Shetland Arts is delighted to present lyric soprano with coloratura, Oksana Mavrodii, accompanied by classical pianist Anna Mavromatidi, at Busta House and Mareel on Saturday and Sunday 3 & 4 November.

Originally from Nikolaev Southern Ukraine, Oksana now lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She is a lyric soprano with coloratura, which gives an easiness and brightness to her voice allowing a varied repertoire.

From a very early age Oksana was passionately interested in music and persuaded her parents to send her to the local Music School and then Music College where she graduated with distinction in Choral Conducting. She then furthered her studies with Prof. L. Stefanova at the Sofia Music Academy in Bulgaria (1997- 2002) and received a Bachelors and a Masters degree. During her time in Sofia she took part in a large number of concerts and performances and won prizes in Academic and National competitions, as well as a laureate of the National Operetta Competition.

In 2000 she was awarded the ‘George Soros Scholarship’ for her outstanding study. After graduating with high achievement she decided to continue her education and moved to Germany to study under Prof. M. Schiml (2004-2006) at the Musikhochschule, Opernschule, Karlsruhe. While studying there she attended master classes with L. Bizzi and H. Zadek. Prior to completing her studies in Germany, she participated in a number of concerts and sang Belisa in the Paisiello Opera ‘Il re Teodoro in Venezia’ performed in Karlsruhe Operahaus. In 2008 she completed a Pg dip in opera singing in the RSAMD under Patricia Hay. Since 2010 Oksana is Deputy Conductor of Glasgow male Philharmonic Choir.

Along with classical and opera music she enjoys singing contemporary music and has worked with Jannot Heinen (Luxemburg) and in Bulgaria took part in the contemporary music festival ‘Musica Nova’ as well as working with Artin Potourlyan. Oksana is keen to promote Slavic music in Europe and as such has sung concerts of Russian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian music in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Baden Baden and Shetland.

Anna Mavromatidi was born in Russia. She studied the piano at the State Saratov College of Music and the State Saratov Music Conservatoire, specialising in teaching accompaniment and chamber music. In 1996 her family moved to Greece where Anna taught and performed extensively. Anna’s further education took her to the RCS (formerly Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama ) Glasgow, where she obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (Solo) in 2001 and a Masters Degree in Performance (Chamber Music) in 2002. Throughout her time at the RCS, Anna has been heavily involved with Chamber music. She has won numerous prizes and awards, including The John D Miles Prize (Accompaniment) and The Ian D Watt Award (Chamber Music).

Currently Anna is a lecturer at RCS Piano Department. She is also accompanist to Glasgow Philharmonic Male Voice Choir and Glasgow Cathedral Choral Society. Anna also teaches piano at Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh.

In August 2011 Anna collaborated with Oksana to record her first CD, Romantic Russian Songs.

Shetland Arts Music Development Officer, Bryan Peterson, said: “It’s a real pleasure to welcome Oksana and Anna back to Shetland for what is sure to be two absolutely enchanting performances. Classical music and opera lovers are in for a real treat.”

Oksana and Anna’s concert at Busta is on Saturday November 3, and the Mareel concert is on Sunday November 4. Both concerts begin at 7.30pm and tickets cost £12 / £8. Tickets are available from Shetland Box Office in Mareel/Islesburgh, over the phone on 01595 745 555, or online at www.shetlandboxoffice.org or www.mareel.org.

Shetland Arts is also delighted to welcome Danish folk band, Himmerland, to Mareel on Thursday 8 November as part of Mareel’s Official Opening Season. Support will be provided by local group, Mirka, comprised of Danny Garrick, Karis Garrick, and Lois MacDonald.

Himmerland is a group of five traveling musicians, each carrying very different life stories and traditions in their rucksacks. They come from three regions of Denmark – Bornholm (an island in the Baltic Sea), Copenhagen, and Northern Jutland – and from Poland and Ghana, in West Africa.

They compose original music and infuse it with all the different traditions of their heritage. They have played across Europe, Russia, Canada, South America, Australia and New Zealand, representing a Denmark where people from around the world can meet, live together and all contribute to a sweetly simmering cultural melting pot.

Shetland Arts Marketing Officer Lisa Ward said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming Himmerland to Mareel. They are an incredibly unique and dynamic band that I’m sure will be very much appreciated by Shetland audiences and folk-fans. We’re also very pleased to have Mirka supporting Himmerland for this event, showcasing local talent alongside a visiting artist in Mareel.”

The concert begins at 7.30pm and tickets cost £12 (£10 concessions). Tickets are available from Shetland Box Office in Mareel/Islesburgh, over the phone on 01595 745 555, or online at www.shetlandboxoffice.org or www.mareel.org.

Source: Shetland Arts