Was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine on 22 June 1960. In 1983 he graduated from V. Borisov's composition class at Kharkiv Art Institute. He took part in Summer Courses for Young Composers in Kazimierz Dolny, Poland (1990, 1991), where he attended lectures by L. Andriessen, W. Lutoslawski, K. Penderecki, B. Schaeffer, M. Lindberg a.o. He completed the course of computer music at the Krakow Music Academy, Poland (1991). In 1992 he took part in master classes with Edison Denisov and Poul Ruders, and in a workshop with the percussionist Gert Sorensen in Lerchenborg, Denmark.

Between 1982 and 1990 he taught composition at a children's music school in Kharkiv. In 1991 to 1995 he taught composition, instrumentation and techniques of contemporary composition at the Kharkiv Art Institute. In 1995 he delivered a cycle of lectures on modern and contemporary music at the Ukrainian National Music Academy in Kyiv. He lectured on Ukrainian music, gave master classes and presented own works at international symposia in Austria, Germany, Macedonia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

He was among the organisers of several contemporary music festivals in Ukraine and Russia. In 1995 he founded concert series New Music in Kharkiv. Since 1997 he is a member of the Art Council of the International Contemporary Music Festival Contrasts in Lviv, Ukraine. In 2001 he was program coordinator of the International Youth Music Forum in Kyiv, Ukraine.

A. Shchetynsky received awards at five international composer's competitions: • in 1990 the Main and Special prizes at the International Kazimierz Serocki Competition, Poland (for orchestral work Glossolalies), • in 1991 the First Prize at the International Sacred Music Competition, Fribourg, Switzerland (for The Preacher's Word for soprano and string quartet), • in 1995 the Second Prize at the International Witold Lutoslawski Competition, Poland (for Flute Concerto), • in 1996 the Second Prize at the International Henri Dutilleux Competition, Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, France (for The Baptism, Temptation and Prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ for bass, clarinet, trombone, viola, cello and double bass), • in 1998 the Third Prize at the International Gustav Mahler Competition, Klagenfurt, Austria (for Sonata da camera for cello and chamber ensemble).

In 2000 his chamber opera "Annunciation" was awarded Russian National Theatrical Prize Gold Mask in nomination 'innovation', as a part of the project "Voices of Invisible" at the "Helikon Opera" in Moscow.

Since late 80s his compositions have been regularly presented at prestigious festivals and concerts in Europe and America, performed by internationally acclaimed artists and ensembles, such as the Moscow opera house "Helikon-Opera", the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, children's choir "Maitrise" de Radio France, the "Arditti" String Quartet, the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, Ensemble "Wiener Collage", Stockholm Saxophone Quartet, chamber ensembles SON, HEX, Mark Pekarsky Percussion Ensemble, sopranos Phyllis Bryn-Julson and Tatiana Kuingi, pianists Ivar Mikhashoff, Yuri Polubelov, saxophonists Marc Siffert, Christoph Kirschke, bassoonist Valery Popov a.o.

"His style is essentially that of a structuralist, relying on a synthesis of a variety of modernist techniques and exploring in each piece a particular musical metaphor. This method explains his reliance on pieces with descriptive titles. The influence of an especially eastern European variety of minimalism (more meditative and less didactic) is also apparent in the carefully worked out relationship between different degrees of sound and silence, the predominance of soft dynamics, and in the smallest details and changes in pitch, timbre and rhythm" (from the article by Virko Baley in New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians)

"The chamber pieces by Alexander Shchetynsky (b. in 1960) - a composer from Kharkiv inclined to the "post-serial" idiom - testify his innate feeling for elegance and plasticity. His meticulously wrought "Way to Meditation" for five instruments (1990) is a kind of instrumental drama showing an interesting line of development; musical gourmands may enjoy it as a real dainty." (Levon Hakopian. Muzykalnaya Akademiya, Moscow, 2000, no.1)

Works:

