Artistic Life

Sophia Chamber Choir is a unique creative formation that unites artists based on the thirst for joint creation of high-quality choral content.

The ensemble was formed in October 2007 by Ivan Bogdanov as an ensemble, the specifics of which were historically informed performance of ancient music.

Since the end of 2010, the band has been led by Oleksiy Shamritsky, then a 5th year student at the Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music of Ukraine.

Over the years of its existence, the choir has become an important ambassador of Ukrainian culture abroad, and has also taken an important place in Ukraine. Regularly participating in the best Ukrainian festivals, such as Kyiv MusicFest, the International Easter Assembly and Lviv MozArt, the team also actively presented Ukraine abroad. Having won more than 10 international competitions of the highest difficulty in Italy, Germany, Hungary. Poland, Romania and Spain, the "Sophia" chamber choir has earned authority among international colleagues and listeners. The choir's highest achievement is the victory at the International Competition "Gran-Prix Europe of Choral Singing". The first choir from Ukraine. who became the winner of this honorary award. Also, in 2022, the choir became the first among Ukrainian choirs to participate in the prestigious Beethoven Festival.

An important component of the choir's activity is charity. Since the beginning of the war, the choir has collected more than 2500 euros as part of the "Light of the World" projects and collection of donations to support the family of Yuriy Kerpatenko. Chamber Choir "Sophia" is also a driver of the activity of modern Ukrainian composers. 2 well-known cycles were written by order of the choir: "Illuminated by the black sun" by Yevhen Petrychenko and "Christmas Action" by Yaroslav Karpiv. Over the past 15 years, the "Sophia" chamber choir has achieved its special sound, cultivating its own signature performance style. For the choir, both the full emotional return characteristic of amateur singers and the strictest criteria of vocal quality characteristic of professionals are equally important.

Alexei Shamritsky (was born in 1988 ) graduated with honors from Kyiv National Musical Academy named after Tchaikovsky in 2011, post-graduate

studies at the Academy in 2014.

The winner of the First Prize of V All-Ukrainian competition of choral conductors.

Since 2010 - the artistic director of the chamber "Sophia Chamber Choir".

In 2015 the choir "Sophia Chamber Choir" under the direction of Alexei Shamritskii visited in tour Germany (Weimar, Erfurt), Poland (Krakow, Luslavitsy, Warsaw, Bialystok).

In 2016 the choir won the 27th Bela Bartok International Choir Competition in Hungary (Debrecen). - First Prize and Diploma of the Best Conductor.

In August 2016 he was appointed principal conductor of the Academic Chamber Choir "Khreschaty", in September - choirmaster of the National Ensemble of classical music named after B. Liatoshynsky.

In May 2017, Shamritsky won at the contest in Limburg (Germany) - Diploma of the Best Conductor.

In July 2017 "Sophia Chamber Choir" won the Grand Prix at the 56th International Choir Competition "Seghizzi" in Italy, the Diploma of the best conductor.

In November 2017, the choir participated in the International Choir Competition in Spain (Tolosa)

In May 2018, the chamber choir "Sophia Chamber Choir" became the winner (the First Prize) at the XXXVII International Festival of Orthodox Church Music "Hajnowka-2018".

May, 2022 – Gran Prix and I prizes at 5 th INTERNATIONAL Choral Competition Ave Verum, Baden, Austria

November, 2022-Gran Prix and I prizes at 53 International choral competition Tolosa.

Under the guidance of Mo. Shamritsky "Sophia Chamber Choir" has released different video's and CD's. They all working on new album of that brings Ukrainian tradition and contemporary vocal Christmas tradition to the listeners.