The Ukrainian National Children Chorus “Pearls of Odessa” was founded by Larisa Garbuz in 1984.
Since that time it has been given more than 1000 concerts in different countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Lebanon, Mauritius & Reunion Islands, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Ukraine itself.
The chorus appears on radio stations, television programmes and shows in different countries. Also, the chorus take part regularly in the performances of Odessa National Academic Theatre of Opera & Ballet: “Nutcracker”, “Carmen”, “Tosca”, “Let's make an opera!” of the modern English composer B. Britten, "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs" and others.
Graduated from Odessa State Academy of Music as choir conductor in class of Professor Leonid Butenko. In 1984 Larisa has founded the Ukrainian National Children Chorus “Pearls of Odessa” based in Children Musical School #1, where she is Chief of chorus department.
Since 1995, she is choir master of the children's choir in Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre. Larisa has got many awards and diplomas for the highest professionalism as the best conductor of the choir for different competitions and festivals. Marvellous, this choir can sing all around the world. One of the best choruses that we'd ever heard since a long time, expressed a journalist for the BBC.
There are 80 children in the chorus, from 10 to 18 years old. Every child studies in secondary schools as well as in musical schools in Odessa. Some of them play several musical instruments. Every day of the week, exercise sessions are scheduled at the choral head office. For each tour, selection of 30-35 children, instrumentalists and accompanists, is made. The repertoire of the chorus is very various: Ukrainian folklore, classical and contemporary works, religious orthodox songs, Christmas songs and many others. As a present for the foreign public, chorus prepares and performs several songs in the language of the country chorus visits. Often chorus sings accompanied by the Odessa Musical Academy Orchestra and Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra under direction of Igor Shavruk. The chorus has already recorded several CD disks: Ukrainian Folk Songs, Various Classical and Modern Songs, Christmas Songs as well as various DVD disks.
Our chorus is the winner of many International Competitions and Festivals.
1991 - the honoured guest at the Choral Festival (Malta). 1997 - prize-winner of XXIV International competition (Varna, Bulgaria). 2000 - prize-winner of International competition "South Palmira" (Ukraine). 2001: the winner of the VIII International competition of the association “Musica Mundi” (Budapest, Hungary) in the categories: “Children's choirs” & “Folklore”, the name "The best children choir of Europe" and the winner of Christmas international competition (Prague, Czech). 2003: prize-winner of VIII International Competition (Tallinn, Estonia) and silver medal of International competition named after Brams (Wernigerode, Germany). 2007 - the winner at 55th competition of Polyphonic music "Guido d'Arezzo" in nomination "Folklore" (Italy). 2008: prize-winner of the International competition "Mozart in Prague" (Czech Republic) and participant of World Folk Song Festival (Beijing, China). 2010: prize winner of International Musical Festival (Wales, UK) and participant of International Children's Choir Festival "World Vision" (Seoul, Korea).
2011: Two 1st places in two competitions of Llangollen Eisteddfod of music and dance (Wales, UK) and participant of 3rd Festival Choral International in Aveyron (France).
