Valeri Kikta

Valeri Kikta (born 1941, Donetsk, Ukraine) is a Ukrainian classical composer. He was educated at the Moscow Choral College, then at the Moscow Conservatoire. On the recommendation of Shostakovich he moved on to post-graduate study. Kikta's compositions include ballets, symphonic, organ and choral works. These include Beyond the Verge of Darkness for tenor and orchestra, and Frescos of the St. Sofia Cathedral of Kiev for harp and orchestra. He was recorded extensively by the USSR state recording company, Melodiya in the 1970s and 1980s.