchesini, O.Mandozzi, M.Brunello, V.Kozhukhar, K.Bogino, L.Gorokhov, M.Kugel, V.Mendelssohn, E.Baatarzhavyn, G.Mirabassi, M.Rysanov, M.Diadiura, O.Kogan, D.Cohen, B.Petrushansky, K.Karabitz, N.Eppinger, D.Shapovalov, A.Casellati, G.Fratta and others.

In recognition of Semchuk’s contribution as founder and promoter of the cultural project “Artists for the renaissance of Ukraine”, The Ukrainian State awarded him in 2002 with the title of “Merited Artist of Ukraine”.

Throughout the territory of the former Soviet Union, Oleksandr is the youngest artist to be awarded the “Title of Honour” of the State. For outstanding cultural achievement and development of the Italian violin school, he was awarded the Prizes of Honor “Laszlo Spezzaferri” (2013) and “Rinaldo Rossi” (2014).

Since October of 2002, Maestro Semchuk has been living in Italy, where he has built up a busy teaching career, first working at the Fiesole School of Music and the Music Academy of Florence, where she still teaches. In 2010 Maestro was invited by Honorary Director, M° Vladimir Ashkenazy, to create and coordinate the String Department at the Imola International Piano Academy “Incontri col Maestro”.
His success as a violin professor is evident in the multiple awards and prizes (over 60) won by his students in important International Competitions over the years. These include the Oistrakh International Competition (Moscow), Brahms International Competition (Pordschach), Monaco Master’s International Competition (Monaco), Kreisler International Competition (Vienna), to

name but a few. His former students include leaders and members of major orchestras throughout Europe, as well as violin professors at State Conservatories, Universities, and high schools.

Regularly holds masterclasses at Royal College of Music (London), Paris Conservatory, and various Italian State Conservatories.

Oleksandr Semchuk often is a member of juries of international violin and chamber music competitions. He has made several recordings, and recorded more than seven hours of music as a soloist to the “Golden Collection of Ukraine”, with contributions from the great solo repertoire including Brahms and Sibelius concertos.

He plays an Auguste Bernardel violin dated 1840 and uses the bow “White Lady” by Daniel Vera Navea.

CD RECORDINGS

  • HAYDN MENDELSSOHN, Two double concerts, J.R.C.UKRAINE, Joseph Haydn, Double Concerto F-Dur for Violin, Harpsichord and Strings, Hob.XVIII:6; Felix Mendelssohn – Bartholdy, Concerto N.1 d-moll for Violin, Piano and Strings, Oles Semchuk – violin, Anna Seredenko – piano Ensemble of Soloists of the National Symphonic Orchestra of Ukraine. Volodymyr Sirenko – conductor
  • OLEKSANDR SEMCHUK, Masterpieces, of Violin Music, J.R.C.UKRAINE, Jean Sibelius, Concert for violin and orchestra d-moll, op. 47; Henri Wieniawski, Variations on an original theme, op. 15; Myroslav Skoryk, Caprice for violin solo. Oleksandr Semchuk – violin, Anna Seredenko – piano, Kyiv Symphonic Orchestra, Volodymyr Sirenko – conductor
  • KAROL SZYMANOWSKI,  J.R.C.UKRAINE, Sonata for violin and piano, op.9, Myths. Three poems for violin and piano, op.30; Tree caprices of Paganini, op.40. Oles Semchuk – violin, Anna Seredenko – piano
  • Masterpieces of Violin and Chamber Music, J.R.C.Ukraine, O. SEMCHUK and 
  • A. SEREDENKO, Masterpieces of Violin and Chamber Music: J.S. Bach, Sonata for violin and harpsichord No.4, c-moll, BWV 1017;  R. Schumann, Sonata a-moll for violin and piano, op.105;  B. Britten, Suite for violin and piano, op.6;  E. Chausson,  Poéme for violin and orchestra, op.25. Oleksandr Semchuk – violin, Anna Seredenko – piano, Kyiv Symphonic Orchestra, Volodymyr Sirenko – conductor

AWARD

  • 2014 RINALDO ROSSI PRIZE OF HONOR, For outstanding teaching achievements, R. Rossi Foundation, Mantua Italy
  • 2013 LASZLO SPEZZAFERRI PRIZE OF HONOR, for outstanding cultural achievement and development of the Italian violin school Spezzaferri foundation Verona Italy
  • 2002 MERITED ARTIST OF UKRAINE TITLE OF HONOR OF THE STATE in recognition of personal contribution to the culture of Ukraine as founder and promoter of the cultural project Artists for the Renaissance of Ukraine. President of Ukraine, L. Kuchma, Kyiv, Ukraine
  • 2002 DIPLOMA OF HONOR, for important personal contribution to the culture of Ukraine and high professional achievement, Minister of Culture and Art of Ukraine, Y. Bohutsky, Kyiv, Ukraine 
  • 2002 DIPLOMA OF HONOR OF ACADEMIC CONSILIUM, for outstanding artistic achievement and contribution to the development of Ukrainian chamber-music performance National Academy of Music of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
  • 2001 DIPLOMA OF HONOR, For important contribution to the development of musical performance International Charitable Fund of V. Horowitz Competition Kyiv, Ukraine 
  • 1999 PREMIO CITTÀ DI GUBBIO, Chamber Music International Competition 1st prize, Section: violin/piano duo, Gubbio Italy
  • 1993 KLOSTER SCHOENTAL INTERNAT. VIOLIN COMPETITION, 2nd prize, Kloster Schöntal Germany
  • 1993 KLOSTER SCHOENTAL INTERNAT. VIOLIN COMPETITION, Special prize for the best virtuoso piece Kloster Schöntal Germany 
  • 1993 DIPLOMA OF LAUREAT AND M.PIDHIRIANKA PRIZE, for artistic achievement in the development of musical art T. SHEVCHENKO Association, Ivano-Frankiwsk, Ukraine 
  • 1992 DIPLOMA OF HONOR, Personal prize and diploma for artistic achievement, President of Ukraine, L. Kravchuk, Kyiv, Ukraine
  • 1992 M.LYSENKO INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION 1st prize and Gold Medal, Section: VIOLIN, Kharkiv, Ukraine
  • 1992 YOUTH ASSEMBLY OF ART Soviet Union National Competition, 1st prize and Diploma Moscow Russia
  • 1991 KLOSTER SCHOENTAL INTERNAT. VIOLIN COMPETITION, 3rd prize, Kloster Schöntal Germany
  • 1989 V. LENIN PERSONAL SCHOLARSHIP for distinguished talent, V. Lenin Children’s Soviet Union foundation