Opera singer & pianist to enchant audiences in Mareel & Busta

Shetland Arts is delighted to present lyric soprano with coloratura, Oksana Mavrodii, accompanied by classical pianist Anna Mavromatidi, at Busta House and Mareel on Saturday and Sunday 3 & 4 November.

Originally from Nikolaev Southern Ukraine, Oksana now lives in Glasgow, Scotland. She is a lyric soprano with coloratura, which gives an easiness and brightness to her voice allowing a varied repertoire.

From a very early age Oksana was passionately interested in music and persuaded her parents to send her to the local Music School and then Music College where she graduated with distinction in Choral Conducting. She then furthered her studies with Prof. L. Stefanova at the Sofia Music Academy in Bulgaria (1997- 2002) and received a Bachelors and a Masters degree. During her time in Sofia she took part in a large number of concerts and performances and won prizes in Academic and National competitions, as well as a laureate of the National Operetta Competition.

In 2000 she was awarded the 'George Soros Scholarship' for her outstanding study. After graduating with high achievement she decided to continue her education and moved to Germany to study under Prof. M. Schiml (2004-2006) at the Musikhochschule, Opernschule, Karlsruhe. While studying there she attended master classes with L. Bizzi and H. Zadek. Prior to completing her studies in Germany, she participated in a number of concerts and sang Belisa in the Paisiello Opera 'Il re Teodoro in Venezia' performed in Karlsruhe Operahaus. In 2008 she completed a Pg dip in opera singing in the RSAMD under Patricia Hay. Since 2010 Oksana is Deputy Conductor of Glasgow male Philharmonic Choir.

Along with classical and opera music she enjoys singing contemporary music and has worked with Jannot Heinen (Luxemburg) and in Bulgaria took part in the contemporary music festival 'Musica Nova’ as well as working with Artin Potourlyan. Oksana is keen to promote Slavic music in Europe and as such has sung concerts of Russian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian music in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Baden Baden and Shetland.

Anna Mavromatidi was born in Russia. She studied the piano at the State Saratov College of Music and the State Saratov Music Conservatoire, specialising in teaching accompaniment and chamber music. In 1996 her family moved to Greece where Anna taught and performed extensively. Anna’s further education took her to the RCS (formerly Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama ) Glasgow, where she obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (Solo) in 2001 and a Masters Degree in Performance (Chamber Music) in 2002. Throughout her time at the RCS, Anna has been heavily involved with Chamber music.  She has won numerous prizes and awards, including The John D Miles Prize (Accompaniment) and The Ian D Watt Award (Chamber Music).

Currently Anna is a lecturer at RCS Piano Department. She is also accompanist to Glasgow Philharmonic Male Voice Choir and Glasgow Cathedral Choral Society. Anna also teaches piano at Clifton Hall School, Edinburgh.

In August 2011 Anna collaborated with Oksana to record her first CD, Romantic Russian Songs.

Shetland Arts Music Development Officer, Bryan Peterson, said: “It’s a real pleasure to welcome Oksana and Anna back to Shetland for what is sure to be two absolutely enchanting performances. Classical music and opera lovers are in for a real treat.”

Oksana and Anna’s concert at Busta is on Saturday November 3, and the Mareel concert is on Sunday November 4. Both concerts begin at 7.30pm and tickets cost £12 / £8. Tickets are available from Shetland Box Office in Mareel/Islesburgh, over the phone on 01595 745 555, or online at www.shetlandboxoffice.org or www.mareel.org.