Valentin Zhenevskiy Soviet, Azerbaijani and Ukrainian chamber and pop singer (baritone), Date of Birth: 17.03.1951 Country: Ukraine

1. Biography of Valentin Zhenevsky
2. Music Career
3. Professional Accomplishments
4. Pedagogical Career and Achievements
5. Personal Life

Biography of Valentin Zhenevsky

Valentin Zhenevsky is a Soviet, Azerbaijani, and Ukrainian chamber and pop singer (baritone), senior vocal teacher at the KD Ushinsky South Ukrainian Pedagogical University, poet, composer, and producer. He was born on March 17, 1951, in Orsha, Vitebsk Oblast, Belarusian SSR. His parents were Ibragim Nuraliev, a police officer, and Anastasia Zhenevskaya, a railway worker. Valentin was raised by his grandmother, Darya Zhenevskaya, who was a housewife and treated people for various illnesses when doctors couldn't help. Valentin's mother and aunt worked, and his aunt's children, Tatiana and Vladimir, were raised by his grandmother. They lived at Volochaevsky Pereulok, House 4. From the age of 4 to 7, Valentin attended a kindergarten located in the Zapadnaya district of Orsha. The closest way to the kindergarten was through the forest. Every morning, regardless of the weather, his mother took Valentin to the kindergarten and then went to work. In 1958, Valentin and his mother moved to the Azerbaijani SSR to live with his father in the village of Ashagi Gyuzdek, Apsheron District, not far from Baku. In 1959, he started attending primary school. From 1964 to 1966, Valentin studied at the Balajary Music School, specializing in accordion (the school was located in the House of Culture of the railway workers). In 1967, he graduated from the local 8-year school, and in 1969, he completed high school in the town of Khyrdalan (now Khirdalan). In 1969, Valentin entered the People's Conservatory (a 3-year program, the only one in the Soviet Union) in the vocal department. It was opened by the Azerbaijani State Philharmonic Society in 1963 and was located at the SG Shaumyan Cultural Center. The rector of the conservatory was Abdul Khalikovich Magomedov, a bassoonist, candidate of art history, professor, and Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. From 1970 to 1972, Valentin served in the Soviet Army. He immediately joined the training unit (studied for 6 months and obtained the qualification of a sanitary instructor). He distinguished himself during his service, received the rank of senior sergeant, and was recognized as an excellent soldier of the Soviet Army.

Music Career

After demobilization, Valentin continued his studies at the People's Conservatory, studying under Valery Chobotov, also a fourth-year student at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, who studied in the class of the first Azerbaijani singer, People's Artist of the USSR Shovket Gasan gizi Mamedova. The concertmaster was E.L. Agadzhanova, and the music theory and piano lessons were conducted by senior students of the higher courses of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory. Concerts were often organized by the students themselves in cultural centers, factories, and plants. Visitors from other cities came to see what kind of educational institution it was. Although Valentin did not yet possess sufficient mastery, he frequently performed as a soloist at concerts. His performance at the anniversary concert dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the educational institution, which was broadcasted on Baku Television, was particularly memorable. In 1974, he enrolled in the Brest Music School (now the Brest State Music College named after G. Shirma) in the class of the remarkable singer Regina Kazemirovna Sokolovskaya, who graduated from this school under the supervision of Arenskaya Militina Ivanovna. He also attended the Gnesin Music Pedagogical Institute (now the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music). The director of the Brest Music School was A. Martynenko, who is currently the artistic director of the Chamber Orchestra of the Brest Regional Philharmonic. In 1976, due to his mother's illness, Valentin transferred to the Asaf Zeynalli Baku Music School (now the Azerbaijan State Music College as part of the Azerbaijan National Conservatory). He studied in the vocal department under the supervision of Alexander Akimovich Milovanov (the most outstanding of his many students being the People's Artist of the USSR Muslim Magomayev). The director of the Baku Music School was Vasily Zulfugar oglu Adygezalov, a Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. After completing the school, Valentin was accepted into the Azerbaijan State Conservatory. During this period, Valentin began working as a soloist in the Chamber Choir of the Choral Society of the Azerbaijan SSR, which was awarded the title of laureate of the All-Union competition of choral collectives and won the 1st prize at the traditional choral festival "Song Over the Bay" in Crimea. The choir also toured extensively, promoting Azerbaijani choral culture. The leader of the chamber choir was Lyaman Atakishiyeva, now a professor at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory and a Honored Artist of Azerbaijan. Valentin also enrolled in the evening vocal department of the Azerbaijan State Order of the Red Banner of Labor Conservatory named after Uzeyir Hajibeyov, studying under the supervision of Valery Popchenko, a Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR, and chamber singing under the guidance of M.G. Goncharskaya. The rector of the Azerbaijan State Conservatory was Elmira Abdul Gamed kyzy Abbasova, a musicologist, candidate of art history, professor, and Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. In 1984, Valentin graduated from the Uzeyir Hajibeyov Azerbaijan State Conservatory with a qualification in Concert Singer.

