OBITUARY OF LEONID SHULMAN
January 18, 2021
by Olga Key
Leonid Shulman was born in Zaporozhye on December 22, 1931, then his family moved to Kiev, where he graduated from a music school, and then the Kiev Conservatory. In the early 60s, he entered the Leningrad Conservatory at the conducting faculty, where he studied with the outstanding professors Ilya Musin and Nikolay Rabinovich, who brought up a galaxy of world-class conductors - Yuri Temirkanov, Maris Jansons (1943-2019), Valery Gergiev, Neme Jarvi and others, with whom he had professional relations all his life.
Leonid Shulman also took part in master classes by K. Kondrashin and G. Karayan. After graduating from the Leningrad Conservatory, he conducted the Symphony Orchestra in Irkutsk, Lugansk, and the Symphony Orchestra of the State Philharmonic in Kislovodsk, where his main activity took place from 1972 to 1994. North Caucasus State Philharmonic named after Vasiliy Safonov in Kislovodsk is one of the three largest concert organizations in Russia, along with Moscow and St. Petersburg. Outstanding masters of classical music at all times have always considered an honor to perform on this stage.
Indeed, in order to keep the mark of such a famous stage and create glory for the symphony orchestra, a great master of his craft was needed, and such a master and inspiration was Leonid Shulman during his years of work in Kislovodsk. He has performed hundreds of concerts of classical and contemporary music throughout the Soviet Union, as well as toured in Italy with the Arturo Toscanini Symphony Orchestra. Here are just some of the names of those stars in the musical world with whom he worked and performed at his concerts: Bolshoi Theater soloists Vladimir Atlantov and Elena Obraztsova, famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, pianists Bella Davidovich, Lazar Berman, Viktor Bunin, composers Igor Rekhin, Veniamin Basner, Grigory Fried.
Leonid Shulman was the first performer of Grigory Fried's chamber mono-opera “The Diary of Anne Frank”. This opera was first performed on the stage of the State Philharmonic in Kislovodsk, conducted by Leonid Shulman, and later in 2004 he conducted this opera in America, at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. It was the American premiere. Thus, Leonid Abramovich was the first performer of this opera not only in Russia, but also in America.
In 1994 Leonid Shulman moved to America with his wife Nina Valyaeva . All this time he lived in Arlington, VA, and his enthusiasm never left him. He was always aware of all musical novelties, premieres, concerts, operas, regularly attended all operas and symphony concerts of the Washington National Orchestra, personally knew its conductor Gianandrea Noseda.
Leonid was an active member of Meet up group and a big friend of American Balalaika Society Orchestra. He was also an Honorary member of the American Association of Russian Culture and Education and a welcome guest of the Russian Cultural Center.
The memory of Leonid Shulman will forever remain in our hearts!
Leonid Shulman also took part in master classes by K. Kondrashin and G. Karayan. After graduating from the Leningrad Conservatory, he conducted the Symphony Orchestra in Irkutsk, Lugansk, and the Symphony Orchestra of the State Philharmonic in Kislovodsk, where his main activity took place from 1972 to 1994. North Caucasus State Philharmonic named after Vasiliy Safonov in Kislovodsk is one of the three largest concert organizations in Russia, along with Moscow and St. Petersburg. Outstanding masters of classical music at all times have always considered an honor to perform on this stage.
Indeed, in order to keep the mark of such a famous stage and create glory for the symphony orchestra, a great master of his craft was needed, and such a master and inspiration was Leonid Shulman during his years of work in Kislovodsk. He has performed hundreds of concerts of classical and contemporary music throughout the Soviet Union, as well as toured in Italy with the Arturo Toscanini Symphony Orchestra. Here are just some of the names of those stars in the musical world with whom he worked and performed at his concerts: Bolshoi Theater soloists Vladimir Atlantov and Elena Obraztsova, famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, pianists Bella Davidovich, Lazar Berman, Viktor Bunin, composers Igor Rekhin, Veniamin Basner, Grigory Fried.
Leonid Shulman was the first performer of Grigory Fried's chamber mono-opera “The Diary of Anne Frank”. This opera was first performed on the stage of the State Philharmonic in Kislovodsk, conducted by Leonid Shulman, and later in 2004 he conducted this opera in America, at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. It was the American premiere. Thus, Leonid Abramovich was the first performer of this opera not only in Russia, but also in America.
In 1994 Leonid Shulman moved to America with his wife Nina Valyaeva . All this time he lived in Arlington, VA, and his enthusiasm never left him. He was always aware of all musical novelties, premieres, concerts, operas, regularly attended all operas and symphony concerts of the Washington National Orchestra, personally knew its conductor Gianandrea Noseda.
Leonid was an active member of Meet up group and a big friend of American Balalaika Society Orchestra. He was also an Honorary member of the American Association of Russian Culture and Education and a welcome guest of the Russian Cultural Center.
The memory of Leonid Shulman will forever remain in our hearts!