The Ukrainian conductor Volodymyr Sheiko was born in Kharkiv.

He graduated from the then State Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Kiev, now the National Academy of Music of Ukraine. His teachers were the legendary Stefan Turchak - chief conductor of the National Opera Theatre of Ukraine - and Fuat Mansurov of the "Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre".

In 1990 Volodymyr Sheiko founded the "Ukraine" Symphony Orchestra and as its leader and music director toured extensively throughout Europe from 1991 to 2001 to high critical acclaim.

He made numerous radio and TV recordings and CD productions in Italy, England, Russia and Switzerland, was co-organiser of the "Tenoratorio" Festival in Solothurn, Switzerland, as well as founder of the international music festival "Meetings at Easter" in Kyiv in 2000, and participated in the opening of VERDIANO - 2001 in Busseto, Italy in 2001.

Since 1994 and until 2005 Volodymyr Sheiko has performed large theatre productions and many different projects in oratorical genres, among them: "Yevgeniy Onegin" by P. Tchaikovsky; "La Traviata" and "Rigoletto" by G. Verdi; “Porgy and Bess” by G. Gershwin; "Carmen" by G. Bizet; "The Tsar's Bride" by  N. Rymsky-Korsakov; "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" by G. Rossini; "Cosi fan tutti", "Impressario" and "Le nozze di Figaro" by W. A. Mozart; "Requiem" by G. Verdi,  "Requiem" by M. Reger; "Requiem" by G. Fauret; "Magnificat" by J.S. Bach and many others.

Volodymyr Sheiko has been head of the Ukrainian Radio Symphony Orchestra since August 2005.

Under his direction, the orchestra has presented many memorable performances of such musical chedeuvres as: "Requiem" by G. Verdi; Symphony No. 9 by L. V. Beethoven; Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique" by P. Tchaikovsky; Symphony No. 2 by S. Rachmaninoff; "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff; "Stabat Mater" by G. Rossini; "The Execution of Stepan Rasin" by D. Shostakovich; "St. Jonn of Damascus" by S.Taneev; "When the Fern Blooms" by Y. Stankovych; "Requiem" and "Davidde Penitente" by W.A. Mozart; "Le Poème del'extase" by A. Scriabin, "Symphonic Gospel" by Alemdar Karamanov.

Volodymyr Sheiko founded a series of joint musical projects of the Radio Company and National Television Company of Ukraine, such as: “Art Stories”; "RadioSymphony_UA"; “Symphonic Mainstream” and “Message from Ukiraine”.

Under his artistic leadership, the Orchestra has made more than 500 recordings of world and Ukrainian musical masterpieces for the National Radio Fund.

Volodymyr Sheiko has brought the Orchestra to more than a dozen countries across the world, including: China, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Algeria, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Belgium, Romania, Poland and Belarus; to such renowned stages as:

Konzerthaus Wien; Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Koningen Elisabethzaal in Antwerpen; Arena Sferisterio in Macerata, Italy; Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova; Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari; Teatro Ponchielli in Cremona; Teatro Luciano Pavarotti in Modena; Teatro Romano in Ascoli Piceno, Italy; Teatro Politeamo Garibaldi in Palermo; Teatro Auditorium Manzoni in Bologna; Teatro Gesualdo in Avellino, Italy; Stadtcasino Musiksaal Basel, Switzerland; Auditorio Nacional de Musica, Teatro Monumental in Madrid; Palau de la Musica Catalana in Barcelona; Auditorio de Zaragoza, Teatro Principal in Zaragoza, Spain; Casa da Musica; Coliseu do Porto in Porto, Portugal; Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon; Coliseum in Nimes, France; Teatro Romano in Vienne, France; Bucharest National Opera; Romanian National Opera in Timisoara; Algerian National Theatre, Palace "Moufdi Zakaria", Algiers Opera House in Algeria; Seoul City Hall; Coliseum in El Jem, Tunisia; Amphitheater in Cartage, Tunisia; Tunisian National Opera; Hong Kong City Hall; National Philharmonic of Beijing, China; Dubai Opera, in United Arab Emirates.

Volodymyr Sheiko’s many awards include:

2003 - The honorary title of Ukraine “Honored Personality of the Arts of Ukraine”.

2005 - The Honorary Diploma of the Parliament of Ukraine and the Order of St. Prince Volodymyr the Great, III degree.

2012 - Diploma of the Government of Ukraine.

2012 - Insignia of Honour of Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.

 2012 - Medal “Honour” by Kyiv Сity Сouncil.

 2015 - The honorary title of Ukraine "People's Artist of Ukraine".

 2019 - The Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine.

 2020 - The Order of Merit, III degree.

 2021 - Correspondent member of the Academy of Arts of Ukraine.

2023 - Professor of the department of opera and symphonic conducting and the department of opera training and musical direction of the National Music Academy of Ukraine.

UKRAINIAN VERSION BELOW/ УКРАЇНСЬКА ВЕРСІЯ НИЖЧЕ