Serhiy Burko – conductor

SERHIY BURKO was born in Zolochiv (Lviv Oblast). After graduation from the Lviv Music High School, he studied at the Lysenko Lviv Conservatory, from which he graduated in 1979 as a violinist (under Prof. Kaskiv) and in 1999 as a conductor (under Prof. Juziuk).

Since 1989 he has been an artistic director of the Lviv Philharmonic. He is well-known in Ukraine and abroad as the organizer of artistic projects: International Festival ‘Virtuosos” as the founder, artistic director and director of the chamber orchestra “Lviv Virtuosos”, that has successfully performed in many countries (Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Vatican, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Columbia and Ecuador). The orchestra has recorded many CDs, published in Ukraine and abroad.

Serhij Burko acts intensively and effectively to develop Polish, German and Italian contacts.

Thanks to his initiative, the contacts with well-known musicians from those countries has been established. That was the beginning of cooperation with many festivals and allowed integration of the Ukrainian music culture with the culture of Europe and the world. In 1999 Burko was awarded a title of “Merited Figure of Arts” for his personal contribution to the development of the national culture and art (November 4, 1999), in 2005 he was awarded a honorary prize of the Minister of Culture “For Achievements in the Development of Culture and Art”, in 2009 a honorary award of The Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage and in 2009 by the edict of the President of Ukraine, a honorary title “People’s Artist of Ukraine”.