Halyna Ovcharenko

Who is Halyna Ovcharenko?

Dr. Halyna Ovcharenko is an SPNM-shortlisted composer. Born in Luhansk in Ukraine, Halyna Ovcharenko was given a scholarship at the age of eleven to the Musical College of the Kiev State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, a specialist school for talented children. After graduating in Music from the Conservatory, she continued her study of composition in Warsaw. She subsequently taught composition and music theory at the Kiev State Conservatory and the Sumy Pedagogical Institute, also giving master classes in composition and authentic voice performance in Poland and Serbia.

Halyna Ovcharenko is the director of the folk music ensemble Malva and is a member of the Union of Ukrainian Composers. In 1996 she was given the Overseas Research Scholarship to study for a Ph.D. in composition at University of Bath. Amongst her works are pieces for solo piano, piano and voice, percussion, chamber orchestra, choir and symphony orchestra. Her work, The Sun Scorched Mallow for choir, orchestra, soloists and reciter was awarded first prize in the Marian and Ivanna Kotz competition in 1992. In 1995 she was the winner of the International Women Composers' Competition in Ukraine with her work Everlasting for chamber orchestra and ensemble of authentic voices.