Professional Accomplishments

After graduating, Valentin Zhenevsky began working as the director of the Avangard-D Cultural Center in the Ovidiopol District of the Odessa Oblast in 1988. The general director was V.L. Dobryansky, who provided funds for the renovation of the building. While the renovation was ongoing, Valentin wrote various songs, with some of the compositions using his own lyrics and others using the lyrics of young authors such as Valentina Zagorodnyuk, Galina Vegova, Vladimir Marukhin, Leonid Safonov, Mikhail Romanchuk, and the well-known Russian poet Nikolai Dorizo. He also wrote a piece for the pop orchestra. In total, he composed about thirty songs, including romantic love songs, patriotic songs, songs about the homeland, and war songs dedicated to the Afghan War.

With the support of Victor Leontievich, Valentin Zhenevsky formed a professional pop ensemble called "Nadezhda Lyubvi" (Hope of Love) at the Cultural Center. The staff of the Cultural Center was selected in such a way that the music workers actively participated in the ensemble, not just working and rehearsing, but also going on concert tours throughout the Odessa Oblast. The ensemble performed in cultural centers, sanatoriums, factories, and plants. They even performed at monuments and memorials. Over the course of 10 years, the "Nadezhda Lyubvi" pop ensemble saw changes in its members, but the spirit of creativity and love remained in the group.

Valentin Zhenevsky's voice is characterized by a beautiful timbre, a full range, and a small, yet powerful and dramatic baritone. His repertoire includes arias from the 17th to 18th centuries, songs and romances by Russian, Azerbaijani, and foreign composers. From the arias and operas, he prefers the roles of a dramatic baritone.

Pedagogical Career and Achievements

In 1998, Valentin Zhenevsky began his teaching career. He worked as a senior teacher at the vocal department specializing in "Classical Singing" at the Khmelnitsky Music School named after VI Zaremby. He also taught at the music department (vocal placement) of the pedagogical faculty at the Izmail Humanitarian University, as well as at the choral conducting and vocal department of the Faculty of Arts and Architecture at the Transnistrian State University named after TG Shevchenko. He simultaneously taught at the solo singing studio of the methodological center of the KD Ushinsky South Ukrainian Pedagogical University. Valentin also performed in concerts alongside his teaching responsibilities. He participated in a concert dedicated to the 45th anniversary of the Pedagogical Faculty of IGGU, where he performed the Neapolitan song "Passion" (by N. Valente and E. Talyafery). In December 2002, during an evening dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the head of the faculty of arts at PSU named after TG Shevchenko, the director of the Chamber Female Choir, Professor N.V. Okushko, Valentin performed the songs "I Love You" (by E. Grieg, Russian lyrics) and "Festive Song" (by M. Magomayev and R. Rozhdestvensky). He also performed a duet with Lidia Sizineva (now an associate professor and Honored Artist of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic) and Valentin Zhenevsky performed a duet "Silva and Edwin" from the operetta "Silva". Concerts were also held in various cities and districts of Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR). Valentin performed at the Memorial to the Victims of the Great Patriotic War in the village of Prilimanskoye, singing "Buchenwald Tocsin" (by V. Muradeli and A. Sobolev) and was joined by Honored Artist Sergey Afanasyev and other artists. The concert was hosted by People's Artist of Ukraine Nikolay Bakalchuk. In one of the concerts held at the T.G. Shevchenko South Ukrainian Pedagogical University, Valentin Zhenevsky sang the aria "Mr. X" from the operetta "Circus Princess" (by I. Kalman and I. Zarubina, O. Fadeeva).

Personal Life

Valentin Zhenevsky has been married three times. His first wife was Tatiana Ilinska (1977-1980), his second wife was Nadezhda Kudryavtseva (1984-1990), and his current wife is Olga Zhenevskaya (since 1998). Valentin has a daughter, Ekaterina (born 1979), a son-in-law, Alexander Peshkhonov (born 1979), and two granddaughters, Veronika (born 2000) and Valeria (born 2007). Valentin's son, Alexey Bagriy (born 1975), is married to Svetlana (born 1983), and they have a grandson, Artem (born 2007). The family currently resides in the Balajary settlement in Baku.

Valentin Zhenevsky has received several awards and honors for his contributions to music and education, including a honorary diploma from the Presidium of the Odessa Union of Agricultural Complex Workers, honorary diplomas from the Department of Education and Science of the Odessa Regional State Administration, an honorary diploma from the Odessa Regional State Administration, an honorary diploma from the National Center for Aesthetic Education of Children, Students, and Youth, a diploma from the All-Ukrainian competition of patriotic songs "Ukraine, my star...", the laureate diploma of the I degree at the X All-Ukrainian Festival-Competition "Your Talents, Ukraine", the I prize at the All-Union competition of choral collectives in Crimea "Song Over the Bay" as part of the Chamber Choir of the Choral Society of the Azerbaijani SSR, and the "Excellent Education of Ukraine" badge from the Ministry of Education of Ukraine.