Svitlana Azarova

Biography

Svitlana Azarova (Ukrainian: Світлана Азарова; born 9 January 1976) is a Ukrainian-Dutch composer of contemporary classical music, originally from the Ukrainian SSR.

Early years

Svitlana Azarova was born on 9 January 1976, in Izmail, then in the Ukrainian SSR, now in Ukraine.
After having graduated in music from Odesa Pedagogical Institute as in 1996, Azarova entered Odesa Conservatory, where she studied musical composition, first under the Ukrainian composer Oleksandr Krasotov, and later (until 2000) under the Ukrainian author and composer Karmella Tsepkolenko.
In 2003 Azarova participated for six months in the Gaude Polonia scholarship program, at the Frédéric Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, under Marcin Blazewicz. Later that year, the Dresden Centre of Music (DZzM) invited Azarova to participate in the Scholarship project pass_ПОРТ within the Dresdner Tage der zeitgenössischen Musik. This project met again at the 8th musica viva in Munich in 2007.
In 2005 With a grant of the society KulturKontakt Austria she elected to participate in the 9th International Academy for New Composition and Audio-Art, Avantgarde Tirol with Professor Boguslaw Schaeffer and Dr. Richard Boulanger (Seefeld, Tirol, Austria).
After this academy, she took up permanent residency of The Hague and in 2006 began post-graduate studies at conservatoire in Amsterdam under Theo Loevendie where she graduated Master of Music in December 2007
Composer Residencies:

2007, 2015, 2016, 2023 - Visby International Centre for Composers (VICC) (Gotland, Sweden)
2008 - Czech Music Information Centre (Prague, Czech Republic)

Career

The music of Svitlana Azarova is performed by ensembles and orchestras internationally. This includes

Compositions

2025
Hyperion for ensemble
2024
Trojaborg 2 (Ukrainian) for clarinet
2023
Awesome Stories for 6 guitars
2019
Hoc Vinces! for large orchestra
2015-2016
Momo and the time thieves; the story of the child, who brought the stolen time back to the people full size opera in two acts for large orchestra, choir and soloists. Based on the novel Momo (novel) by Michael Ende; commissioned by the Royal Danish Opera, world premiere 15 October 2017 on the big stage of Copenhagen Opera House (Holmen).
2014
Hundred thirty one Angstrom symphony for large orchestra
2013
Concerto Grosso for violin, viola solo and string orchestra
2011
Mover of the Earth, Stopper of the Sun for symphony orchestra (overture), commissioned by ONDIF
I fell into the sky... for viola solo World premièred by Emlyn Stam of New European Ensemble
2010
Pure thoughts transfixed symphony for large orchestra
2008
Beyond Context for chamber orchestra, commissioned by the Polish Institute in Kyiv
From this kind... for choir, brass and percussion on words by Oksana Zabuzhko
2007
300 steps above for carillon
Trojaborg for solo clarinet
Epices for soprano, bass clarinet, trompet, perc., piano, violin
Un cortado para Michel for baroque flute (traverso) and soundtrack
Onderdrukte Haast (Suppressed Haste) for Brass Quintet
On Tuesdays for ensemble with words by Daniil Harms. World premièred by Nieuw Ensemble
2006
Sounds from the Yellow Planet for ensemble and recordings of throat singing by Khoomei virtuoso Nikolay Oorzhak
Model Citizens for violoncello and piano, commissioned by Doris Hochscheid and Frans van Ruth
Valentina's Blues for piano, commissioned by Marcel Worms and published on his CD Red, White and Blues, 32 New Dutch Blues (Attacca Records #27103)
2005
Hotel Charlotte for string quartet
Dive for violin and piano
The Violinist's morning espresso for violin
2004
Outvoice, outstep and outwalk for bass clarinet
Asiope for ensemble
2003
Go-as-you-please for ensemble
Symphonic Lana Sweet for large symphony orchestra
Slavic Gods for flute, clarinet, accordion and cello
West - East for ensemble
Don't go: not now for flute, oboe and bassoon
Feet on Fire for 2 percussion
Funk Island for corno bassetto and piano
2002
In the Icy Loneliness for 2 cellos
Axis of Every Karuss... for clarinet, piano and cello
2001
As for the Clot it is Slowly... for solo tuba
2000
The Dance of Birds for string orchestra
Chronometer for piano
1999
Symphonic Poem for large symphony orchestra
Diagram for 5 cellos
Punished by Love vocal cycle on verses by Ludmyla Olijnyk (in Russian) for soprano and piano
Sonata-Diptych for clarinet and piano