Natalia Rozhko

Interview with Nataliya Rozhko - composer

This week we would like to introduce you to a young symphonic composer, Nataliya Rozhko. She is currently working on a CD in her studio.

G2K: How did you get interested in music and composing?
NR: It all happened very naturally. Music has always been a part of our family life because my father is a composer and my mother is a musician. I started to play the piano when I was 5 and composing at 6. I had my first concert at the age of 7, where I played some of my own compositons already. Then I went to a music college in Kherson and later on to the Conservatory in Kiev. Now I am also working on my doctorate thesis.

G2K: Have you worked in others countries as well?
NR: Yes, I have. I had a concert in Bruxelles and I have worked in Moscow on some international projects, too. And I am going to have some Christmas concerts as a pianist in Germany this year.

G2K: Do you have a favourite composer or kind of music?
NR: no, not really, it always depends on my mood, my feelings. At the moment I am recording some film music and that is very exciting for me. But I also really love symphonies.

G2K: Do you find it difficult to make a living with your job?
NR: I started to work when I was still at the Conservatory and since then I have been very fortunate to always have projects to work on. Only last week a Ukrainian film was aired on channel 1+1 for which I had written the music. I also received support from the former major of Kiev, Alexander Omelchenko. He gave me an apartment as a present, so that I could have my own music studio. That has helped a lot. Just recently I got a grant from our President Viktor Yushchenko.

G2K: What does your typical working day look like?
NR: I do not usually start before 9 am. During my studies I often had to be at school at 6 am to practice and I did not really like it. I can compose for about 3 hours, but then I need a break. I work on the computer in my studio at home most of the time. At the moment I am involved in 3 different projects. The biggest is with a violinist from the USA. We are going to have our first show on December 24, 2007 in Kiev. I really look forward to that! The other 2 projects are very different: one is writing the music for a movie and the other one is writing the music for a documentary about the work of a famous Ukrainian jewellery maker. I am cooperating with a big Ukrainian choir and we are going to record some pieces of music at the Lavra.

G2K: What do you do when you do not work?
NR: I like to go outdoors, walk around in the woods. But, you know, I am extremely lucky, I really love my work, so therefore I work almost every day! I hope that I can unite people through music. There are so many things that can separate us, languages, politics and religion. I would like to give people harmony through music!