Choir Conductor Svitlana Smirnova

The exemplary children's choir «Zabava» of Odesa Children’s Music School №3 has been flourishing under the guidance of an artistic director and conductor, head of the choir department of Odesa CMS №3  Svitlana Smirnova since 1999.

Svitlana Mykolaiivna Smirnova was born on March 30, 1971 in Uman (Cherkasy region). She graduated from Uman Music College named after P.D. Demutsky in 1990 and Odessa State Conservatory named after A.V. Nezhdanova in 1995(now Odessa Music Academy named after A.V. Nezhdanova), where she had been studying at the vocal and choral faculty in the class of professor, Honored Artist of Ukraine Alisa Petrivna Serebri and received a degree «Choir Conductor».

Since 1997 S.M. Smirnova has been working in Odesa Children’s Music School №3. Thanks to her efforts, the choir department was established there in 1999. Svitlana Smirnova is a teacher-methodologist, she delivers the courses «Voice Production», «Ensemble», «Choir», «Fundamentals of Choir Conducting». She also holds master classes on working with a children's choir.

The work with the vocalists and choirs in the theatrical productions «Pippi Longstocking», «Girl and Death», «Ariadne», «Romeo and Juliet», «Vii», «Truffaldino», «Sacred Gardens» (Kazan), «Children of the White Sun» (Yakutsk), «Pranks of Adventurers», «Konotop Witch» by Georgy Kovtun (National Artist of Tatarstan, Honored Artist of Russia) is another creative aspect of the choir leader’s development.

Svitlana Smirnova’s professional attention is also focused on the theatrical genres. She works very closely with famous actors of the Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Odessa Academic Theater of Musical Comedy named after M. Vodyany, Odessa Academic Ukrainian Music and Drama Theater named after V. Vasylko, Odessa Academic Russian Drama Theater.

Her professional career is associated not only with the children's choir «Zabava» but also with the quartets «Kraski», «Zabava», the duet «Divo» and the ensemble «Izyuminka». The creative teams are the multiple winners of the Grand Prix, international, national and regional competitions. Svitlana Smirnova works with soloists using various vocal techniques. Wanda Drinevska, Honored Artist of Ukraine, was her student.

Svitlana Mykolaiivna Smirnova recieved Odessa Mayor Honorary Awards in honor of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the choir «Zabava».