Evgeny Alexeevich Shcherbakov (*1958)
Vancouver, Canada
Evgeny Shcherbakov, Canadian composer, conductor and educator, was born on the 18th of July 1958, in Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), USSR.
At the age of eight, he started as a brass band player and already at nine, he mastered several musical instruments of a brass band and created his first piece, "Minutes" for piano, which is still performed in Europe and Canada today. At the same time, the first experience as a conductor was acquired, Evgeny conducted the orchestra at the concert. This moment was the source of inspiration which marked the beginnin of a life-long career in music. Later he played in the accordion orchestra under the direction of A. A. Kanatov, the orchestra, which was famous for its high performing mastery of the symphonic repertoire.
From his youth up, Shcherbakov’s style has been grounded in the Christian Orhodox Religious traditions and influenced with the thinking of Slavic's great philosophers, which the composer interprets through a prism of contemporaneity and contemporary composer techniques.
As a composer, Shcherbakov graduated from the Nizhny Novgorod State Glinka Conservatoire (1984-1989) with a Master's degree in Composition and Music-and-Theoretical disciplines teaching and completed post-graduate studies and received a Doctor's degree in Composition and Pedagogics (1/1990-12/1991) under the direction of Professor Boris Getselev.
As a conductor, he graduated from the Dzerzhinsk Musical College (1973-1977) with a Bachelor's degree in Orchestra Conducting and Russian Accordion (Bayan) under the direction of Professors Anatoly Gubarkov and Yuri Filatov, the Samara State Academy of Arts (1977-1981) with a Master's degree in Choir Conducting under the direction of Professor Anna Glagoleva, and the Nizhny Novgorod State Glinka Conservatoire (Intensive course of Opera and Symphony Conductor Training under the direction of professor Margarita Samorukova, 1/1990-12/1991). These studies represent the culmination of his post-graduate work in Conducting.
From 1990 to 2008, Shcherbakov was a Professor of Composition and Orchestration at the Nizhny Novgorod State Glinka Conservatoire and an associate conductor of the Conservatoire's Symphony Orchestra training highly-skilled specialists and touring widely as a composer, conductor and lecturer. During that period, he performed many world-premieres of works by contemporary composers including his own pieces. Many of his students took part in national as well as international competitions of composers and were recipients of many prizes and diplomas.
In 1981, from 1983 to 1984 and in 1989 Shcherbakov was a Professor of Choir Conducting at the Samara State Academy of Arts. From 1990 to 1997, he was a Professor of Orchestra Conducting at the Dzerzhinsk Musical College.
Over the years, Shcherbakov has composed numerous works ranging from children’s music and chamber music to symphonies, instrumental concertos, cantatas and oratories. Many of these have been repeatedly performed in Switzerland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Macedonia, France, Belgium and Canada. His professional portfolio also includes a wide variety of arrangements and instrumentations.
Further, Shcherbakov has given master classes in composition as well as composition/orchestration seminars and workshops in Switzerland (2000, 2003, 2007), Macedonia (2003, 2005), Germany (2004) and in Canada (2013, 2014, 2015).
He’s been nationally and internationally commissioned and awarded international residences and grants in Switzerland (Basel, 2000; St. Moritz, 2004; St. Moritz, 2005; Dornach, 2007) and in Canada (2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020) as support to pursue his creative skills in music. In 2008, Shcherbakov won the “Saint Symbols of Russia”, an all-Russian competition of composers (Samara). In 2010, he was awarded special composer and choir prizes at the Vancouver International Festival of Russian Music.
In 2008, Shcherbakov immigrated with his family to Vancouver, Canada as composer, conductor and University professor and continued to compose and tour as composer, conductor and pianist. From 2008 to 2018, he was choir director at the Vancouver Waldorf High School Choir; since 2008 till present, Shcherbakov is professor of Music Departament and pianist, Dance/Eurythmy accompanist at the Vancouver Waldorf High School; from 2008 to 2011-choir director at the Old Barn Community Centre Choir, UBC, Vancouver; from 2012 to 2015-choir director at the Waldorf Community Choir. In 2009, being a long term member of the Union of Composers of Russia, he became an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre and a Professional Member of the Canadian League of Composers.
Professional activity
1990 - 2008 – professor of composition and instrumentation at the Nizhny Novgorod state Glinka conservatoire.
Since 2008 till present - Independent professor consultant - Composition & Instrumentation and Opera & Symphony Conducting.
2008 - 2018 - Choir Director at The Vancouver Waldorf High School, Vancouver, Canada.
