Sofiya Kyrylyuk, 16, viola

January 23, 2016, 11:00 am

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Sofiya Kyrylyuk was born June 7th, 1999 in Bucha, Ukraine. At the age of four, she moved to the United States and began studying violin a year later. She added viola to her priorities when she was twelve. Sofiya’s previous teachers include Stefan Hersh (professor at Roosevelt University), Alexander Belavsky (violinist at Lyric Opera), and Lisa Chodorowski. Her current viola teacher is Rami Solomonow. Kyrylyuk has been playing as a concertmaster in multiple orchestras including the Canzonetta, CYSO, and the Midwest Young Artists Philharmonia and Concert  Orchestras.  At the moment, she is the principal violist at Midwest Young Artisits (MYA) Symphony Orchestra, while also participating in MYA chamber groups. She held the position of principal violist with the North Suburban Symphony from 2012-2014.

Sofiya’s awards include Co-Overall Winner in Junior Division of Walgreens National Concerto Competition (2012); Semi-Finalist in the Johansen International Competition (2015); Finalist in the Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Youth Auditions (2014); Second place in Senior Viola division at Society of American Musicians Competition (2013); Grand Prize at Talent of Ukrainian Diaspora Competition (2013); Dora Bartelt Memorial Award in Junior Strings division at Chandler Starr Miller Scholarship Competition (2011, 2012, 2014); First place in Woodstock Fiddle Contest, Junior Division (2007); Honorable Mention at DePaul Concerto Festival (2013, 2014); Honorable Mention in Senior Division of Walgreens National Concerto Competition (2014); Honorable Mention at ISU Contemporary Music Competition for Young Performers (2012); 1st place at RSO/RVC Concerto Competition (2014); Honorable mention at American Music Institute Violin Competition (2014).

As a soloist she appeared at the Chicago Symphony Center, Chicago Cultural Center, Bennett Gordon Hall at Ravinia, Ukrainian National Museum of Chicago, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Arts and Ukrainian Cultural Center in Chicago, Elgin Art Showcase, local nursing homes, Huntley High School PAC, Huntley Library, Morton Grove Library and many others. On Sundays she plays at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Union.

Sofiya’s recent solo performances include playing Vivaldi “Winter” with an MYA chamber orchestra (2012); Bach Double Violin Concerto with MYA Concert Orchestra (2013); Vivaldi Concerto for Four Violins with North Suburban Symphony (2013); Telemann Viola Concerto with MYA “I’Solisti” chamber orchestra (2013, 2014); Saint-Saens “Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso” with the Rockford Symphony Youth Orchestra (2014); J. C. Bach Viola Concerto in C minor with MYA “I’Solisti” chamber orchestra (2014). Sofiya has been featured in newspapers such as the Courier News, Northwest Herald, and recently the Chicago Tribune. Sofiya Kyrylyuk performs on a fine viola by Lawrence Furse, 1988, on generous loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation.

  • Viola Concerto, by Béla Bartók
    III. Movement

  • Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, by Johann Sebastian Bach
    I. Prélude
    IV. Sarabande
    V. Menuett I
    VI. Menuett II

    Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, by Johannes Brahms

    I. Allegro appassionato

  • Viola Concerto in D Major, by Carl Stamitz
    I. Allegro

  • “La Campanella”, by Niccolò Paganini