Vladislav Chernushenko, conductor, People's Artist of the USSR. Biography

Vladislav Chernushenko — early years, career as a director

Vladislav Chernushenko was born on January 14, 1936 in Leningrad. The boy grew up in an intelligent family — his father taught at the institute, and his mother graduated from a music college as a singer. The future conductor became interested in music at an early age. The beginning of the Great Patriotic War found him in his hometown, he survived the winter of 1941 in besieged Leningrad. In March 1942, Chernushenko and his family evacuated to Perm.

"I remember how a truck and a half pulled up to the entrance. My father lifted my mother and sister into the cab, my brother and I into the back, and went over to my grandmother. But she suddenly stopped and said: "Sasha, you go, I'm not going." We never saw her again," the conductor recalled in an interview with the Petersburg Bulletin.

In 1944, the family returned to Leningrad. Soon after, Vladislav and his brother were assigned by his mother to the Choral School at the Leningrad Academic Chapel, where he studied piano and conducting classes until 1953.

In 1953, Chernushenko entered two faculties of the Leningrad Conservatory at once. St. Petersburg Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory): conducting-choral and theoretical-compositional. Already in his first year, he showed organizational talent by creating a choir of nurses at the Military Medical Academy, a men's choir at the Gatchina Naval College, and a student choir at the Korabelka (St. Petersburg State Maritime Technical University).

I walked around the courtyard: Evgeny Pisarev staged The Tsar's Bride at the Novaya Opera

The premiere opens the traditional Epiphany festival in the theater

A promising student was offered to continue his postgraduate studies, but instead he decided to start a professional career. In 1957, Chernushenko went on assignment to the Urals. There, for four years, he taught at a music college and directed the Magnitogorsk State Choral Chapel.

"Of course, I could have gone to graduate school. But I realized that by staying in Leningrad, I would be under the wing of my former teachers. But I had to get back on my feet. And I signed the assignment to Magnitogorsk," the conductor said.

In 1962, Chernushenko returned to Leningrad and again became a student at the Conservatory, this time at the Faculty of Opera and Symphony Conducting. He was the only student of the conductor and pianist Evgeny Mravinsky — before that, the maestro worked exclusively with graduate students.

In the same year, the conductor founded the Leningrad Chamber Choir at the Palace of Culture of the Food Industry. For 17 years of working with this amateur band, Chernushenko was able to bring it to the international level. The choir gained recognition both in the USSR and abroad, having successfully performed at music competitions in Hungary, Poland and Italy.

In 1970, Chernushenko completed his postgraduate studies, and a year later he took up the position of second conductor at the Leningrad Maly Opera and Ballet Theater.

Vladislav Chernushenko — Head of the Leningrad State Academic Chapel

In 1974, Chernushenko was appointed artistic director and chief conductor of the Leningrad State Academic Glinka Chapel, the oldest professional musical institution in Russia. The chapel became the main "brainchild" of the musician — he devoted more than 50 years of his life to it. Under his leadership, the band, which was experiencing a deep creative crisis, not only regained its former glory, but also became one of the leading choirs in the world.

Thanks to Chernushenko, the Chapel's repertoire has expanded significantly, returning to Russian choral classics. The conductor paid special attention to restoring the traditions of sacred music, which had been almost completely forgotten due to the anti-religious policies of the Soviet leadership. In 1981, on the initiative of Chernushenko, the Nevsky Choral Assemblies festival and the scientific conference "Five Centuries of Russian Choral Music" were held. Four concerts within the framework of the festival were devoted to sacred music, which was an unprecedented event for that time.

Works by Grechaninov, Chesnokov, Bortnyansky, Arkhangelsky, and Tchaikovsky returned to the Chapel's programs. A historic moment for Russian culture was the performance of Rachmaninov's "All—Night Vigil" in 1982 - the work was performed on stage for the first time in 50 years. In 1986, records with the recording of this composition appeared.

First role: Mashkov launched the 150th anniversary of the Union of Theatrical Figures

The plans include a themed train, concerts and the presentation of medals of "SVO"

In 1991, the symphony orchestra was recreated at the Chapel, which quickly became one of the country's leading ensembles and gained international recognition. Since its foundation, it has been headed by People's Artist of Russia Alexander Chernushenko, son of Vladislav Chernushenko.

Thanks to the maestro's efforts, the Chapel has become one of the most important centers of musical culture. He actively created new concert programs, attracted talented performers, and during his tours conducted master classes for choirs, conductors, and young musicians. The works of Georgy Sviridov have always occupied a special place in the repertoire.

From 1979 to 2002, Chernushenko combined the leadership of the Chapel with the position of rector of the Leningrad (later St. Petersburg) Conservatory. Thus, he united under his leadership two of the oldest musical institutes in Russia. During the 23 years of his leadership, the best traditions of the St. Petersburg school and the unique potential of the teaching staff have been preserved and developed.

In 2021, a collection of his memoirs and essays "Leaves of Life" was published.

Vladislav Chernushenko — recognition

Vladislav Chernushenko's contribution has been recognized with many titles and awards.:

• Honored Artist of the RSFSR (1978);
• People's Artist of the USSR (1991);
• Winner of the Russian Federation State Prize in Literature and Art (1994) and the Russian Government Prize in Culture (2015);
• Recipient of the Orders of Friendship (1996) and For Services to the Fatherland, IV (2005), III (2019) and II (2025) degrees.

Vladislav Chernushenko — death

Vladislav Chernushenko died at the age of 91 after a serious illness. This was announced on January 27, 2026, by the press service of the St. Petersburg Chapel.

The date and place of the farewell will be announced later. The Chapel emphasized that the conductor's contribution to Russian musical culture is invaluable, and the creative legacy he created largely determined the development of choral art from the middle of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century.