Since 01.08.2008 till present - professor of Music Departament and Pianist, Dance/Eurythmy Accompanist at The Vanvouver Waldorf High School, Vancouver, Canada.
2012 - 2015 - Choir Director at The Waldorf Community Choir, Vancouver, Canada.
2008 - 2011 - Choir Director at The Old Barn Community Centre, Vancouver, Canada.
1981, 1983, 1984, 1989 – professor of conducting at the Samara State Academy of Arts;
1990 – 1997 – professor of conducting at the Dzerzhinsk musical college;
An Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre
Professional Member of the Canadian League of Composers.
A member of the Russian Union of composers. A member of the board of directors in the regional Nizhny Novgorod branch of the Russian Union of composers (1998 – 2008). A member of the organizing committe of International festival of contemporary music ”Pictures from an Exhibition”(2003,2005). Artistic Director of the international musical festival “From Rhine to Volga. Classical and contemporary.”
Seminars and workshops given by Evgeny Shcherbakov
- The composition seminar, Rudolf Steiner Schule Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 2003
- The composition seminar, Freie Musikschule Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 2003
- The composition workshop, International festival “Ohrid summer”, Ohrid, Macedonia, 2003
- The composition seminar, Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2004
-“Glocken aus Nizhny Novgorod”, the composition seminar, Freie Waldorfschule Dachsberg, Dachsberg, Germany, 2004
- The composition workshop, Skopje Sts. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia, 2005
Evgeny Shcherbakov is awarded the International Residences and Grants
r eseaux est-ouest
antenne budapest
Zurich, Basel, Switzerland; F-Hegenheim, France, 2000
- Composer in residence, International cultural festival “RESONANZEN”, Hotel Laudinella Cultur Kongresse Ferien, St.Moritz, Switzerland, 2004
- Composer in residence, the ‘Pro Musica e Cultura’ Foundation, St.Moritz, Switzerland,2005
- Composer in residence, Eurythmeum Zuccoli, Dornach, Switzerland, 2007
- Canada Council for the Arts. The Arts Abroad Grant: To showcase and conduct the orchestra and choir at the International Festival of Contemporary Music Yuri Lanyuk and Friends in Lviv, Ukraine, 2017
- SOCAN FOUNDATION. Travel Assistance Grant, Dnipro, Ukraine, 2019
- Canada Council for the Arts. The Arts Abroad Grant: To present a number of Evgeny Scherbakov's works at "Composer's Evening with Evgeny Shcherbakov" (Komponistenabend mit Evgeny Shcherbakov) concert in Basel, Switzerland, 2019
As a conductor
1983, 1984, 1989 – professor of conducting at the Samara Art Academy;
1990 – 1997 – professor of conducting at the Dzerzhinsk musical college;
1996 – 2008 – associate conductor of the Nizhny Novgorod state Glinka conservatoire symphony orchestra;
2000 - guest conductor of the Eglise St. Remy Men's Choir. F-Hegenheim, France;
1991, 1996, 2008 - guest conductor of the Academic Symphony Orchestra of Nizhny Novgorod State Philharmonics named after Mstislav Rostropovich;
2000, 2001, 2004 - guest conductor of the Municipal Chamber Orchestra "Soloists of Nizhny Novgorod"
2017 - guest conductor of the Academic Symphony Orchestra of Lviv Philharmonic Society. With the support of the Canada Council for the Arts
Competitions
Special Prize-Composer winner at the Vancouver International Festival of Russian Music, Vancouver, Canada, 2010
Laureate of All-Russian competition of composers "Saint symbols of Russia", Samara, Russia, 2008
First Prize winner of the Regional open competition of composers “50 years without war”, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1995;
Diploma of the International musical festival "From Rhine to Volga. Classical and contemporary", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 2003
Performance of compositions, participation in festivals
International festival of modern composers' art, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1988;
All-Russian festival "Music and time", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1991;
All-Russian festival "Musical premieres", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1992;
IV International Sakharov art festival "The Russian art and the world", 1996, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia;
International scientific conference-festival "The 20th century art - a passing epoch?", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1996;
XIX International festival of contemporary music " Moscow autumn - 97", Moscow, 1997;
III International festival of modem art "Two days and two nights of new music", Odessa, Ukraine, 1997;
Youth musical festival of East-European composers, Odessa, Ukraine, 1998;
