Stefan Vasilevich Turchak

Born Feb. 28, 1938, in the village of Matskovichi, near Peremyshl’. Soviet conductor. People’s Artist of the USSR (1977).

In 1962, Turchak graduated from the L’vov Conservatory, where he studied conducting under N. F. Kolessa. From 1963 to 1967 and from 1973 to 1977 he was principal conductor of the State Symphony Orchestra of the Ukrainian SSR. From 1967 to 1973 and since 1977 he has been principal conductor with the Ukrainian Theater of Opera and Ballet. In 1966, Turchak became artistic director of the State Symphony Orchestra and head of the subdepartment of opera and symphony conducting at the Kiev Conservatory; he became a docent at the conservatory in 1973.

Turchak devotes special attention in his extensive repertoire of classical and contemporary music to the symphonic and operatic works of Ukrainian composers. He has made tours abroad. Turchak received the Z. P. Paliashvili State Prize of the Georgian SSR in 1973. He has been awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.