Gennady Sasko (1946)
Gennady Sasko is one of the Ukrainian composers with a very diverse creative spectrum. He has composed extensive cantatas, oratorios, choral miniatures, chamber music and symphonic works, but has also worked in a different genre, writing jazz, film music and music for children and young people.
After graduating with honors from the music conservatory in Donetsk, he began studying composition at the Tchaikovsky Academy of Music
Gennady Sasko’s specialty is his exploration of motifs and themes from Ukraine’s past and modern history. His compositions are rooted in folk music, which he varies and transforms with the technique and vision of a modern artist.
Examples of this are Works such as the “Slavic Poem, the oratorio: “Fatherly Homeland” and the choral poem: “Frühlinglein,Frühling”
Gennady Sasko develops a very fine musical lyricism in his works, e.g. flute concertos with orchestra and the piano (harpsichord) cycle: “Spring Colors”, which have been performed repeatedly at international events.
Since 1994 he has been director of the publishing house for musical children’s literature: “Grono” (books and sheet music). He sees the musical education of children as one of his most important tasks. A real classic of the pedagogical repertoire for piano is the cycle dedicated to his son Anton: “Mosaik”, for children and young people. As a pianist with a passion for jazz, he succeeded in creating compositions that are accessible to children despite their demanding melodic and rhythmic motifs.
He has received numerous prizes for his considerable contribution to the promotion of musical education for children and young people.
Despite the war, Gennady Sasko continues to live and work in Kiev and teaches at the Reinhold Glière Music Academy in Kyiv.
