Music
Valentin Korniyenko: Follow your heart and do your thing
By Stephan Cartello • Mar 20, 2025
We often talk about how important it is to listen to our hearts and trust the journey. All
those talks always sound extremely inspiring and uplifting. But we rarely follow this call
for inspiration, and certainly not all of us even hear that call. More often than not we are
guided by rational arguments for choosing something safe, tried and tested, prestigious,
financially stable, traditional or socially acceptable. And then suddenly we meet a
person who follows every call of his or her soul, even though it is calling on a wild
adventure to the middle of nowhere. And we freeze in admiration: “Wow, this person
could have stayed in a backyard with a guitar and romantic dreams, but instead he took
a chance and found his passion in life”. Today I will tell you about such a person.
Valentin Korniyenko is an Honored Artist of Ukraine, musician, arranger, teacher,
multiple laureate and member of the professional jury of national and international
music competitions. Valentin plays an instrument that is not very common — he is a
double bass player. When I can talk to rare musicians, I want to know everything: how
they chose their instrument, how they paved their professional path, who they worked
with, and in the case of Valentin and his contrabass, I am also interested in how much
such a “huge guitar” costs. Of course, I asked my interviewee all these questions, but it
turned out that, in addition to mastering a rare instrument, Valentin also has the rare
ability to orchestrate any composition. Imagine, for example, that a rapper decides to
perform his track with a symphony orchestra. How are the orchestra musicians
supposed to know that the flutes should accompany the rapper and when to strike the
triangle? What part do the violins play, and when do the trumpets come in? The
extremely difficult work of creating a separate part for each instrument is done by
someone like Valentin Korniyenko, and believe me, this ability to hear and feel music is
on the verge of ingenuity and limitless imagination. Not just rare people can handle such
work, but literally just a few. I was lucky enough to meet such a person, and now I would
like to introduce him to you.
Valentin, did you really start playing the double bass as soon as you entered
music school as a child?
No, of course not. I'll tell you more: I didn't even go to music school. I played the guitar
by ear since childhood, but only at the age of 19 I enrolled in the evening music school,
because I already understood clearly that I couldn't live without music, and that music is
much more than three chords on a guitar. My friends laughed at me, but I really did
spend my evenings learning scales. That was in Kharkiv. In two years, I mastered the
basics and immediately enrolled in a music school to study classical guitar. I wanted to
enroll in the Kharkiv State Institute of Arts, but then I realized for the first time that
admission to such institutions is based not only on talent but also on the financial means
of one's parents, and I understood that I would not be accepted. So I went to the
pedagogical institute to study music there.
Wait, where is the story about double bass? When and how did you start playing
it?
I discovered the double bass when I was 30. It happened during a sound check with a
band I was playing bass guitar in. There were other guys at the sound check, and one
of them had a double bass. I was curious to try it—after all, it's not every day that even
professional musicians come across this instrument. I approached the owner of the
double bass and asked if I could try playing a few notes. After 10 minutes my fingers
were rubbed raw (the double bass is very hard for an untrained person). We parted
ways, but I was left with a sound unlike anything else I had ever heard. I was drawn to
that sound; I couldn't stop thinking about it, couldn't forget it. It was such a powerful
inner response that it was pointless to ignore it. I had a crazy idea—to find a contrabass
for myself. But where? I went to the craftsman who usually repaired my guitars and
asked him if he knew where I could buy a used double bass. And he did. He had an old,
broken instrument lying around somewhere in his storeroom, which he glued back
together and completely restored especially for me. I went into debt to pay for the work.
But my God, I was so happy! I played that first double bass for quite a long time
including numerous performances. Even a very average instrument can be played
amazingly well. And vice versa: a flawless instrument does not guarantee good
performance. It is the person who makes the music.
How did you learn to play? Is guitar school suitable for learning the double bass
(I know I'm asking stupid questions)?
I played recordings by Keith Jarrett Trio and copied their double bass player, Gary
Peacock. People told me I was crazy, that you can't learn to play the double bass
without going to school. But I did what I liked. I followed my heart and focused on the
sound. And then I started going to our local Kotlyarevsky Institute of Arts and meeting
people there — that's how I got into the scene. There aren't that many double bass
players in the world, so I immediately attracted attention, including from professionals.
Now I was accepted into the Institute of Arts quite easily, simply because there was no
one else to play the double bass. I enrolled in the pop music department, studied,
played, and completely immersed myself in my favorite instrument.
So you were already studying double bass at the Institute of Arts, and what did
you major in at the music department of the pedagogical university?
Oh, that's a wonderful story! At the pedagogical university, I studied choral conducting. I
also started singing myself at that time—I sang in the choir at the Opera Theater.
It is important to emphasize that I am not a solo singer, but a choir singer. I also sang in
church—I really enjoyed it.
How and when did you move to Kyiv?
