Volodymyr Runchak (12 June 1960) is a Ukrainian composer and conductor, laureate of numerous international competitions of composers. He has wide artistic interests: creation of music for symphony and chamber orchestras, small ensembles, soloists, chorus; conductor’s activity including performance of modern Ukrainian and foreign composers’ pieces; organizational activity in international and All-Ukrainian festivals and concerts of “New Music in Ukraine.” Runchak’s pieces have been successfully performed at various international festivals of modern music in Ukraine and abroad. Runcak’s recitals have been held in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lutsk, Saint-Petersburg, Moscow, Munich, and Paris. His pieces have been published by: 4'33'' - Germany, Agenda edizioni musicali Вologna - Italy, Astra - Poland, New Consonant Music - Belgium, “Kyiv” Chamber Chorus Library, and recorded by: Aurophon, Stadt Witten - Germany, Sub Rosa - Belgium, Cambria – the USA. Runchak is a propagandist of the modern art of music. For three years he has been hosting the New Music in Ukraine broadcast on the National Radio Company of Ukraine Third “Culture” Channel. He initiated the performances of some orchestral and ensemble pieces of such composers-classics of the 20th century as D.Shostakovich, E.Varese, L.Nono, K.Stockhausen, G.Ligeti, L.Berio. As a conductor, Runchak premiered more than 400 world and Ukrainian contemporary music pieces, and he conducts the “New Music in Ukraine” chamber ensemble which he founded in the1988-1989 season. The ensemble and the “Atlantic” recording company issued ten discs of works of modern composers. As a guest conductor, Runchak performs with National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, National Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra, National Radio Broadcasting Company of Ukraine’s Honoured Symphony Orchestra, with symphony and chamber orchestras of Lviv, Odessa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Luhansk, and Rivne philharmonics, and with music groups of Russia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Israel, France. In 2007-08 and 2010-11 he served as chief guest conductor of the Kara Karaev State Chamber Orchestra of Azerbaijan. Runchak is Artistic Director of the International Festival of Classical and New Music “Kharkiv Contemporary” and the International All-Ukrainian Music Festival “Ukrainian Day of the Accordion.”
“The courageous persistence of the initiator and “motor” of the New Music in Ukraine concert series and an irreplaceable conductor of the chamber orchestra, Volodymyr Runchak evokes surprise and great respect with which this musician-composer, conductor, performer and organizer is fighting the public’s disinterest in contemporary academic music of the experimental avant-garde direction. Regard for the conviction of the importance of this matter, for the energy and enthusiasm with which each action is conducted.”
--Politics and Culture