Gregory Smirnov
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Gregory Smirnov | |
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Григорий Смирнов | |
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| Born | March 16, 1949 |
| Occupation(s) | Choral director, composer, music instructor |
Gregory Anatolyevich Smirnov (Russian: Григорий Анатольевич Смирнов; 16 March 1949) is a Russian-born choral director, composer, and music instructor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He served as the director of Slavyanka from 1996 to 2011.
Biography
Gregory was born in Pskov in 1949. He was 13 years old when he first began taking piano lessons.[1] He attended the Pskov College of Music and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1970, then a Master of Fine Arts in Music from the Saratov Conservatory. At the conservatory, his specializations included choir conducting, voice coaching, and music education.[2] In Pskov, he directed several choirs and ran the music department at the Pskov Drama Theater.[1] He also worked as a professor at the Pskov College of Music for ten years.[3] Before emigrating from Russia, he founded Russia's Chamber Choir, which gave an award-winning performance at the Festival of Russian Choirs in 1992.[4]
In 1991, the San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble planned a trip to perform in Russia, and group members Rich and Mary Ferguson were invited to stay with Gregory and his wife in Pskov. As a result of this visit, Gregory was invited by director Gary Lamprecht to guest conduct the ensemble for a Christmas concert. In 1992, Gregory and his wife made the decision to immigrate to the United States. After arriving in New York, he found a job as the choir director of a Russian Orthodox Church in Menlo Park, California.[5] He became a US citizen in 1999.[2]
References
- ^ a b Bartlett, Jean (28 January 2009). "Choral masterpieces from Russia with love". Pacifica Tribune. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ a b "Russian Men's Chorus comes to the coast". Independent Coast Observer. 26 July 2002. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Smirnov Music School". Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ Lorenz-Fife, Iris (31 July 1998). "Russian chorus gives mesmerizing performance". Independent Coast Observer. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ Ward, Betsy (3 June 1993). "Talented conductor brings forgotten classics out of Russia". The Tribune. Retrieved 15 March 2024.