Travkin Valerii Mykhailovych (11 October 1952) is a Ukrainian composer, senior teacher of music of the highest category in the class of accordion, methodologist, concertmaster of the highest category, arranger, teacher, member of the National All-Ukrainian Music Union.
Valerii Travkin was born on 11 October 1952 in Zhytomyr, where he graduated from the B. M. Liatoshynskyi Music School No. 1, majoring in accordion. Since 1975, he studied at the Faculty of Music and Pedagogy of the Odesa State Pedagogical Institute named after K.D. Ushynsky, graduating in 1979. He began his career in his youth when he got a job as an accordionist at the Orlyatko pioneer camp. In 1972, he worked as an accordion teacher at the Emilchyn Children's Music School in the Zhytomyr region. In his youth, from 1972 to 1974, he served in the military band of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany in Wünsdorf, Germany, and in 1980-1986, he served beyond the term of his military service. After completing his service, he taught at the Children's Music School No. 3, where he still works today and heads the folk instruments department. In parallel with his main job, since 1989, he worked for three years at the department of the Ivan Franko Zhytomyr State University, where he taught students music teaching methods. Since 1995, he has been working as a concertmaster of the choreographic department of the Zhytomyr College of Culture and Arts named after Ivan Ohienko. In 1995-1996, he worked part-time at the Zhytomyr Children's Music School No. 5 as a conductor of the People's Amateur Orchestra of Folk Instruments. The title of senior teacher of the highest category and concertmaster of the highest category V. M. Travkin was awarded the title of senior teacher of the highest category and concertmaster of the highest category in 2008, and in the same year he was admitted to the National All-Ukrainian Music Union.
Since January 2021, Valerii Mykhailovych has been working as a part-time conductor of the folk orchestra of the Zhytomyr Ivan Ohienko Professional College of Culture and Arts. In 2021, he was awarded the pedagogical title of "teacher-methodologist".
Creative work
Valerii Mykhailovych Travkin is a talented musician who has a rare ear for music, plays the accordion, orchestrates, and composes his own music. He works in various genres: vocal and instrumental. His works are performed by children, students, and professional musicians. He tries his hand as a publicist and poet. His talented poems are published in creative collections. The article-memoir about the composer Biloshytskyi was included in the book "Holy Love for Music" (2000) and was presented at the International Scientific and Local History Conference in the section "Figures of Great Volyn". The article "Sorrow and Joy Embraced" was included in the book "And Flax Blooms" dedicated to Ivan Slyota (2015). In total, V. Travkin has composed more than 100 songs; 34 original instrumental pieces; arranged 6 classical pieces for mixed orchestras and 5 choral pieces for the accordion; 72 arrangements of musical works and arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs. M. Travkin takes an active part in the public life of the city and the region. He has participated and won many competitions and festivals as an accordionist and composer. Valeriy Travkin has a DVD disc with nine of his own compositions for the accordion performed by the author, as well as CDs and DVDs of other works.
The labour and creative work of V. Travkin has been marked by numerous diplomas, certificates and gratitude from the Zhytomyr City Council, the Department of Culture of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration, the Department of Culture of the Zhytomyr City Council, and the National All-Ukrainian Music Union.
On 9 November 2012, a recital of composer, musician and teacher Valerii Travkin took place in the Zhytomyr Regional Philharmonic named after S. Richter.
