Ukrainian National Children Chorus "Pearls of Odessa"Pearls of Odessa home | photos | facebook pageCONTACT INFORMATIONTo get the price quote, ask any questions please send an email to msmirnov@yahoo.com or call (201) 981-2497.
Marvelous, this choir can sing all around the world. One of the best choruses that we'd ever heard since a long time, expressed a journalist for the BBC. 
There are 80 children in the chorus, from 10 to 18 years old. Every child studies in secondary schools as well as in musical schools in Odessa. Some of them play several instruments. Every day of the week, exercise sessions are scheduled at the choral head office. For each tour, selection of 30-35 children, instrumentalists and accompanists, is made. 
The repertory is very various: Ukrainian folklore, classical and contemporary works, religious orthodox songs, Christmas songs and others. As a present for the foreign public, chorus prepares and performs several songs in the language of the country chorus visits. Often sings accompanied by the Odessa Musical Academy Orchestra and Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra of Igor Shavruk. 
The choir has already recorded several CD disks: Ukrainian Folk Songs; Various Classical and Modern Songs; Ukrainian Christmas Songs. 
On August 30th, 1997, the chorus singed in presence of the Saint Father in his summer residence in Castel Gondolfo.
These children spread happiness! May they be thanked for giving the French people happiness during their tour. God bless them and look after them! 
The chorus is the winner of many National and International Competitions and Festivals: in 1991, the chorus participated as guest of honour at the Choral Festival in Malta. In 1995 the chorus is nominated “Artist of Ukraine's People”. 
In 1997, the prize winner of the XXIV International competition in Varna (Bulgaria). In April 2001, the winner of the 8th International competition of the German association “MUSICA MUNDI” in Budapest (Hungary) in 2 categories: “Children's choirs” and “Folklore”. 
In December 2001, the winner at Christmas International competition in Prague. In July 2003, the prize winner at the International competition in Wernigerode (Germany).
In 2007, the winner at 55th Polyphonic International competition "Guido d'Arezzo" (Italy). In 2008, the prize winner of the International Mozart competition in Prague.
ODESSA, UKRAINE
Odessa is as it's told by its inhabitants – (more than 1 million) – is the Marseilles of Ukraine.
Odessa is a harbour on the Black Sea, heroic city, it is also one of the best seaside resorts of Ukraine
thanks to a lucky alliance os steppe and maritime climates, a gentle sea, magnificent beaches, curative mud baths and an abundant vegetation. Founded in 1794, with the help of Italian and French architects, Odessa has preserved a lot of ancient monuments as architectural sets of classical epoch and an academic theatre of Opera and Ballet, an architectural wonder of the XIXth century, with very beautiful interiors and a perfect acoustic. We can also admire one of its curiosities, the Potemkine stairs, linking the city to the harbour.
Among the modern constructions, a new maritime station is undeniably praiseworthy. Odessa is proud of its glorious past. We can remember the achievement of the insurgent sailors of the armoured ship “Potemkine”. Today, Odessa is a centre of diverse industries. Its factories of naval repairing, the oil refinery and the jute (hessian) manufacture are even well-known beyond its frontiers. Odessa is also an important cultural centre. It owns 6 theaters, a philharmonic orchestra, a circus. The scene of the Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet has been trampled down by great artists like F. Chialiapine and L. Sobinov. Some rich collections are gathered in the paintings gallery and in the city's museums.
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Graduated from Odessa State Academy of Music as choir conductor in class of Professor Leonid Butenko.
I discovered The Ukrainian Children's Choir of Odessa by listening to their records when I was councilor for the culture in the Embassy of France beside the Saint See. Why not suggest the Saint Father to greet them during his trip in Castel Gondolfo What was finally done.
The concert would last for 20 minutes, and will be going on, according to the Saint father's wish, for more than 40 minutes!! Coming from this beautiful country, Ukraine, this choral is fated to an international career as much by the quality of the rendering as by the choice of the repertory.
