Volodymyr Runchak

VOLODYMYR RUNCHAK was born in Lutsk on June 12, 1960. He graduated from the Kiev Conservatory of Music as an accordionist, conductor and composer. He has won many international composition competitions. His creative interests include symphonic and chamber music, as well as for soloists and choirs.

In his conducting practice, he primarily performs works by contemporary Ukrainian and foreign composers. Runchak’s works are performed at many festivals of contemporary music in Ukraine and abroad. He is also involved in the popularization of contemporary music. For ten years he hosted the program “New Music in Ukraine” on the Third Program “Culture” on Ukrainian Radio. On his initiative, works by 20th century classical composers were performed in Ukraine for the first time. – E. Varez, A. Webern, L. Nono, K. Stockhausen, D. Ligeti, L. Berio. As a conductor, he performs with the Chamber Ensemble “New Music in Ukraine,” with which he has recorded 10 CDs of works by contemporary composers, as well as with symphony orchestras in Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Israel, France and Italy. He is the artistic director of the international festivals “Day of Ukrainian Accordion,” “Kharkiv Contemporary” and “New Music in Ukraine.”