FAMOUS SINGER OF LYRIC SONGS VALENTINA TOLKUNOVA DEAD
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2010-03-23
MOSCOW, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS: Famous singer, People’s Artist of the
Russian Federation Valentina Tolkunova died at the Botkin hospital
in Moscow on Monday morning. She was 63, the singer’s family told
Itar-Tass. Tolkunova had long been ill and the family expected the
inevitable end.
Valentina Tolkunova was born in the city of Armavir on July 12, 1946.
The family moved to Moscow when she was barely one year old. In
childhood, Tolkunova sang in a children’s choir, conducted by
Soviet famous composer Isaak Dunayevsky. Tolkunova graduated from
the Gnesinsky College of Music with a diploma of a choir conductor,
and later from the Moscow Institute of Culture.
In 1966 composer and jazzman Yuri Saulsky created a pop group "VIA-
66" and invited Valentina Tolkunova to join. She sang in the group
for five years.
The singer’s first night as a soloist was in 1972 when she sang at
a concert devoted to famous poet, author of verses to many popular
songs Lev Oshanin. Since 1973 Tolkunova was on staff of the Soviet-era
Mosconcert company. Since 1987 she was an artistic director of the
Moscow theatre of musical drama and song she organized. She proved to
be a talented singer of old romances and music compositions presented
in the ethnic and urban folk style. In 1986 Tolkunova made her debut
as an opera singer and starred in a fantasy film. The singer released
12 records and CDs.
President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have
expressed their condolences in connection with the singer’s death.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that "her death is a tragic loss
and grief to all of us. Valentina Vasilyevna will always live in our
memories as a highly spiritual, enchanting person, a wonderful singer
loved by the audiences. Her life in music and her songs were always
imbued with a positive emotional connotation and kindness, and people
will never forget them," Putin said in a telegram of condolences
addressed to the singer’s family, the government press service said.