IV International charity festival "View on music of Russia" (25 years retrospective), Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1998;
International scientific conference-festival "The 20th century art: dialogue of epochs and generations", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1998;
International scientific conference "Russian - German cultural links in the past and at present", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 1999;
II International festival of audio-visual actions "Prima Vista", Odessa, Ukraine, 1999;
V International festival of contemporary art 'Two days and two nights of new music", Odessa, Ukraine, 1999;
Festival "Mobile art academy", Odessa, Ukraine, 1999;
IX International festival "Christmas meetings in Northern Palmira", St. Petersburg, 2000;
VI International festival of contemporary art "Two days and two nights of new music", Odessa, Ukraine, 2000;
Serguey Berinskiy's musical club, Moscow, Russia, 2000;
International scientific conference-festival "The 20th century art: paradoxes of the absurd culture", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 2000;
International festival of contemporary music "Composers' generations on the threshold of the 21th century. Panorama of Russian music", Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 2000;
Concert, Zurich, Switzerland, 2000;
Concert, Basel, Switzerland, 2000;
Concert, F-Hegenheim, France, 2000;
Concert, Basel, Switzerland, 2001;
International forum of festival directors and managers of new music organizations, Odessa, Ukraine, 2001;
VII International festival of contemporary art "Two days and two nights of new music", Odessa, Ukraine, 2001;
Belgian Chocolates 3 International Festival van andere kamermuziek, Antwerp, Belgium, 2001;
I Museumsnacht im Hegau, Stadt Engen im Hegau, Germany, 2001;
Concert, La Chaux- de- Fonds, Switzerland, 2002;
Wiener Klassik meets (Post) Moderne, Concert, Dortmund, Germany, 2002;
Forum Music and Medicine, Basel, Switzerland, 2002;
Concert, Basel, Switzerland, 2003;
Composers` evening with Evgeny Shcherbakov, Basel, Switzerland, 2003;
Concert, Seoul, Korea, 2003;
Concert, Kwan G-ju, South Korea, 2003;
Concert, Iksan, South Korea, 2003;
International festival “Ohrid summer”, Ohrid, Macedonia, 2003;
Festival International de Musique de Besancon Franche-Comte, Besancon, France, 2003;
International festival of contemporary music “Pictures from an Exhibition”, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 2003
International musical festival “From Rhine to Volga. Classical and contemporary”, Nizhny Novgorod , Russia , 2003;
International cultural festival “RESONANZEN”, St.Moritz, Switzerland, 2004;
Concert, Landquart, Switzerland, 2004;
Concert, Pontresina, Switzerland, 2004;
Concert, Luzern, Switzerland, 2004;
Concert, Dornach, Switzerland, 2004;
Concert, Basel, Switzerland, 2004;
Concert, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2004;
Concert, Dachsberg, Germany, 2004;
Concert, Calw, Germany, 2004;
Lucerne Festival, Luzern, Switzerland, 2004;
Gidon Kremer’s festival „ Les Museiques“ in Basel, Basel, Switzerland, 2005;
II International festival of contemporary music “Pictures from an Exhibition”, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 2005;
International festival “Autumnal Musical Festivities”, Skopje, Macedonia , 2005
Concert, Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, 27.02.2007;
Composers` evening with Evgeny Shcherbakov, Freie Musikschule, Basel, Switzerland, 01.03.2007;
Concert, Scala Basel Theater, Basel, Switzerland, 03.03.2007
Concert dedicated to Evgeny Shcherbakov 50th anniversary. Program:
– “In doubts” Concerto for cello and a symphony orchestra.
– “Quasi balletto” per orchestra.
Nizhny Novgorod State Rostropovich Philarmonic, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 18.07.2008;
III International festival of contemporary music “Pictures from an Exhibition”. Russian premiere of the "Capriccio Hebraico" for Emil Rovner(cello) and his voice. Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 20.10.2008;
International festival "Celloherbst Am Hellweg 2008". World premiere of the "Capriccio Hebraico" for Emil Rovner(cello) and his voice. Bad Sassendorf, Germany, 09.11.2008
Vancouver International Festival of Russian Music. Program:
– "Loneliness" for piano.
– "A ringing silence" for piano.
Performed by Evgeny Shcherbakov. Tom Lee Music Hall, Vancouver, Canada, 07.03.2010
NOVA Rising Choral Stars Concert. Program:
- Plen Sion Ti izial. For Choir a cappella. Performed by Vancouver Chamber Choir.
Conductor Jon Washborn. Ryerson United Church, Vancouver, Canada, 15.10.2010
Concert. Program:
- When I am sorrowful. For mixed Chorus and Piano.
Performed by Vancouver Waldorf High School Choir. Conductor Evgeny Shcherbakov.
