Sergei Shesterikov
Born on 6 June 1960 in Shakhunya, Gorky region, into a family of teachers. His father, Alexei Arsentyevich, was a physics teacher; his mother, Lilia Sergeevna, a philologist.
Sergei Alexeevich Shesterikov is a pupil of the Gorky Boys’ Choir Chapel and a graduate of the Gorky Conservatory (choral conducting class of Prof. Pokrovsky).
In January 1987, together with his wife Larisa Evgenyevna, he was assigned to Rybinsk, where he worked as director of Children’s Music School No. 4.
Since 1994 he has been artistic director of the creative association of children’s and youth choirs “Sokolyata”, which has existed since 1970 and is named after the outstanding choral conductor, Rybinsk native Professor V. G. Sokolov. The association is based at Humanities and Music Gymnasium No. 18, created in 1992 on the initiative of S. A. Shesterikov by merging secondary school No. 18, Children’s Music School No. 4 and kindergarten No. 28.
The choirs under S. A. Shesterikov are active in concert life and have reached a high performing level. They have repeatedly represented the city of Rybinsk and won prizes at all-Russian and international competitions and festivals.
S. A. Shesterikov is a leading choirmaster-teacher in Rybinsk, author of the programme “The Art of Choir” and of the textbook “From the Repertoire of the Children’s Choir ‘Sokolyata’” for choral departments of children’s music schools and studios (reviewer: USSR People’s Artist, Professor V. G. Sokolov). He made a studio audio recording of choral music, “Christmas Hymns”, for Euroradio (Białystok, Poland, 1993), and released the audio cassette “Sokolyata in America” (1995) and the compact disc “30 Beautiful Russian Songs” (1999).
S. A. Shesterikov is chief organiser of the V. G. Sokolov International Choral Festival in Rybinsk (1988, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2008), a member of the All-Russian Music Society and the Federation of Children’s and Youth Choirs of Russia, and a laureate of the V. G. Sokolov Regional Prize and the prize of the “Russian Performing Art” foundation.
For his achievements in creative and teaching work he was awarded the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, 2nd class, in 1999. Honoured Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation, first recipient of the Badge of Honour “For Services to the Rybinsk Municipal District”. Participant of the people’s movement “United Rybinsk” (2004). Candidate for the Rybinsk Council of Deputies of the 3rd convocation in electoral district No. 9 (2004).
Married, with two daughters (Maria and Polina).