Conductor of the Taras Shevchenko National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet of Ukraine, chief conductor and artistic director of the "Kyiv-Klasik" orchestra, People's Artist of Ukraine, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Doctor of Art History, Professor, Ambassador of Ukrainian Culture, the first Ukrainian musician to be awarded the title of "Artist UNESCO in the name of peace", the author and initiator of international projects, including those under the auspices of the UN and UNESCO, the head of the organizing committee of the Vienna Balls in Ukraine.
The author of annual exclusive projects — "Premier Concert", "New Year's Strauss Concert", "Declaration of Love", concerts dedicated to the 60th, 65th, 70th anniversary of the United Nations, "China's Ukraine", international projects, that united UNESCO Artists in the name of peace - "Art against the pandemic", "Message of peace" and many others.
Toured in many countries of the world - USA, Canada, France, Italy, Iran, Russia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Macedonia, Norway, Belgium, Serbia, China, Egypt, Kuwait, etc. He performed in prestigious concert halls of the world: the Great Hall of the UNESCO headquarters, the hall of the Church of Saint-Madeleine in Paris, the hall named after Bedrjiha Smetana in Prague, the Royal Hall Hall in Brussels, the Cairo Opera House, the Abdul Hussain Abdul Ridha Salmiya Theater, the Guangzhou Opera House, the Xiamen Opera House, and others.
He recorded more than 15 CDs with works by Western European, Russian, and Ukrainian composers (including the full musical version of P. I. Tchaikovsky's ballets "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", V. Gubarenko's opera "Tenderness" and others).
Author of monographs — "Music and philosophy: Schopenhauer, Wagner, Nietzsche", "Conductor's creativity: aesthetic and artistic dimensions" and a study guide for students of higher education institutions.
Biography
Herman Makarenko was born in 1961 in Lviv in a family of opera soloists: his mother was a ballet soloist, his father was an opera soloist (tenor).
"I was born behind the scenes of the opera, I was even named after the hero of the Queen of Spades, my father's favorite opera," says Herman Makarenko.
He studied at the Mykola Lysenko Secondary Special Music School in Kyiv, graduated from the piano department, and later - opera-symphonic conducting at the P. I. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine (at that time - the P. I. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory). After graduation, he was already a laureate of several republican competitions. Since 1982, the conductor's career begins, although the Maestro himself considers his work more a mission than a profession.
Among the mentors who had a great influence on the formation and fate of the young musician were People's Artists of Ukraine Roman Kofman and Oleg Ryabov, as well as the chief conductor of the National Opera of Ukraine - Stefan Turchak. He invited him in 1987, then a young trainee, to the Opera House, where Herman, as a novice conductor, went through all the stages of formation — from trainee assistant to leading conductor.
He has toured with various symphony orchestras and opera houses around the world, including the United States of America, Canada, France, Italy, Belgium, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovakia, Iran, Cyprus, Russia, Egypt, Norway, Kuwait, and others.
Herman Makarenko is a supporter of charitable projects, he is sure that music can heal the human soul: "If you feel good, you should share your happiness with those who need it," he says. Therefore, together with the "Kyiv-Klasik" orchestra, the Maestro participates in Vienna Charity Balls around the world, organizes interactive concerts for children on New Year's Day and St. Nicholas Day. The orchestra under his direction can be seen not only on opera stages, but also in social centers, children's hospitals and even in art projects in the subway.
His son and daughter are twins who study at a music school, attend all his concerts, learn to play the violin and even perform with their father on international tours. "I would really like them to love something as much as I love and adore conducting," says the Maestro.
The history of the creation of the "Kyiv-Klasik" orchestra is also unusual: the project, to which Herman Makarenko devoted many years of his life since 2004, was born in Paris. One of the first concerts the musicians gave was in the Cathedral of Saint Madeleine in Paris, and the next one was in the prestigious Great Hall of UNESCO. Ukrainian musicians "successfully passed this exam" and have been touring the world for many years. The orchestra widely presents European and Ukrainian classics in many countries on different continents.
Symphony Orchestra "Kyiv-Klasik" under the leadership of Herman Makarenko received wide recognition in Ukraine and abroad. The collective's high professional status is largely supported by its exclusive musical projects, including "Premier Concert", "New Year's Strauss Concert", "Declaration of Love", Vienna Balls in Ukraine, Cyprus, Norway, as well as: "Polish-Lithuanian -Ukrainian" concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the European Constitution, "Millennium of the Ukrainian violin", performed on the instruments of string master Florian Yuryev.
Maestro Makarenkofruitfully cooperates with UNESCO Artists for Peace, as well as with famous composers, musicians and sculptors all over the world - from New York to Cairo, from Paris to Beijing within the framework of the mission of the Global Harmony Art Foundation.
Awards
Honored Artist of Ukraine (May 23, 2002) — for significant personal contribution to the socio-economic and cultural development of the capital of Ukraine
Order "For Merit" of the III century. (November 28, 2006) — for a significant personal contribution to the socio-economic and cultural development of Ukraine, significant achievements in professional activity, many years of conscientious work and on the occasion of the anniversary of the confirmation by the all-Ukrainian referendum on December 1, 1991 of the Declaration of Independence of Ukraine
Ambassador of Ukrainian culture (December 22, 2006)
People's Artist of Ukraine (June 27, 2015) — for significant personal contribution to state building, socio-economic, scientific-technical, cultural-educational development of Ukraine, significant labor achievements and high professionalism
UNESCO Artist for Peace (November 29, 2016) — in recognition of the desire to promote music as a means of dialogue and understanding between people
