Margarita Shamrakov
Gig Seeker Pro

Margarita Shamrakov

Band Pop Singer/Songwriter

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Column: Gordon Raphael #19, Oct 2004"

Ah, more ranting from the head Shoplifter. I have listened to Margarita Shamrakov's songs and it’s fantastic to hear someone who really has worked hard to explore where harmony can go that is new and vital. She is young and has a long road to travel to realize her potential and to play the kind of shows she dreams of. I am grateful to have met her and to have heard at least five of her gigantic works in progress. She also won the John Lennon songwriting award here in America, and it was given to Margarita by none other than Yoko Ono herself. That fact got my attention right away.
- http://www.rockfeedback.com/article.asp?nObjectID=2656


"Margarita Shamrakov, a Hunter College student, has won first prize in the John Lennon scholarships"

Lennon Scholarship Winners
by Karen W. Arenson, Marcia Biederman and Kate Zernike

Margarita Shamrakov, a Hunter College student, has won first prize in the John Lennon scholarships, established in 1997 by Mr. Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, to recognize songwriters between the ages of 15 and 24. Ms. Shamrakov was awarded the $10,000 scholarship on May 9 for her song "Tragedy." (PICTURES BELOW) Two other New Yorkers were among seven other honorees. Mark Tewarson of the New York Youth Symphony won third prize, a $2,000 scholarship, for his song "Far From the Sun." Daniel Romer-Friedman, a student at La Guardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts, was an honorable mention, receiving a $1,000 scholarship for his song "Saturday Night."

-The New York Times METRO
Wednesday, May 16, 2001 - The New York Times METRO


"Margarita Shamrakov"

by Under My Skin on Wed Jun 29 '05 at 12:33PM

Hey Margarita,

We're glad to see you at the top of the musochart! Surely, you deserve a lot more!

Talk to you soon
- www.musolist.com


"Music You will Love:Top 40"

MARGARITA SHAMRAKOV: Margarita 2001
Pop/Rock/Power Rock/Alternative.../soul savior../ your inspiration..... - www.cdbaby.com


Discography

Margarita Shamrakov 2001 - released 2001
Magic City by Margarita Shamrakov release 2002
Nobody Loves Margarta - released 2003
Tragedy by Margarita Shamrakov - released 2008

Photos

Bio


Favorite Musical Styles:
Rock, POP, Alternative Rock, classical, punk, goth, R&B, country, dance, hip-hop, folk, blues, jazz,electronica, ska

Favorite Bands:
NIRVANA, the Police, Beatles, Sting, Tori Amos, John Lennon, Madonna, Savage Garden, Frou Frou, No Doubt, Mariah Carey, Pearl Jam, STP, Audioslave, James Blunt, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder...

I started writing songs when I was 10 years old, in the Ukraine. I was studying piano in Kiev at the best Music School called Special Music School Lisenka. I played Bach, Chopin, Mendelsson, Mozart, Every 2 years in school they had an exam, where you compete against your peer and they get rid of the worst students. I practiced every day for 4-5 hours a day, and when I had my exam I psychologically froze up, I forgot everything at that moment. I restarted couple of times, and froze up over and over again. I was expelled from school in a 4th Grade. Looking back I know that I had nervous breakdown because of the fierce competition, where sometimes it felt like you could not be friends with your peers, because they were your competitors. And you knew that out of 25 people, 10 will get expelled. I was very much hurt, I felt very much like a failure. I could not get over it for a long time. My mom transferred me to another music school and to the Special French school, with intense studies of French language. After living in Kiev with my mom, and eating 3 times a day oatmeal,, because we had no mnoney, America seemed like the opportunity from Heaven. My dad, whom I've seen only few times in my life invited me to come to the US. I came over when I was 17 years old, leaving my grandma (my angel) and my mom, my friends, and everything I knew up to this point- in the Ukraine. I came over not knowing what to expect. My mom and my dad divorced when I was born and I did not get a chance to really get to know my dad. In the US, I knew that my music had no chance - I am from the Ukraine, I am an immigrant, I don't speak English, there is no chance. With encouragement form my father I started pursuing medicine, medical billing, then film, then philosophy and psychology. Clearly I was completely LOST!. I started out in Hunter College with all F's, I was put on probation, however I ended up graduating with all A's. Even-though I was trying to avoid music, to erase music and art from my life, still music would always pursue me. I always wrote songs, even if there was no one to listen to them. Finally I sent one of my songs to the John Lennon Songwriting Competition sponsored by BMI, where my song Tragedy won the first place!!! And I've met Yoko Ono - this was the happiest moment of my life and I feel that I was blessed to get a chance to be close to John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and The Beatles. Can you believe it? I won and yet I had no one to share my joy with. My dad never believed in me and never supported me, and he still doesn’t. I felt happy cuz I won but at the same time very lonely cuz I did not have anyone to share with my success.
I started recording album after album, just trying to get all my songs down. I started playing lots of shows, all over New York, 3 times almost got signed to a Record Label. Got a chance to become friends with Arif Mardin (producer of Bee Gee's. Norah Jones). Finally I've met a great producer Mike Anzel, with whom we created an original sound, and I am recording my 4th Album – called "Tragedy". I want to distribute this album and make many copies, make it available to the public by myself, and not to wait for a Record Label to tap me on my shoulder. It is very important to me. I believe my music has an important message, that you gotta believe in yourself, that no one knows what the future holds, that life is precious. Art is very important to life, because without art we would become extremely bored, life would loose its meaning, life would loose vision, purpose. We will eat, sleep, go to work, and this routine eventually will bore us to death☺. But music, and art make us feel something that is impossible to say with words, impossible to translate, because Music and art speak to our souls. And there is no need for translator. Music awakens our soul, it awakens our higher meaning, higher intellect, higher emotion, and lifts us up from the routine, and thus creates meaning above "just existing in the world", making us to strife for more in everything we do. It is a revelation of a deeper meaning. In the future I see myself having a Record Label, starting Company that will help out young artist. I see myself making movies - this has been my passion for a long time. I see myself helping out poor people all over the world.