The Woodwind Instruments Department was founded in 1989 after the splitting of the Brass and Percussion Instruments Department into two: the Woodwind Instruments Department and the Brass and Percussion Instruments Department. From 1991 the Department was headed by Honored Artist of BSSR, PhD in Art History of the Republic of Belarus, Doctor of Art History of the Russian Federation, Professor B.Nichkov. In September 2014 Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Belarus, PhD in Philosophical Sciences, Doctor of Culture Studies of the Russian Federation, Professor V.Skorokhodov became the Head of the Department.
The Woodwind Instruments Department is one of the most elite departments of Belarusian Academy of Music. At the present time teachers of the Department are:
Associate Professor N.Avramenko (flute); Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus, Professor V.Budkevich (bassoon); Associate Professor I.Brichikov (clarinet); Associate Professor G.Kozodoy (saxophone); Associate Professor S.Sitnikova (flute); Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Belarus, PhD in Philosophical Sciences, Doctor of Culture Studies of the Russian Federation, Professor V.Skorokhodov (clarinet).The extension of the teacher group was made thanks to the most talented graduates of the Department:
T.Karmazinova (flute), E.Shimanovich (clarinet), N.Petrov (saxophone), S.Tumarkina (oboe).
For the last 33 years the Department graduated more than 400 specialists including laureates of national and international competitions, soloists of leading creative groups of the Republic of Belarus.
Belarusian Brass Performance School made its name on international arena not only by participating and winner at performance competitions. The best graduates made a good concurrence at competitions and orchestral groups where they won an opportunity to be soloists of Symphony Orchestras of Austria, Brazil, Germany, Holland, Morocco, the USA, Poland, the Czech Republic.
Scientific-research and scientific-methodological work is held at the department. Among the most valuable works:
– Monographs of B.Nichkov “Brass Instrumental Culture of Belarus” (1993); “My teachers are outstanding oboists I.Dansker, I.Pushechnikov. A.Petrov” (2006); “Belarusian woodwind instruments musicians-performers” (2010); “Performance on woodwind instruments in Belarus of the second half of XIX-XX century” (2012); “Belarusian musicians – Brass and Percussion Instruments Performers” (2014); “Piano Accompanists of the Woodwind, Brass and Percussion Instruments Department (1970-2015)”.
– Works of V.Skorokhodov: “Art culture in the dynamics of social obtaining” (1994); “Social dynamic of modern Belarusian culture” (2003); “Leisure time and culture” (2008); “Advice for my students” (2009, “Clarinetist mastery: Teacher’s advice” (2012); “Master-class of Professor Skorokhodov” (2014); “Methods of teaching clarinet performance” (2022).
Annually scientific articles and repertoire editions are published. The authors are N.Avramenko, G.Kozodoy, V.Grigoriev, M.Rassokha, S.Sitnikova, V.Skorokhodov.
Teachers of the Department constantly performs at various scientific-practical conferences, symposiums, seminars, hold master-classes in Belarus and abroad, they are jury members of national and international competitions.
Concert activity is widely represented at the Department. For more than 25 years there is ensemble “Syrinx”, its one and only leader is N.Avramenko. The professional mastery of the ensemble is recognized not only by Belarusian listeners but also by foreigners. Only for the last five years there were 96 concerts including France, Germany, Luxemburg, Poland. Since 2009 the story of ensemble “Nymphos” began. Interesting creative work is demonstrated by student groups: flutist ensemble “Impressions” (class of S.Sitnikova), clarinetist quartet (class of V.Skorokhodov), brass quintet (class of Professor V.Budkevich), saxophonist ensemble (class of Associate Professor G.Kozodoy).
