Biography
Ukrainian American soprano Irina Petrik is an internationally recognized performer, educator, and cultural ambassador celebrated for her “vivid presence” and “radiant, luscious timbre.” Born in Kyiv, she has built an impactful career across opera, operetta, sacred music, musical theater, jazz, contemporary commercial music, and Ukrainian traditional repertoire.
Irina began her artistic journey with Kazka Children’s Theater and later became a resident soloist with the Kyiv Youth Symphony and Choir. She graduated with honors from the historic Gliére Municipal Academy of Music, earning an Artist Diploma on a full scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. After relocating to the United States, she completed her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and her Master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College. She is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance at Shenandoah Conservatory.
A versatile and sought-after soloist, Irina has appeared with the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, National Operetta Theater of Ukraine, Harpa National Concert Hall in Reykjavík, New York City Ballet and Orchestra, Opera Saratoga, Syracuse Opera, Arizona Opera, Lowell House Opera at Harvard University, San Francisco Lyric Opera, Commonwealth Lyric Theater, among others.
A passionate advocate for Ukrainian culture and global cultural diplomacy, Irina frequently performs at international events and collaborates on major artistic projects that elevate Ukraine’s rich musical traditions. She is a featured guest artist at leading Ukrainian festivals across North America, including the Montreal Ukrainian Festival, Toronto Ukrainian Festival, Denver Ukrainian Festival, Stanford Ukrainian Festival, and the Soyuzivka Ukrainian Festival, where she actively promotes Ukrainian musical heritage through performance and educational outreach. Her album Songs From the Heart (2019), dedicated to Ukrainian traditional music, is available on all major streaming platforms.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Irina has made it her mission to serve her homeland on cultural front lines.
In 2015 she co-produced the acclaimed New York staging of Cossack Beyond the Danube with Boston-based Commonwealth Lyric Theater and Zorepad Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, bringing Ukrainian opera to new audiences with critical and popular success. The production was met with much critical acclaim and enthusiasm, premiering to a sold out audience at the SUNY Albany Performing Arts Center.
Her achievements have been recognized with several major honors, including Ukraine’s Top 40 Under 40 Award (2017), Successful Woman of Ukraine Award from Apriori Magazine (2018) and being named an Honored Alumna of the Gliére Municipal Academy of Music on its 150th anniversary (2018).
In response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Irina launched the Ukrainian Classical Voice Project (UCVP), a groundbreaking educational initiative dedicated to illuminating Ukrainian vocal music, addressing issues of cultural appropriation, and popularizing Ukrainian classical arias and art songs among students, educators and professional performers in North America and beyond.
In recognition of her visionary leadership with UCVP, in 2015 she was awarded the World Cultural Diplomacy Award in Kyiv for her pioneering work in advancing global awareness of Ukrainian vocal repertoire, increasing its accessibility and promoting accurate cultural representation.
As part of her work with UCVP, Irina presents masterclasses, workshops, and lecture-recitals throughout the United States. Her recent engagements include the NATS National Association of Teachers of Singing, Rio Hondo College, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, SUNY Oswego, Skidmore College, Western Illinois University, The College of Saint Rose, Marcella Sembrich Museum, and Cornell University, with additional national and international residencies planned for 2025–2026. Her presentations on Ukrainian diction for singers, underrepresented composers, and the interpretation of Ukrainian classical and folk repertoire, are widely praised for their depth, clarity, and artistic insight.
Irina firmly believes in the transformative power of artistic collaboration and in mobilizing aligned, purposeful creative action to effect meaningful change on a global scale.
Irina’s recent publications include IPA phonetic transliteration resources, English translations from the original Ukrainian, and pronunciation audio guides for contemporary vocal works that highlight Ukrainian poetry and music.
Published in 2022, American composer Tom Shelton’s “Passing Dreams” (Колискова), based on the traditional Ukrainian lullaby “Ой ходить сон коло вікон”. Commissioned by the Crescent City Choral Festival in New Orleans (2022), Passing Dreams was performed by mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato during her Eden tour, accompanied by the Princeton Girl Choir and bandura players Halya Leskiv and Oksana Telepko.
Written as a symbol of alliance and solidarity in 2023, American composer Evan Mack’s song cycle “Letters from the Front Line” ( Листи з фронту ) sets five poems by Ukrainian warrior-poet Pavlo Vyshebaba. The world premiere of the song cycle took place in February 2024 at Salle Bourgie at Museum des Beaux-Arts in Montreal, QC in Canada and was sung by Mariupol-born baritone Ihor Mostovoj.
A dedicated pedagogue, Irina maintains a thriving vocal studio and serves on the voice faculty of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her teaching integrates classical Italian vocal technique, Stanislavsky acting method, IPA diction work in German, French, Italian, Spanish and various Slavic languages. She is equally well-versed in Contemporary Commercial Singing method, offering instruction in Musical Theater and Jazz. Known for her nurturing yet rigorous instructional style, she guides singers toward healthy vocal technique, elevated musicianship, and authentic artistic expression. Her students consistently earn top placements in regional, national, and international competitions and receive prestigious scholarships and awards.
Irina is an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), Opera America, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and the Ukrainian Women’s League of America.
Through her performances, teaching, and cultural advocacy, she continues to promote the richness of Ukrainian music while shaping the next generation of vocal artists.