Larissa Kovalchuk’s extraordinary soprano voice, paired with the delicate melodies of the bandura, has captivated audiences across her native Ukraine, Western Europe, and Australia.
Born into a family of visual artists and musicians, Larissa’s musical journey began in childhood. As she fondly recalls, “I sang before I talked.” She studied voice, bandura, and conducting at the Kiev Conservatorium of Music, quickly establishing herself as one of Ukraine’s leading musicians.
Larissa performed at numerous festivals across Ukraine and Western Europe, including events in Latvia, Estonia, Germany, and France. Her talent earned her recognition as a laureate at the 1993 All-Ukrainian Bandura Festival, and she gained international acclaim with her performance at the 1994 “All the World’s Violins” Festival in France, organized by the legendary Yehudi Menuhin.
Since relocating to Australia, Larissa has worked with SBS and ABC Radio and Television, and has performed at prestigious venues and events such as the Sydney Opera House, Multicultural Festivals, Musica Viva, Café Carnivale, and Australia Day Concerts. In 2014, she was invited to perform as a soloist with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra for their “Noel! Noel!” concert series and later appeared at the 2015 Woodford and 2022 National Folk Festivals.
In addition to her vibrant performing career, Larissa earned a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Sydney. She now balances her time between performing, teaching at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music, and conducting.