Highland United Church, Vancouver, Canada, 25.05.2011
"Friday Night Live" Concert. Program:
Three Pieces for Piano:
— "Minutes"
— "Loneliness"
— "A ringing silence"
Performed by Evgeny Shcherbakov. Lynn Valley United Church, Vancouver, Canada,04.11.2011
IV International festival of contemporary music “Pictures at an Exhibition”. World premiere of the Cello Concerto Number Two for cello, bass voice and strings. Verses from Psalm 142 . Performed by Emil Rovner, cello=bass voice; chamber orchestra "The soloists of Nizhny Novgorod', Vladimir Onufriev, conductor. Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, 08.12.2012.
Cambridge Music Conference. World premiere of The Light of Michaelmas for piano. Performed by Evgeny Shcherbakov. Kay Meek Centre, West Vancouver, Canada, 09.25.2015
On the Up-building Forces in Music. Easter Conference at the Goetheanum. European premiere of The Light of Michaelmas for piano. Performed by Evgeny Shcherbakov. Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, 04.15.2017
International Festival of Contemporary Music Yuri Lanyuk and Friends. World premiere of In Memory of Boris Nemtsov. Kyrie for cello=bass voice, SSAATTBB choir and symphony orchestra. Conducted by Evgeny Shcherbakov. S. Liudkevich Concert Hall, Lviv, Ukraine, 23.09.2017
Composer's Evening with Evgeny Shcherbakov (Komponistenabend mit Evgeny Shcherbakov). Swiss premiere of "What Stars Keep Silent About", "In Solitude/Midnight Moon" for piano, performed by Stefan Abels, piano. Swiss premiere of Capriccio Ebraico, performed by Emil Rovner, Cello/Bass Voice, Freie Musikschule, Basel, Switzerland, 07.09.2019
Publications
By Shcherbakov
- Notes about the R. Schedrin's orchestral style. The actual problems of musical education, issue 2, Nizhny Novgorod, 2001.
- "Noveletta" ( V. Lutoslavsky). The structure and timbre (sonoristic) dramatic composition of the 1st part. The actual problems of musical education, issue 3 Nizhny Novgorod, 2002
- The timbre (sonoristic) dramatic composition in "Self - portrait" ( R. Schedrin). The Russian culture in the young scientists' opinion, issue 10 S-Petersburg, 2002.
- The timbre (sonoristic) dramatic composition in "Noveletta" (V. Lutoslavsky). The question of composition and orchestration, Nizhny Novgorod, 2003.
- The arrangement and conducting of modern music festivals. Lecture on International forum of festival directors and Managers of new music organizations, Odessa, Ukraine, 2001.
On Shcherbakov
- “Who is Who in Nizhny Novgorod Region”, Nizhny Novgorod, 2000.
- “Composers and musicologists of Nizhny Novgorod”, Nizhny Novgorod, 2001.
- “Who is Who in Russia”, Moscow, 2006.
Press comments on Shcherbakov
"The music by Evgueni Chtcherbakov makes you cry and makes you happy".
Vladimir Klyenov "Nizhegorodskiye Novosti" February, 9, 1993
"How precisely echoed the music by Evgueni Chtcherbakov in the souls of listeners which have overcrowded the concert hall. It was not a composition on the topical subject, it was really contemporary, well recognizable searches, moral, spiritual impulse towards the lost ideal".
Vladimir Oskin, Nizhegerodskiye Novosti" June, 17, 1997 (from the review on the cello concerto)
"Both styles and epochs run into each other in his talented composition creating one unity".
Galina Zaitseva, "Nizhegorodskiye Novosti", June, 9, 1999 (from the review on the flute concerto)
"The art of the composer from Nizhny Novgorod Evgueni Chtcherbakov made a great impression on me. Lofty feelings and broad sonority of his deeply sincere piece called "Mood"(for violin and strings) captured the audience".
Taisia Zykova, "Vechernyaya Odessa", April, 20, 2000
"The music by Evgueni Chtcherbakov reminds us that God's time is not only the best but it is totally different from ours. This music teaches us to be gentle and to resist the temptation".
Nikolaus Cybinski, "Basel-Land", December, 5, 2000
“Among all heard during the passed festival I would like to point out the “Five spiritual chants” by Evgueni Chtcherbakov ( Russia), which strike by their inner depth, lucidity and sincerity.”
Iliy Ir, "Vechernyaya Odessa", April, 19, 2001 (from the article “New Music Festival Sights”)
- “Bad physical and psychological illnesses result for patients and people surrounding them into problem situations which cannot often be solved by traditional means of therapy. The “Five spiritual chants” by Evgueni Chtcherbakov, in which the composer touches upon the eternal questions of attitude to grief, people’s sufferings, the aim of life, of death can be used in treating diseases where traditional methods proved to be ineffective.”