I came to Kyiv after two years of studying double bass at the Art Institute. I remember
that we came to Kiev for a concert, and I saw how much more interesting and fun life
was there. I went straight to the head of the pop and jazz department at the R. Glier
Higher State Music College in Kiev and asked for a transfer from Kharkiv. Everyone was
in favor of it, and that's how I ended up in Kiev, where my career took off rapidly. I joined
the well-known Ukrainian jazz group Shid-Side, with which we performed successfully at
various venues, including the festival in Koktebel, where there was a huge open-air
stage. I also remember how we gathered the Operetta Theater in Kiev, which is quite a
large number of people for a jazz band. At that time, the world-famous jazz trumpeter
Randy Brecker from Philadelphia performed with us at the Operetta Theater, and I am
still in touch with him. It was truly a major world event—it's not every day that jazz stars
of such a high level come to Kiev. Incidentally, I played that big concert with Brecker on
my first double bass, which was glued together and restored from junk.
What other famous jazz musicians have you played on stage with?
Pianists Joel Holmes and Benito Gonzalez, guitarists Tommy Emmanuel and Dave
Fields, and trombonist Jimmy Bosh. My life in music is unfolding in a wonderful way—I
meet truly brilliant professionals.
Valentin, I would like to delve deeper into such an unusual and interesting part of
your professional activity as writing scores for orchestras. Please tell us a little
more about the essence of this work...
The essence of this work is that I write notes for live orchestras. For example, someone
comes to me and says, “I want to sing my song with a symphony orchestra,” and gives
me a song that exists only as a melody with accompaniment. I take their music, listen to
it, and transcribe the harmony and melody. Since I know the technical capabilities of all
the instruments in the orchestra very well, I come up with separate parts for each of
them (you can't assign the same part to flutes and cellos in the orchestra). This is called
orchestration.
What prominent orchestrations have you done?
Once, Montserrat Caballé came to Ukraine for a concert, and our singer Zlata Ognevich
wanted to perform several of her songs with an orchestra at Caballé's concert. Zlata's
producer asked me to write the orchestration. By the way, you can find this concert on
YouTube. I also want to mention my work with a unique musician and self-taught artist
Arsen Mirzoyan. Among other things, Arsen is a big fan of Vladimir Vysotsky. Vysotsky
has a series of songs recorded with Georgy Garanyan's orchestra. Arsen asked me to
arrange these songs for a small jazz band. We also had a series of tribute concerts to
artists such as Sting, ABBA, and the Beatles. At that time, I was doing arrangements for
bands of 15 musicians. The idea was this: we invited leading Ukrainian pop stars to
perform with the band under my direction. The star would choose any song from the
repertoire of the artist we make tribute to, I would write the score for our instruments,
and we would perform. It’s worth mentioning that as part of our collaboration with Arsen
Mirzoyan, we repeatedly filled the Ukraine Palace, which seats 3,700 people, and our
tribute shows filled the Zhovtnevy Palace, which seats 1,900 people. I am sincerely
proud that so many people wanted to come and listen to our music.
Did you only do orchestrations in Ukraine?
No, I receive material from all over the world. I should mention that I can't talk about
many of the projects I write scores for, at least not yet. I'll just say that I get sent material
from all over the world. Sometimes I'm asked to add a part for a specific instrument,
such as the violin. Just recently, an important person from Los Angeles asked me to
write a violin part for a track.
So it's a bit like composing...
Not just a bit.
How is it even possible to create a separate part for the violin, a separate part for
the trumpet, a separate part for all the instruments in principle? How do you hear
it all in your head and not go crazy?
Now I'll tell you about one of my earliest memories. I was no more than four years old.
Like many Soviet families, we had a record player at home. I listened to Alla Pugacheva
and Edita Piekha. And here's what I remember: four-year-old me is listening to Edita
Piekha's song “Anton, Ivan” and suddenly I clearly realize how the chords change in the
song (factually there are only two chords in this song). I understood that music moves.
From an early age, I reacted to music differently. At school, I constantly got bad grades
for behavior and was reprimanded for tapping on my desk, but I was tapping out my
inner rhythms, which were simply impossible to suppress. If you feel music you can’t
stop or control it – it is just a part of your reality.
Valentin, how long have you been in America?
Three years. My wife and I flew to Florida in the fall of 2022, but then we moved to New
York.
Did you immediately start performing as a double bass player and doing
orchestrations?
Oh, no! I had my share of so-called survival jobs. In Florida, where we didn't stay long, I
worked on a construction site. When we moved to New York, I worked in an optical
laboratory, operating a machine that applied a protective coating to lenses to prevent
scratches and glare. As someone who had stood in a stadium with a double bass and
seen thousands of spectators in front of me, working for $16 an hour in a lens factory
wasn't inspiring, to say the least. The main thing was that I couldn't hide the fact that I
wasn't very happy working in a lab... And then I remember one Friday, the manager
came up to me and said: “Today is your last day.” And it just so happened that on that
same Friday evening, my wife and I were leaving for the Pereplet music festival in
Upstate New York. That same night, I immediately received offers to play at two
concerts. Then more, and more, and more. Left without a job at the lab, I began to
interact with musicians on a regular basis, and offers to collaborate poured in.
Everything in my life fell into place again in the best way possible for me. I just trusted
the flow – and it took me to the place I belong.
