Biography
Maestro Volodymyr Gryshko is a recognised master and legend of the world opera scene, a vivid representative of Ukrainian culture in the world. His career is a story of amazing success, hard work and inexhaustible inspiration.
Volodymyr Gryshko is a laureate of the Taras Shevchenko State Prize, People’s Artist of Ukraine, holder of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, V Class, full holder of the Order of Merit, public and political figure, recipient of the Golden Order of Honour ‘Friendship of Peoples’, winner of the 2004 Man of the Year programme, professor at the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy. Tchaikovsky National Music Academy, Professor Emeritus of Bel-Canto (vocal) at Lignan Normal University (China).
People’s Artist of Ukraine Volodymyr Gryshko first appeared on stage when he was 7 years old. Then he spent years studying at the R. Glier Kyiv Music School and the Tchaikovsky National Music Conservatory. In 1988, while still a student at the Conservatoire, Volodymyr Gryshko began working at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre.
This was followed by a series of performances at international competitions, where the artist invariably became the owner of honorary prizes and during the autumn of 1989, in just three months, Volodymyr Gryshko won the Placido Domingo Special Prize ‘Tenor Milor’ (‘Best Tenor’) at the Francisco Viñas International Vocal Competition in Barcelona (Spain), the Grand Prix at the International Competition in Toulouse (France). Toulouse (France), received the second prize (no one was awarded the first prize) at the All-Union Glinka Competition, and the third prize at the International Opera Singers Competition in Marseille.
In 1990, he was awarded the title of Honoured Artist of Ukraine.
From 1989 to 1991 he was an assistant trainee at the Tchaikovsky Kyiv State Conservatory.
1990-1999 – opera soloist at the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.
1994-2008 – soloist at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, USA.
1999-2005 – soloist of the Taras Shevchenko National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet.
Since 2006, he has been an associate professor and acting professor at the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy.
In 2009, V. Gryshko graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, where he received a full higher education in Foreign Policy and a Master’s degree in Foreign Policy.
In 2017, he became an honorary professor of the Singing Department of the Conservatory of the People’s Republic of China.
In 2019, he was appointed Professor of the Chamber Singing Department of the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy.
Volodymyr Gryshko has received many excellent reviews in the world press about his successful career as an opera singer:
‘…His sound is clear and graceful; his top notes have a pleasing sound and carrying power.’ – The New York Times
AIDA – Salzburger Landes Theater/Grande Festival House: ‘Radames’ Volodymyr Gryshko presented the best of bel canto, with heroic colour, high musicality, feeling and a wonderful voice.’ DER NEUE MERKER MAGAZIN, Vienna
Madama Butterfly, Washington Opera:
‘…once again the tenor was the hero: Volodymyr Gryshko, an honest Pinkerton, real, with a beautiful voice.’
The Washington Post
‘Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum of Dubai said that Volodymyr Gryshko’s voice sounds like the dawn in Dubai’.
Arab critics called the performance of People’s Artist of Ukraine, Maestro Volodymyr Gryshko at the opening of the Emerald Palace a bright cultural event of the decade in the Emirates.
During his musical career, Volodymyr Gryshko has recorded more than 30 albums known all over the world, his discography is included in the golden collection of masterpieces of world classical culture. These albums feature duets with Luciano Pavarotti, Monserrate Caballé, Alessandro Safina, Demis Roussos, Ricci e Poveri, Amici Forever, and Andrea Bocelli. Albums with opera arias by V. Gryshko were released by the world-famous companies NAXOS (Hong Kong), Chandos (Canada) and TSR (Germany), and his music discs have had a wide resonance in the world.
On several occasions, fate brought Volodymyr Gryshko together with the great tenor Luciano Pavarotti. In April 2005, he sang with Maestro Pavarotti in Kyiv on the stage of the Palace ‘Ukraine’. V. Gryshko’s triumphant concerts with Monserrate Caballé in the summer of 2004 and in autumn 2014 were also a success.
Volodymyr Gryshko’s repertoire includes more than 30 parts of Ukrainian and world opera repertoire, romances, Ukrainian, Italian and Spanish songs.
Volodymyr Hryshko performs on the best stages of the planet (USA, France, China, Germany, Austria, Italy, Scotland, Czech Republic, Japan). He has taken part in international festivals such as the festival: Herbert von Karajan in Baden-Baden (Germany). He has collaborated with such prominent people as Irina Molostova, Pyotr Ustinov, Franco Zeffirelli, Nelli Santi, Carlo Nice, James Levine, Olga Borodina, Dmitry Khvorostovsky, Leo Nucci, Samuel Reme, Caritta Mattila, James Conlon, Andrey Konchalovsky, and Galina Vishnevskaya. The singer’s name is listed in the Ukrainian Book of Records as a Ukrainian opera singer who performed the main roles at the Metropolitan Opera 44 times between 1994 and 2008.
Volodymyr Hryshko’s students represent Ukraine at international competitions around the world. These are Viktor Melnyk – Person of the Year – 2007, winner of the All-Ukrainian competition ‘In Search of Pearls’; Rostyslav Kushyna – Honoured Singer of Ukraine, first prize and Grand Prix at the Classical Music Competition in London, UK, 2005; Andriy Kymach, who received the honorary title of ‘Singer of the World’ at the prestigious BBC International Competition at St Davids Hall in Cardiff, UK, 2019; Kyrylo Pribytkov (16 years old, Kyiv). Kyiv) received the Grand Prix and the first prize in the junior category at the international online vocal competition ‘M. I.F.”, Italy, 2021; Serhii Tsikhmistro (9 years old, Kharkiv) – won the first prize in the children’s category at the international vocal online competition “M.I.F.”, Italy, 2021, Xi – Wang – Chimin (10 years old, Beijing, China) – at the international vocal competition “M.I.F.”, Italy, 2021. Beijing, China) – received the Grand Prix and first prize at the Golden Bells International Vocal Competition, China 2022, Ksenia Lomtieva – received the first prize at the Stella Futura International Festival – Competition in the category of academic vocals, professionals, Ukraine-Italy-Canada (2024).
In addition to his voice, ability to be sincere on stage, and support young people, Volodymyr Hryshko always participates in charity, social, and cultural events.
