Soviet-born baritone Sergey Yakovenko has passed away on June 28, 2020. The cause of death is not listed at this time.

Born on July 19, 1937, Yakovenko was educated at the Gnesins Music and Pedagogical Institute. From 1961 to 1972, he was a soloist with the All-Union Radio and Central Television. His repertoire included song cycles from Schubert, Schumann, Mussorgsky, and more. In 1972, Yakovenko became a soloist with the Moscow Philharmonic.

As an educator, Yakovenko lectured at the Gnesins Music and Pedagogical Institute from 1963 to 1979, going on to teach at the Gorky Conservatory, where he authored a number of articles on vocal and aesthetic matters.

Over the course of his career, Yakovenko earned a number of awards and distinctions, such as the People’s Artist of the Russian Federation in 1997, the For Merit to the Fatherland degree in 2008, and the certificate of honor of the President of the Russian Federation in 2015.