Bio
Yaroslav Shemet
Yaroslav Shemet (born 1996)
At just 28 years old, he serves as the Artistic Director of the Silesian Philharmonic in Katowice and Music Director of the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk. From 2020 to 2022, he was the Principal Guest Conductor of the Neue Philharmonie Hamburg. In the 2020/2021 season, he held the position of Chief Conductor of the INSO-Lviv Symphony Orchestra of the National Philharmonic in Lviv. Additionally, from 2018 to 2023, he served as the youngest academic lecturer at the I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań at the Institute of Conducting. He was also a lecturer at the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk. In the 2023/2024 season, he was nominated for several prestigious awards, including the International Opera Awards (Rising Star category), Polityka Passports, and the Fryderyk Award.
He began his conducting career at the remarkable age of 13. Since then, he has performed in countries such as Sweden, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, China, Poland, and Ukraine, leading renowned ensembles like the Prague Symphony, Philharmonie der Nationen, Staatstheater Braunschweig, Sinfonia Varsovia, Sinfonia Iuventus, NFM Wrocław Philharmonic, Polish Baltic Philharmonic, Poznań Philharmonic, and Łódź Philharmonic. His performances have taken place in prestigious venues, including the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Konserthuset in Stockholm, Shanghai Grand Theatre, and Harbin Opera House, as well as at notable festivals in Bayreuth, Munich, and Hong Kong. He has collaborated with prominent soloists, such as Lars Danielsson, Sonya Yoncheva, and Roman Simović.
In the opera world, his career as a music director began in 2018 at the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk with a production of Georges Bizet's „The Pearl Fishers”. Over the years, he has expanded his repertoire as Music Director of the Baltic Opera, conducting new productions of Karol Szymanowski's „King Roger”, Giuseppe Verdi's „Rigoletto", Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's „La Clemenza di Tito”, Georges Bizet’s „Carmen”, and Giacomo Puccini’s „La Bohème”. He has also collaborated with the Odessa National Opera, where he conducted productions of Bizet's „Carmen” and Puccini's „Madama Butterfly”. At the Silesian Opera, he revived Mozart's „La Finta Giardiniera” and conducted Puccini's „La Rondine” as Music Director. In the 2023/2024 season, he made his debut at the National Theatre in Warsaw, conducting a new production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte.
“The energy that this young conductor passes on to his orchestra is incredible!”
Sebastian Koik, "Klassik Begeister"“Shemet performed at the filled-up-to-capacity Elbphilharmonie exhibiting his youthful and untamed temperament. He lives on music and breaths it – by conducting he presented all his skills.”
Marion Nevoigt, "Das Opernmagazine"“The orchestra, which plays well and in time […], gains a deep sound under the baton of Yaroslav Shemet who conducts almost in an organic way.”
Łukasz Rudziński, trojmiasto.pl“While interpreting the old Haydn’s piece, Shemet and his musicians breathed a new life into it. As if one listened to it for the first time – it was vigorous, fresh, delicate and balanced (…).”
Sebastian Koik, "Klassik Begeister"
Yaroslav Shemet's musical journey commenced at the tender age of three, demonstrating early signs of musical prowess. After completing primary music education, which encompassed vocal, piano, and clarinet training, he received an invitation to pursue conducting studies at the Kharkiv Conservatory, renowned for nurturing talent. During his tenure, he received awards in numerous international competitions, including those held in Milano and Theodosia.
Driven by his Polish heritage and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Shemet charted his educational trajectory toward the Academy in Poznań. Embarking on his studies at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań at the age of 17, under the tutelage of Prof. Warcisław Kunc, he founded the Musique Moderne Orchestra, dedicated to contemporary music. Additionally, he initiated and was the Artistic Director of the Polish Symphony Orchestra project, uniting the best musicians in Poland. In the years 2018-2019 he was the conductor - assistant of Oksana Lyniv, the artistic director of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. Shemet's quest for musical enrichment led him to the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, where he studied under Prof. Johannes Wildner. At the age of 22, he graduated magna cum laude from the Academy of Music in Poznań, marking the inception of his career as an academic teacher.
Shemet's repertoire transcends traditional orchestral and operatic works, encompassing a diverse array of contemporary compositions. With over 50 premieres to his credit, he exhibits a penchant for innovation. His collaboration extends to the realm of jazz, exemplified by his performance alongside the Lars Danielsson Group and the INSO-Lviv orchestra at the renowned Lviv music festival, Leopolis Jazz Fest. Beyond his artistic endeavors, Shemet is committed to knowledge-sharing, conducting masterclasses for aspiring conductors in Poznań, Lviv, and Kharkiv. He was also a jury member at the International Grzegorz Fitelberg Conducting Competition in Katowice and at the International Polish Music Competition in Rzeszów. Critics laud his ability to breathe new life into familiar compositions, captivating audiences with each performance.
