Ukrainian composer and choir director Volodymyr Horbenko has died
Vladimir Gorbenko, a Ukrainian choir director, composer, and arranger, passed away at the age of 86. For many years, he led the veterans’ choir at the Mykolaiv Regional Palace of Culture, and his work earned him recognition beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Gorbenko’s colleagues at the cultural and arts center announced his passing on Facebook. They did not publicly disclose the cause of death.
Volodymyr Horbenko began his creative career back in 1960, when he became the director of the choir at the Navy Officers’ Club in Mykolaiv. Six years later, the composer took the helm of the “Korabeli” vocal ensemble at the Palace of Culture and Technology of the Black Sea Shipbuilding Plant.
During Gorbenko’s tenure, the ensemble achieved remarkable success: it won awards at All-Union and republican festivals, participated in cultural performances representing the Mykolaiv region in Kyiv, and toured in India, Poland, and the Czech Republic. In 1973, he began directing a choir of war and labor veterans.
Composing also occupied a significant part of Volodymyr Gorbenko’s life. In collaboration with poets Vyacheslav Kachurin, Boris Arov, Oleksandr Kravchenko, Valentina Aglyannikova, Volodymyr Panchenko, and others, he wrote works that became part of the repertoire of Mykolaiv ensembles and solo performers.
From 1992 to 2001, Gorbenko served as the chief choirmaster of the Mykolaiv National Academic Ukrainian Theater of Drama and Musical Comedy. He also provided individual coaching to vocalists at the Regional Palace of Culture, many of whom eventually became professional artists.
For his many years of service, Volodymyr Gorbenko was awarded the Order “For Merit” (3rd Class), the medal “For Valiant Labor,” the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions’ honorary badge “For Achievements in Amateur Art,” and certificates of commendation from the Ministry of Culture and the regional and municipal authorities of Mykolaiv.
Vladimir Gorbenko’s death was a painful loss for all of Ukraine, and especially for his family. The choirmaster’s granddaughter, Alexandra, movingly honored her grandfather’s memory, recalling not only his professional achievements but also his personal qualities.
“Even though we didn’t always see eye to eye (especially when it came to music), and even though we rarely saw each other (especially in recent years), he was always there! Talented, cheerful, easygoing, and confident! He was someone who devoted his life to music and art, with a belief in genius and talent until his very last day!” the woman wrote.
Source: Regional Palace of Culture
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