Ukrainian composer, teacher, public figure, candidate of art history. Known for the work "Kryvyi Rih Waltz", which is currently the anthem of Kryvyi Rih.
Biography
The future composer was born in 1960, lived in the city of Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region.
Since childhood, Iryna was drawn to music, her mother, as a self-taught musician, noticed this and sent her to study at music school No. 4.
After graduating from children's music school No. 4, she entered the music-theoretical department of the Kryvyi Rih School of Music, where the talent of the future composer was noticed by teacher Petro Ladyzhenskyi.
She continued her studies at the composition department of the historical and theoretical faculty of the Kharkiv Institute of Arts named after I. Kotlyarevsky under the guidance of the brilliant teacher and composer Valentin Borisov. The work "Symphonic Diptych" became the diploma work, the work was highly praised during the performance at the state exam in 1984, and in 1986 the work was performed at the plenary session of the Dnipropetrovsk Union of Composers.
In 1985, Iryna Viktorivna Shevchenko began teaching at the Faculty of Arts of Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University.
In 2004, Iryna Viktorivna defended her PhD thesis on the topic "The idea of harmony as a principle of human life", where she clearly described her own experience of creating works, her own creative laboratory and compared it with the experience of various world composers.
Since 2005, she has been working as an associate professor at the department of theory, history of music and playing musical instruments. For some time she was the deputy dean of the faculty.
The composer wrote chamber, instrumental and vocal music. Among a number of her works, a composition written for a symphony orchestra, choir and mezzo-soprano based on a poem by Dmytro Kedrin - the oratorio "Zodchi" - deserves special attention. The premiere took place in April 1990 in Dnipro, and a month later in Kryvyi Rih.
Iryna Shevchenko often wrote commissioned music - "Hymn of the Regional Pedagogical Lyceum", dedicated to the anniversary celebration of the puppet theater "March of the Puppeteers", "U Kryvyi Rih" and others.
Her work for the choir "Psalm 50" was recognized as the best work at the premiere of the XI All-Ukrainian Choir Competition named after Mykola Leontovych in 2007.
On August 31, 2009, at the age of 49, the heart of the composer, who gave the symbol of the city to more than one generation of Kryvyi Rih residents, stopped beating. Many plans, ideas, creative and life plans remained unfulfilled, but her services to the city will always be known to every Kryvyi Rih resident.
On August 31, 2021, the badge "For services to the city of the first degree" was awarded posthumously. The award was received by her husband Yuriy Vasyliovych Shevchenko
Teaching at Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical University
In 1984, Iryna Viktorivna began working as a teacher at the music and pedagogical faculty (today - the music and choreography department of the faculty of arts). This became a reference point for the future scientific and creative achievements of I. V. Shevchenko.
As befits a young talented specialist, Mrs. Iryna conducted lecture, practical and laboratory classes on the subjects she taught - "Theory of Music", "Introduction to Harmony", "Harmony", "Stylish Harmony", etc.
Next, there was a need for new directions of self-development, and Iryna Shevchenko entered postgraduate studies at KDPU with a specialty 09.00.03 - social philosophy and philosophy of history.
In 2002, Iryna Viktorivna began to head the section of music-theoretical disciplines.
In 2004, she defended her thesis on the topic "The idea of harmony as a principle of human life."
In 2005, thanks to her knowledge, skills, and experience, Iryna Viktorivna assumed the position of deputy dean of the Faculty of Arts, Music and Choreography Department. For 24 years of fruitful professional activity, she became the bearer of the best traditions and thorough knowledge, the leader of innovative ideas.
Many ideas remained unrealized, but we will always be grateful to Iryna Viktorivna for her legacy - the pinnacle of creativity, which was given to us by her generous inspiration, unparalleled flair and love for the art of musical harmonies.
A special place in the creative work of Iryna Shevchenko is occupied by the grandiose work "Kryvyi Rih Waltz", now known as the anthem of the city of Kryvyi Rih.
The history of the creation of the waltz began in 2000. The song was supposed to be performed during the celebration of the 225th anniversary of the founding of Kryvyi Rih. The text was written by the poet Viktor Fedorovych Udovenko, who at that time was the main screenwriter of the holiday. Various composers tried to write the music, but to no avail. At that time, Iryna Viktorivna Shevchenko was actively working on her PhD thesis and did not plan to participate in the competition.
Having familiarized herself with the finished poems, Tetyana Mizyuk, head of the culture department of the city executive committee, invited Iryna Viktorivna to her place and convinced the composer to take up the work. "Kryvyi Rih Waltz" became the first waltz in the work of Iryna Viktorivna.
The music was written quickly. Iryna Shevchenko herself said that the entire composition "poured out from the first note to the last" in half an hour while she was driving home. It is interestingthe fact that the author of the poems is Viktor Udovenko, wrote the text in a similar period of time.
The chorus originally sounded like this phrase: "Let her fly to your boundless sky", but Iryna Viktorivna suggested replacing the word "boundless" with "high". This option was approved.
The Kryvyi Rih Waltz was performed for the first time in 2000 at the Metalurg Stadium, performed by the symphony orchestra of the Kryvyi Rih Theater of Drama and Musical Comedy named after T. G. Shevchenko, the mixed choir of the KDPU and soloists Tetyana Piskareva and Oleksandr Skotselas.
In 2002, the waltz was approved as the official anthem of the city, the authors of the anthem were awarded with badges "For services to the city" III degree.
The time of creation of the "Kryvyi Rih Waltz" was one of the most important periods in the life of Iryna Shevchenko. Later she will note:
0:01
Iryna Viktorivna plays the introduction to "Kryvyorizh Waltz"
"I think I managed to move away from the format of the song, to reach the scale. Something on the border of different genres came out - too lyrical, intimate and more monumental than just a song." — Iryna Shevchenko
In 2020, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the creation of "Kryvorizka Waltz", an instrumental arrangement of "Kryvorizka Waltz" for bandura was created by amateur bandurist Arseniy Yanovych.
