About us

Фото концертного складу хору Щедрик

Shchedryk Children Choir was founded in 1971 in Kyiv by master of choral art Iryna Sablina. Since 2003, the artistic director and chief conductor of the collective is the Honored Artist of Ukraine Marianna Sablina.

Today, the choir has more than 150 children of various ages, who participate in the respective age groups. About 55 best performers are part of the concert lineup. Over the 50 years of the choir's existence, more than 2,000 choristers have "graduated" from Shchedryk.

The repertoire of Shchedryk includes music of the Renaissance, baroque, classical music, arrangements of Ukrainian songs and songs of the peoples of the world, works of modern domestic and foreign composers.

Since the beginning of the 70s of the last century, the choir has been touring with solo concerts in the philharmonic halls of the republics of the USSR: Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

In the 1990s, Shchedryk became a discovery for the world music community, and within three decades the choir received the highest awards in all international competitions in which it participated.

The choir toured successfully in 15 US states, many cities in Canada, Germany, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, as well as in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

Shchedryk had the honor of singing in joint projects with outstanding musicians of the world, such as: Volodymyr Krainev, Gidon Kremer, Roman Kofman, Gia Kancheli, Ivan Monighetti and others. Ovations in honor of "Schedryk" were heard in the most famous music halls:

  • Colonnade Hall named after M. Lysenko of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine
  • «Carnegie Hall» in New-York, USA
  • «Musikverein» in Vienna, Austria
  • Chamber Hall of the Berlin Philharmonic
  • «Konzerthaus» in Vienna, Austria
  • «Mozarteum» in Salzburg
  • «Beethovenhalle» in Bonn
  • «Roy Thomson» in Toronto
  • «Gasteig» in Munich
  • «Forum» in Leverkusen

The first three recordings of Shchedryk were made by the "Melody" company on vinyl records. Part of the Shchedryk repertoire is presented on 5 CDs recorded in Ukraine. The German company "Deutsche Welle" released the Shchedryk Christmas concert in Bonn. An honorable place in the choir's discography is occupied by Olivier Messiaen's Three Little Liturgies, performed by Shchedryk together with the Kremerata Baltica orchestra under the direction of R. Kofman, which was included in the collection of the best concerts in the history of the Gidon Kremer Chamber Music Festival.

Shchedryk was mentioned in documentaries by famous Ukrainian directors:

  • "Sviy holos" ("Own voice"), 2016, directed by S. Masloboyshchykov
  • "V. Sylvestrov", 2020, directed by S. Bukovskyy

During its existence, the choir took part in around 20 prestigious Ukrainian and international music festivals:

1992

"America Fest" in Des Moines (USA)

2000

"KyivMusicFest" in Kyiv (Ukraine)

2002, 2008, 2011

"Gidon Kremer Chamber Music Festival" in Lockenhaus (Austria)

2004

"III International Choir Festival" in Riga (Latvia)

2004

"Tonika" in Kyiv (Ukraine)

2005

"I International Autumn Choral Festival" for the 140th anniversary of the Moscow Conservatory (Russia)

2006

"Virtuosos" in Lviv (Ukraine)

2007

"Cantus MM" in Salzburg (Austria)

2009

"Cracovia Music Festival" in Krakow (Poland)

2010

"Beethovenfest" in Bonn (Germany)

2011

Event for the day of commemoration of M. Rostropovich "Meeting with Glory" in Kronberg (Germany)

2013

XX Chamber Music Festival in Kronberg (Germany)

2013

Concert in support of political prisoners "To Russia With Love" in Berlin (Germany)

2015

"Leigo Lake" festival in Leigo (Estonia)

2017

Festival of Ukrainian music "Rethinking Europe — Stop One: Ukraine" in Stockholm (Sweden)

2018

VII International Festival of Orchestral and Choral Groups in Florence (Italy)

2019

XIII «Summa Cum Laude» International Youth Music Festival in Vienna (Austria)

Our awards

2019

First place with the distinction of "Outstanding Achievement" in the Treble Choirs category XIII "Summa Cum Laude" International Youth Music Festival in Vienna (Austria)

2018

"Golden David" — Grand Prix of the VII International Festival-Competition of Orchestral and Choir Groups in Florence (Italy)

2005

Golden diploma of the highest degree and Grand Prix I of the International Competition "Musica sacra a Roma" in Rome (Italy)

2001

Grand Prix and Golden Diploma of the XXXVI International Choir Competition in Mendziszdroje (Poland)

1992

Grand Prix of the International Choir Competition in Des Moines (USA)

1990

Grand Prix of the International Choir Competition "Kathaumixw" in Powell River (Canada)

Marianna Sablina
artistic director

Marianna Sablina in concert

Marianna Sablina was born in 1961 in Kyiv, Ukraine. In 1971, she began singing in the Shchedryk choir, founded by her mother, Iryna Sablina. In 1977, Marianna Sablina became the choirmaster of Shchedryk. In 1981, Marianna entered the National Music Academy of Ukraine named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, where she studied in the class of choral conducting under the guidance of Professor L. N. Venediktov. After graduating from NMAU in 1986, she continued her work as a choirmaster in Shchedryk choir.

Since 2003, Marianna has been the artistic director and chief conductor of the choir. In 2005, she was awarded the Golden Diploma of the 1st International Choir Competition "Musica Sacra a Roma" as the best conductor. In 2018, Marianna received the Golden David (prize for the best choir of the festival) and the Special Prize "Best Conductor" of the 7th Florence International Choral Festival.

Marianna Sablina in concert

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Contacts

Shchedryk choir

Address:

2 Darvina str., Kyiv, 02004

Palace of Children and Youth of Pechersk District

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