• 2001
"NO ILLUSIONS" for clarinet, trombone, cello and piano
• 2000-01
"FIVE MINIATURES" for guitar
• 2000
"ARABESQUE" for clarinet, bass clarinet, viola and cello
"IN THE SECRET PLACE" for mixed choir
"TWO SONGS OF A WAYFARING PHILOSOPHER" for alto and viola d'amore
"ETUDE ON THE SOUL" for soprano, tenor and string orchestra
SONATA for piano and percussion
• 1991/2000
"LOOKING AT THE SKY" for 2 flutes and piano in 4 hands (version: for flute, clarinet and piano)
• 1999
"SHAPES AND COLOURS" for organ
"CORTEGE" for saxophone quartet
"PAS DE QUATRE" for alto saxophone, trombone, percussion and guitar - (MP3)
"PATER NOSTER" for female or children's choir and flute
• 1998/99
"UTTERANCE" for bass clarinet (saxophone) solo
• 1998
"ANNUNCIATION", chamber opera for soprano, piano and percussion
"SONATA DA CAMERA" for cello solo and 11 instruments
• 1996/98
"ASIDE" for clarinet solo
• 1997
"LIKE A CLOUD OVER PESCARA" for symphony orchestra
"A PRIMA VISTA" for symphony orchestra
"A SONG OF DEGREES" for mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble
• 1996
"MESSAGE ON A. W." for cello and piano
"THE BAPTISM, TEMPTATION AND PRAYER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST" for bass, clarinet, trombone, viola, cello and double bass
"THE LIGHT OF THY COUNTENANCE" for percussion quartet
"FOUR MOVEMENTS" for clarinet and viola, piano
"PAS DE DEUX" for 2 cellos
"TWO... IN PARALLEL... DISJOINT?" for clarinet and accordion
"INTROSPECTION" for flute and harpsichord
• 1994/96
"CROSSWISE" for alto saxophone (clarinet) and cello
• 1995
"TOGETHER", Five Pieces for violin and accordion
QUINTET for clarinet, horn, violin, cello and piano
"IN LOW VOICES" for clarinet, violin, 2 violas, double bass and accordion
• 1994
"WINTER ELEGY" for alto saxophone solo and 14 instruments
"ARIA" for trombone solo
"IN PRIVATE" for piano
"LENTO PENSIEROSO" for bassoon solo
• 1989-94
"A SHIP OF ECCENTRICS", vocal cycle for soprano and 7 instruments
• 1993
"NOW LETTEST THOU..." for 15 instruments
CONCERTO for flute and symphony orchestra
"EPILOGUE" for clarinet, piano and string trio
• 1992
"A RAY OF HOPE" for flute, oboe, viola, cello and harmonium (accordion)
"LOOKING-GLASS MUSIC" for 13 instruments
"THREE SKETCHES IN QUARTER TONES" for 2 guitars
"LA NAISSANCE DE SAINT JEAN-BAPTISTE" for children's choir and percussion sextet
"SOUND FOR SOUND" for percussion trio
SONATA for 2 pianos
• 1991
QUINTET for 4 recorders, vibraphone and tam-tam
"NEAR THE ENTRANCE" for tape
"POCO MISTERIOSO" for accordion
"FACE TO STAR" for 15 performers
"THE PREACHER'S WORD" for soprano and string quartet
STRING QUARTET
"FRAGMENTS OF LATIN LITURGY" for mixed choir and organ
• 1990
"WAY TO MEDITATION" for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano - (MP3)
"ON THE EVE" for 2 trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba
"LAMENTO" for 10 instruments
"PRAYER FOR THE CUP" for piano
SONATA for violin and piano
• 1987/90
SUITE for clarinet and piano
• 1989
"GLOSSOLALIES" for symphony orchestra
"SVIT VO OTKROVENIYE" ("Light to Lighten") for mixed choir and 2 bells
"CRYPTOGRAM" for vibraphone solo
• 1981/89
"KHARKIV MUSIC" for piano
• 1988
"INTERSECTIONS" for oboe solo, 14 woodwinds, 5 percussions, harp, piano and synthesizer
"PRAISE YOU THE NAME OF THE LORD" for piano
• 1985/87
QUINTET for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn
SONATA for viola solo
• 1984
"SAD SONG" for accordion
"FROM PAVLO MOVCHAN'S POETRY", vocal cycle for bass-baritone and piano
• 1985
"FOUR INVENTIONS" for accordion
• 1983
"ANTIPHONS" for cello and piano
SONATA for accordion
INTERMEZZO for flute and piano
• 1982
CONCERTO for cello and symphony orchestra