What are the most interesting projects you have already completed in the United
States, and what are you currently working on?
In the summer, singer Olga Shanis and I will play a charity concert on Staten Island.
Another concert is currently in the works, featuring Ukrainian songs and a lot of original
material from local musicians. I always work with artists from Ukraine who come on tour,
such as the wonderful musician Arsen Mirzoyan, whom I mentioned earlier. I perform
periodically in Philadelphia at the David Gvinianidze Arts and Music Center. Other
musicians and I have also been invited to perform on the radio, where I was asked to
prepare a solo piece on the double bass, among other things, which is extremely rare.
The broadcast is scheduled for literally a month from now. I work with the talented
composer, singer, and guitarist Slava Tolstoy—we will be performing with him at the
Vibe Festival. By the way, I really love performing at festivals and always enjoy doing
so, for example, at the Pereplet and Blue Trolleybus festivals. I would also like to
mention my work with saxophonist and organizer of large concerts, including charity
concerts in support of Ukraine and Israel, Yakov Maiman—we have already done
several programs with him. I have worked with several very cool singers, such as
Abigail Charles and Stephanie Note. The famous guitarist Bruce Edwards invited me to
play with him (by the way, I had an unusual performance with him in the park).
Valentin, did you really bring your double bass with you from Ukraine?
It pains me, but no, I couldn't take my double basses out of Ukraine — I had to leave
them behind. I was only able to bring one with me—an electronic one. It doesn't have
large decks; it's more like a stick with strings, so it's relatively easy to transport. I bought
myself a beautiful instrument here, which is even better than my previous ones.
You talk about your double basses in Ukraine in the plural—did you have several
at the same time?
I've had six in my life. I had four at home simultaneously, and, anticipating your
question, yes, four double basses take up a huge amount of space in the house. But an
instrument is a very intimate thing for a musician.We simply cannot be without it. In my
case, each double bass was special to me. For example, when I was actively
collaborating with the Ukrainian salsa band Dislocados, I needed a special “salsa”
double bass called Baby Base. It is made of plastic for a special sound. To buy and
deliver it to Ukraine from the US, where I found it on eBay, I had to go through a whole
operation involving a huge number of people.
Is double bass expensive?
A good instrument costs more than $10,000. You can buy a cheap one made of
plywood for $2,000, but a good instrument is expensive (up to half a million).
Are there any superstitions among double bass players, such as not letting other
musicians play your instrument?
I don't know about other people's superstitions, but I have always been proud to let
other musicians play my double bass. Bands visiting Kiev often rented my instrument,
and this always led to interesting professional acquaintances. For example, Ron Carter,
who is super famous in the jazz world, played my double bass. He signed the back of
my instrument – alongside many other incredible autographs. Many renowned and
outstanding musicians from America and around the world have played my double
bass, and I cherish this very much, because every musician has their own vibration,
their own tuning, their own style. I felt how we exchanged energy through the
instrument. It has always been a very interesting experience for me.
When you were on tour, did you take your double bass with you or did you rent
one locally?
I always took my instrument with me on tour. And we really did tour a lot. I performed in
Poland, Serbia, Germany, and at NATO headquarters in Brussels. We had another
interesting experience with Arsen Mirzoyan when we spent two weeks traveling around
the Netherlands on a boat, stopping in different parts of the country and playing music
there. Arsen then edited our entire trip into a film, which can be viewed on YouTube. As
part of another project, Arsen and I performed in The Hague and raised funds to buy
cars for the Ukrainian front. I then drove one of the cars 1,500 kilometers from Europe
to Ukraine.
Valentin, tell me, have you participated in professional music competitions?
I have participated many times, won, and then repeatedly served as a member of the
jury myself. But what I like most is when my students participate and win competitions.
By the way, tell us about your work as a teacher...
I really love teaching! And, without being overly modest, I'm really good at it. I feel my
students, I understand their inner need for music and find a unique key to each of them.
I started teaching when I was still studying at music school—I just heard an inner calling
and a pure confidence that I would succeed. And I had a line of students waiting for me!
I'm not exaggerating! It was like that in Kharkiv, in Kyiv, and now in New York — people
want to learn from me. And I'm not afraid to work with “difficult” students, such as people
with autism spectrum disorders. I know that I will definitely succeed with each of my
students. I just feel it.
Valentin, during our conversation, you said several times that you “followed your
heart” or “I felt the calling”. Can you explain what does that mean to you?
I have always followed my inner voice. If I were guided by motives such as “why do I
really need this?”, I would not be able to give a single argument. I don’t let rational
thinking override what I feel deeply — I follow my impulses and intuition, I follow the
music inside me. I don't try forcing events to fit into a desired narrative; I trust the flow,
and in a surprising way, everything falls into place and form a beautiful story. I always
tell my students: “Don't focus on money at first, choose something you genuinely enjoy
DOING”. When you know what you love doing and do it you are happy every day no
matter what is around you and what others think. Just follow your heart and do your
thing.
Irina KIRYIEVICH
Specially for EventCartel
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