Prof. Dr. Udo Rauchfleisch, “Prevention and Treating Diseases” (an extract from the report at the forum “Music and Medicine”, Basel, June, 6, 2002.
- “The composer Evgeny Shcherbakov is well - known around the world. His music is notable for great emotion and intensity. The religious themes sound again and again. One can hear bell - motif penetrating all through his creation”.
From the article “ Im musikalischen Dialog mit Bach und Mozart”, Schwarzwalder Bote, Calw, Germany, June, 18, 2004.
- The E. Shcherbakov's music paves the way to middle - european musical tradition in which the unlimited possibilities for improvisation are laid.
From the article “ Im musikalischen Dialog mit Bach und Mozart”, Schwarzwalder Bote, Calw, Germany, June, 18, 2004.
- “His creation is irreproachable connecting of the mind and heart. Stefan Abels noted his works as the best music from Russia for the last time”.
From the article “ Tiefe Einblicke in die Weite der russische Seele“, Schwarzwalder Bote, Calw, Germany, June, 21, 2004.
- “His emotional compositions is the fairy window into russian soul”.
From the article “Das Fenster zur russischen Seele”, Journal Calw, Calw, Germany, June, 25, 2004.
- „The cellist Emil Rovner brightened us all up with movements from the Nizhny Novgorod composer Evgeny Shcherbakov’s Trio for Two ( without piano) in which the debutante cellist revealed that he is also the proud possessor of a mellifluous, resonant true Russian bass voice. Emil Rovner accompanied himself on his cello whilst singing Gebet, a prayer, and then let his hair down for a riotous Tango which reflected the festival’s overall theme of Freedom and its Denial. A violinist appeared playing from the back of the hall, coming on stage to complete the Trio for Two; wild music, with Rovner’s uninhibited singing reflecting the miseries and tensions of Russia’s pre- 1918 social upheavals”.
From the article “ Music Theatre”, Alexa and Peter Grahame Woolf, Lucerne Festival, Lucern, Switzerland, September, 14- 18, 2004
- "Evgeny Shcherbakov is an outstanding Russian composer and conductor ..."
Jon Washburn,Conductor, NOVA Rising Choral Stars, October 15, 2010
- You just never know who might be working at a Waldorf school. Take, for example, world-renowned composer and conductor Evgeny Shcherbarkov, from the Vancouver Waldorf School, whose latest composition received a standing ovation during its world premiere at the 2017 International Festival of Contemporary Music Yuri Lanyuk and Friends, in Lviv, Ukraine.
The festival at the Lviv Philharmonic is considered one of Europe’s centres for arts and culture and has gathered some of the finest and most prominent musicians from Germany, Ukraine, Austria, Switzerland, Great Britain, Canada and more.
In Memory of Boris Nemtsov Kyrie was conducted by the composer and performed by award-winning cellist and singer Emil Rovner (Germany), the Galician Academic Chamber Choir and Lviv Philharmonic Academic Symphony Orchestra, and was supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. For Evgeny Shcherbakov, who was granted a special leave by his school, it was a uniquely meaningful experience to be able to attend and conduct his own world premiere: "It was such an honor to me and great responsibility to be invited in Lviv, Ukraine to represent Canada as a Canadian composer and conductor," said Evgeny.
In Memory of Boris Nemtsov Kyrie has a profound and deeply dramatic meaning, as it reflects Mr. Shcherbakov’s deep sorrow, despair and feelings of helplessness towards the state of global international relations. This concerto-cantata for cello/bass voice, mixed choir, and symphony orchestra was inspired by drastic changes in some parts of the world and the seeming loss of humanity and compassion. However, in the end there is always hope, as the listener can hear the performers come together in harmony and unity in the latter part of the performance—like a burst of sunshine after a storm...
This dramatic but hopeful masterpiece can be heard by clicking here.
Evgeny Shcherbakov (b. 1958) is a Russian-Canadian, Vancouver-based composer and conductor whose portfolio of genres ranges from chamber music to instrumental concertos, symphonies, cantatas and oratories: www.shcherbakov-evg.com
He has been awarded numerous grants and residences for his work, including grants from Prohelvetia Reseaux Est-Ouest | Antenne Budapest, the Canada Council for the Arts, composer-in-residence with international cultural festival “RESONANZEN,” the “Pro Musica e Cultura” Foundation among others. His compositions are performed internationally on stages in Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, France, Belgium, Canada and Macedonia.
From the article Waldorf piano accompanist and composer/conductor premieres masterpiece in Lviv, Ukraine
AWSNA, Waldorf Education, 5/25/2018